Air Asia Fly Or Die Logic ?

[Scorpio1949]

I know I can be stupid but Air Asia can do better I found out today. I was supposed to fly last Saturday to VietNam and come back this coming Sunday. In the evening before leaving I got a swollen left leg and after consulting my insurance they told me to go to hospital. Because I already had some thrombosis treatment what I feared was true. I was diagnosed with DVT ( Deep Vane Thrombosis ) and some other problems and was submitted in hospital. I called Monday to Air Asia help desk who said it was no problem to get a refund if I could fax a letter from the hospital about my medical situation and helpful he have me a WRONG fax number. After more tests it now turns out that my condition is, as I was told by the cardiologist, still life threatening and flying is absolute no go for a longer period. No problem because I also had that great insurance and a new call brought a working fax number. I had to call 5 minutes after faxing and problem would be solved........................

Pity ................... after deducting about 30% on costs I was told that I only would get a voucher for a ticket where I know I will not be allowed to fly for a longer period of time, but money would only be returned if I died ( which is nice if your doctor told you 2 days ago that this already could happen at this moment without help from Air Asia )

Just like to warn everybody that Air Asia may have this "we are the friendly people who fly you cheap" they also are the people who when I told that flying anyway ( which was the other option ) could result in a dead passenger and they got upset that. So I told that I was thinking about flying ( in which case I possibly would be refused to board if I informed them about my medical condition ) with the risk of not surviving it which the help desk thought was not a good idea.....................

Think twice before you book Air Asia; I made my last flight with them

[roamer]

Oh if you think that's bad wait till your on an Air Asia flight that suffers a cabin pressurization problem and the oxygen masks drop down, then you find you don't have the right coins to fit in the slot

[lomatopo]

Sorry to hear about your illness and best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Your note is a great reminder that customers should always review the change/cancellation terms, and Contract of Carriage, of their airline ticket before purchase. Almost every contingency is covered: medical, illness, death, family death, etc., so there shouldn't be any surprises. If there is any doubt at all, it is advisable to purchase a fully refundable ticket. Of course these tickets are the most costly (Y or B bucket), so you pay for that convenience.

In these days of low cost airlines, and where air travel is no longer the glamorous endeavor of 40 years ago - more akin to bus or train travel, one should not be expecting carriers to extend any unpublished benefits.

[Scorpio1949]

Air Asia not has these classes so it's not possible to get money back. I of course mind loosing money but I am real upset that a help desk worker can be so stupid and the way they act.

Hope that the oxygen here in hospital is free though !

[Tropicalevo]

Oh if you think that's bad wait till your on an Air Asia flight that suffers a cabin pressurization problem and the oxygen masks drop down, then you find you don't have the right coins to fit in the slot

Seriously though - sorry to hear about your health problems

[hagler]

100 million passengers in 8 years.

Amongst the worlds fastest growing airlines.

Share price up 78% since January ( yeah ! gotta thank my broker for that little tip last year)

yep Air Asia, dont fly with them.

[kuffki]

I can fully understand the frustration and disappointment in your case and many other cases where people did not get the service they expected, but i think need to keep in mind, it is a budget airline so we cannot expect to get the service we may like to see.

they are not very helpful, they do have pretty limited flexibility, but hence why the cheap flights.

But they also never promote to be service airline, they promote to be cheap airline to get you there and back.

PS. Sorry to hear about your health, hope you can get better fast

[madmitch]

Did you take out Air Asia's insurance?

If so have look at the wording, if you can find it, and see what it says. Unfortunately the link to the wording doesn't seem to work but if you took out this Goinsure policy, don't go back to Air Asia but download a claim form from the website and fill it in. Attach documents from the hospital. If you were hospitalised then there should be no problem with your claim. It is out of Air Asia's control at this stage. They have no obligation to refund.

Proper travel insurance is always better.

If you didn't buy the insurance then you shouldn't expect a refund under any circumstances.

Sorry to hear about your health problems but try the above procedure if you haven't already done so.

Edited November 12, 2010 by madmitch

[lomatopo]

Just to follow on, a fully refundable Y fare BKK-SGN-BKK (TG, LH, VN) would be 20,000 THB all in. You could cancel at any time, for any reason and receive a full refund with no service charge. On FD (Thai AirASia), for the same dates and no promotions, the fare would be 4,532 THB.

The AirAsia group is definitely doing well. Their labor costs are quite small, they've got relatively little competition and a huge market. They are having a hard time finding enough pilots, and they have many, many A320's on order. Let's hope that they don't scrimp on safety, maintenance and pilot training going forward. Although the traveling public generally cares more about price than safety.

Edited November 12, 2010 by lomatopo

[SiamRose]

If you paid by credit card, you may be able to claim on the card insurance policy which is often included automatically by the card company.

[PattayaParent]

Just like to warn everybody that Air Asia may have this "we are the friendly people who fly you cheap" they also are the people who when I told that flying anyway ( which was the other option ) could result in a dead passenger and they got upset that. So I told that I was thinking about flying ( in which case I possibly would be refused to board if I informed them about my medical condition ) with the risk of not surviving it which the help desk thought was not a good idea

I think that if you told ANY airline that you might drop dead on their flight if you board they might get a tad upset with you and tell you it's not a good idea.

[Scorpio1949]

Tank you for several good tips and I will try to use them to solve the problem. I am happy with the positive reactions and liked always to fly with them even though I always need to use wheelchair their service was perfect bur I simply got upset by the remark that they would refund without problem if I would die ....................

I am not a big poster but all people who wish me well is a good feeling special because many forums are negative and I tried to be as positive as possible but this was just a bit to much ! I have insurance so I will try to download the form and contact the insurance and again it's not about the money ( was it Frank Zappa who made the album " We're only in it for the money " ) but this was just to much and I agree that from a low cost company you cannot expect as much as from TG but I was used to GOOD service of them !

This morning I heard ( for my well wishers ) that things start to improve regarding my health !

[siam2007]

I have more than 100 flights on the 4 different Air Asia's . and I know they can be a pain in the a*s sometimes, even you know the conditions before,

but have you ever tried to get any kind of refund from any other budget Airline in the world (Ryan, Easyjet, Tiger, Jetstar, Cebu Pacific.......) ?

AirAsia still easily wins all over them.

When the unrest in Bangkok happened in May, they offered to cancel flights from and to BKK (which I did as it just suited my schedule, not because of the unrest), and I had the full amount of those flights on my "Credit Shell" after less than 3 days.

Same again when they lately canceled their second daily flight into Myanmar (understandably, after the Myanmar Dictators discontinued the VOA-facilities due to their paranoia before the elections). As I did not want to hop on the early-morning-flight, I had the option to get my money refunded or as a credit-shell. It was on my account after 48 hrs.

If you miss a flight, you will at least get back the Airport-Tax (which is THB 700 after all).

I have not been succesfull getting any refund from any other Budget-Airline in the world except AirAsia.

that does not mean that I don't hate them sometimes - for example, perfidiously as they are, at the same second they started their latest " 0 - Baht - seat - promotion"

last week, they increased the baggage fees by 50 % !!!!! (now 300 Baht for 15-kg bag, before last week it was 200 Baht ! ), and their "convenience Fee" by 40% ! (from 50 to 70 Baht)

Datuk Tony Fernandez seems to be quite an insidious person, second only to Ryan Air's big-mouth Michael O'Leary (who will be involved in AirAsia's direct competitor when THAI TIGER starts next year, it's gonna be fun and entertaining !)

N.S.:

Oh MeindertB, I want to echo the Chorus and wish you well too. Should be okay to hop on short-haul flights by taking some Warfarin or Marcumar a few days before the flight ads a precautionary-measure . I do the same , BTW

Edited November 12, 2010 by siam2007

[Scorpio1949]

I like to thank all who responded and tried to help which is greatly appreciated ! I had contact with the insurance and all will be solved. I can relax ly down take some extra oxygen and thank again all members who tried to help me !

as far as I am concerned

[falang07]

...last week, they increased the baggage fees by 50 % !!!!! (now 300 Baht for 15-kg bag, before last week it was 200 Baht ! ), and their "convenience Fee" by 40% ! (from 50 to 70 Baht)

I think I have always paid 140 Baht as the "Convenience Fee" for using the credit card, or I am the only one?

[siam2007]

...last week, they increased the baggage fees by 50 % !!!!! (now 300 Baht for 15-kg bag, before last week it was 200 Baht ! ), and their "convenience Fee" by 40% ! (from 50 to 70 Baht)

I think I have always paid 140 Baht as the "Convenience Fee" for using the credit card, or I am the only one?

it was 50 Baht before. though, as I only buy one ticket each time, I am not sure if it is per PAX or per transaction. but it was definitely 50 Baht until recently. it was still listed like that in their fee schedule when I checked it 2 days ago or so

[Scorpio1949]

I also paid 140 Baht so your not he only one :-)

[h90]

I think fair....You bought a ticket and didn't use it.

It isn't Air Asias probleme.

If you buy a car, later brake your leg and don't want it anymore the shop won't take it back as well.

[PattayaParent]

I also paid 140 Baht so your not he only one :-)

And it's 140 Baht per passenger, not per card payment.

[Scorpio1949]

I think fair....You bought a ticket and didn't use it.

It isn't Air Asias probleme.

If you buy a car, later brake your leg and don't want it anymore the shop won't take it back as well.

You are right special posting your remark after I reported that I will be refunded makes sense.

[raylo]

I can fully understand the frustration and disappointment in your case and many other cases where people did not get the service they expected, but i think need to keep in mind, it is a budget airline so we cannot expect to get the service we may like to see.

they are not very helpful, they do have pretty limited flexibility, but hence why the cheap flights.

But they also never promote to be service airline, they promote to be cheap airline to get you there and back.

PS. Sorry to hear about your health, hope you can get better fast

Exactly, well said: Budget Airline. Read the fine print on the basis of buyer beware. You get what you pay for.

Been flying all round with them and I get what I pay for and when i get their special I get a bargain.

[theoldgit]

^^^^

I have flown with AA a number of times, internationally and domestically, and have never been delayed. Ok may have taken off one or two minutes late but have always arrived on time or slightly ahead of schedule.

Maybe I have just been lucky.

[PattayaParent]

Air Asia - now everybody can be late...

Has anybody ever flown with them and taken off without a delay?

I've used them 5 times now and never taken off on time...!!

Sorry, slightly off topic I know...

Only had 2 delayed flights out of at least 50 flying with them. One was due to the arriving 'plane having problems and being diverted to another location.

[Scorpio1949]

I just had my confirmation that I get refunded by the insurance, only the insurance costs and my reserved seat are not refunded but that is obvious ! I was pretty upset about Air Asia's help desk but I now now that you ALWAYS take insurance and the insurance handles complete case ( in my case ) within one week !

I agree on what you can expect for low cost but that I accept and crew on board are always friendly so I not have problems with later departures. I am out of hospital now but not fit to travel but will be back home end of the week and Thanks again to all who wished me well and all positive reactions !