Air Asia

[roiethome]

Just looked at a flight from BKK to SIN and return next week, at the start the prices looked lower than TG, but when you add on the 'extras', baggage in the hold, seat selection, meals each way, the cost is 14,500THB compared to 13,000 with TG.

[knocka]

Then again if u booked it further in advance, comes in at under 6000 baht return with all extras added in.

Booked one week out, of course its gonna cost top dollar, especially seeing as its over Easter season.

[zzaa09]

Then again if u booked it further in advance, comes in at under 6000 baht return with all extras added in.

Booked one week out, of course its gonna cost top dollar, especially seeing as its over Easter season.

With the exception of the Manila hub, the "foreign" celebration of Easter has no disruption on SE Asian traffic.

[PattayaParent]

Then again if u booked it further in advance, comes in at under 6000 baht return with all extras added in.

Booked one week out, of course its gonna cost top dollar, especially seeing as its over Easter season.

With the exception of the Manila hub, the "foreign" celebration of Easter has no disruption on SE Asian traffic.

Except perhaps for all the teachers, parents and kids that will be flying around that time due to the school holidays.

Edited April 20, 2011 by PattayaParent

[yermanee]

Then again if u booked it further in advance, comes in at under 6000 baht return with all extras added in.

Booked one week out, of course its gonna cost top dollar, especially seeing as its over Easter season.

That's no excuse.

Not everyone knows months beforehand if they want to/will travel to a certain destination.

Fact is that if you leave it late for whatever reason, then price wise it's not a budget airline anymore.

Yermanee

Edited April 20, 2011 by yermanee

[PattayaParent]

Then again if u booked it further in advance, comes in at under 6000 baht return with all extras added in.

Booked one week out, of course its gonna cost top dollar, especially seeing as its over Easter season.

That's no excuse.

Not everyone knows months beforehand if they want to/will travel to a certain destination.

Fact is that if you leave it late for whatever reason, then price wise it's not a budget airline anymore.

Yermanee

I know when my leave schedule from work is for the next few years and approximately when it'll be school holidays so plan ahead, especially when they announce that there's a cheap fare sale on.

But as a last minute decision I booked flights on 2 April to fly out on 8 and 13 April and Air Asia was still the cheapest deal.

If you leave it to the last minute you'll pay a premium on any airline.

[dananderson]

I have flown this route a few times. Last year I did the bkk/sin rt for 6k on Singapore air as I was in the states when I booked it and SA's site was easy to book thru. Oil prices are up and last minute travelers can expect to pay thru the nose on any airline. I flew AA from PP-bkk last week one way was only 2300 but thats a short hop. Why on eartf anyone would buy AA's food on a short hop is beyond me. I like AA-except for thier web siite, as they are usually on time.

[theoldgit]

Well 3,030 Baht return to Macau and 1,840 Baht to Hanoi and back is budget enough for me, being retired I can book early and take advantage of their deals.

Nearly forgot our flight to Udon in a couple of weeks, 280 Baht return each, cheaper than the bus and I certainly couldn't drive for that, though we did book last August.

Edited April 20, 2011 by theoldgit

[knocka]

Remember how much airfares thruout SE Asia were before Air Asia started up.

Like to go back to those days? I THINK NOT!

[jdinasia]

AirAsia IS a budget carrier ... but nobody will fly you cheap at the last minute, on a full flight

I have gotten 99 baht deals from them quite often. 299 baht deals quite often, and it is always hard to complain when you can fly for 1200 baht regularly on a route that would take you 10+ hours to drive/ride

I don't particularly LIKE Air Asia, but they most certainly are a budget carrier.

[folium]

Be grateful for AA. It's a decent airline compared to all low cost carriers (Ryan Air, Southwest, Tiger etc), and to many full service brands, Thai, Sri Lankan, Malaysian, second division European carriers and all US majors (domestic service particularly).

Book in advance and it enables you (and my family) to travel across Asia, which would have been prohibitively expensive 10 years ago.

So stop whinging, book ahead and get flying!

[zakk9]

Something is happening with the Singapore route. The low cost carriers seem to have to little capacity there, and the prices are much higher than only a year ago, simply because the cheapest tickets are sold out earlier. Other routes (except Hanoi) seem to be less affected.

[Deeral]

Not even an airline really - they are a series of smaller national-based companies that couldn't give a shit about their customers so long as they've got the money.....one step away from being a flying mafia.

to paraphrase an opinion above -

"be grateful of anal probes, they are a lot less dangerous that a stiletto through the heart......" - ????????

Edited April 21, 2011 by Deeral

[dananderson]

AirAsia IS a budget carrier ... but nobody will fly you cheap at the last minute, on a full flight

I have gotten 99 baht deals from them quite often. 299 baht deals quite often, and it is always hard to complain when you can fly for 1200 baht regularly on a route that would take you 10+ hours to drive/ride

I don't particularly LIKE Air Asia, but they most certainly are a budget carrier.

Definatly a budget carrier. My thinking is they make more hauling cargo on the bkk-sin route thus raising

the pax rate to a premium price point to those last minute travelers. To AA's credit they offer decent air/room packages on this route. Hotel rates in Spore are astronomical.

[NanLaew]

Something is happening with the Singapore route. The low cost carriers seem to have to little capacity there, and the prices are much higher than only a year ago, simply because the cheapest tickets are sold out earlier. Other routes (except Hanoi) seem to be less affected.

It's school holidays and Easter vacation time. I was in Singapore last Friday with 4 days to kill before heading offshore. I tried to get flights to Udon and back... no joy. Unless I wanted to fork out around 800 bucks for business class, there was no spare seats to Bangkok or Phuket. The low-cost guys were all sold out.

Fuel costs have increased around 25% in the first Quarter of 2011 alone.

Anyone trying to compare availability on low-cost carriers with regular carriers during a seasonal peak is as clueless as someone comparing airfares today with those from a year ago.

[dananderson]

AA is a rather young carrier whose bizz model apparently is evolving. We have seen oil spikes and holidays before. AA used to put a cap on thier fares. It seems they no longer adhere to a fixed pricing policy. imho

[el jefe]

If the OP eliminates the seat selection and the meals (can you really not go 2 hours without food?), Air Asia works out cheaper. And the baggage charges are reasonable on Air Asia. If I have over 20 kg of baggage, I almost have to fly Air Asia as they allow you to prepay for up to 30 kg per passenger. It's 500 baht for 30 kg of baggage on domestic flights in Thailand. I'd rather fly Bangkok Air for 1755 baht on the BKK-CNX route but they only allow 20 kg of baggage. If I have to pay for excess baggage, I'm always better off on Air Asia.

[bifftastic]

I thought the 10baht tickets I got from Chiang Rai to BKK were fairly 'budget'

Add all the extras, tax etc. Still only cost me 1,300 baht for 4 pax return.

The 750 baht single Chiang Rai-BKK was also a bargain.

They're there if you pick your moments.

Obviously, if you can't then it can be better/cheaper to go elsewhere.

[bangkokburning]

The problem I have with Air Asia is that even 1 or 2 mos out is often not enough for the promo. I often do not know the exact date I wish to fly. I bet I have binned half dozen+ AA tickets. They are VERY inflexible to change as well, not even worth it.

I would never fly domestic, what a hassle.

[Atmos]

^ inflexible to change yes, and I've also 'binned' some flights

however . . . I book well in advance - we're off for a week in Phnom Penh next month at a whopping 280 b each way per person, plus the standard airport taxes of course; I like to go to KL each year in October for MotoGP and booked pre-Xmas; for the 'losses' I've had, the gains re cheap flights are a clear winner.

Edited April 22, 2011 by genghis61

[SantiSuk]

Then again if u booked it further in advance, comes in at under 6000 baht return with all extras added in.

Booked one week out, of course its gonna cost top dollar, especially seeing as its over Easter season.

That's no excuse.

Not everyone knows months beforehand if they want to/will travel to a certain destination.

Fact is that if you leave it late for whatever reason, then price wise it's not a budget airline anymore.

Yermanee

OK then - if you are going to be pedantic let's call it a 'budget airline as long as you don't want to travel at peak times and as long as you book well in advance airline'. Happy now?

I guess Asia is still getting used to the concept of low cost carriers and the fact that their model relies on making money from late bookers, peak travellers and changers of plans. How else could they afford to offer the promotional fares to those who can book ahead?

And of course Air Asia, having 'bought its way' into being a very significant Asian carrier with ultra low fares is now going to take advantage where it can and edge its prices up. Normal business and if they over-egg it they know they will give an opportunity for another entrepreneur to become equally large. In fact it would be great if another serious pan-Asia low cost carrier emerged

Edited April 22, 2011 by SantiSuk

[PattayaParent]

AA is a rather young carrier whose bizz model apparently is evolving. We have seen oil spikes and holidays before. AA used to put a cap on thier fares. It seems they no longer adhere to a fixed pricing policy. imho

No airline has a fixed pricing policy, that's why you can be sat next to someone who has paid a completely different price for their ticket than you did. Prices change daily based on seat availability and all airlines will put up prices due to increases in fuel costs.

With Air Asia though you have the opportunity to lock into cheap tickets 6+ months in advance . As one poster mentioned fuel costs have increased 25% so far this year but I have tickets I bought last year for flights in July and Christmas this year so will not be affected by those increases. (Yes you can buy tickets 6 months in advance on any airline, but not as cheaply)

[Ricardo]

If the OP eliminates the seat selection and the meals (can you really not go 2 hours without food?), Air Asia works out cheaper. And the baggage charges are reasonable on Air Asia. If I have over 20 kg of baggage, I almost have to fly Air Asia as they allow you to prepay for up to 30 kg per passenger. It's 500 baht for 30 kg of baggage on domestic flights in Thailand. I'd rather fly Bangkok Air for 1755 baht on the BKK-CNX route but they only allow 20 kg of baggage. If I have to pay for excess baggage, I'm always better off on Air Asia.

Note that a free frequent-flyer card from Bangkok Airways gets you an extra 10kgs allowance, thus you get 30kgs of hold-luggage at no extra, on CNX-BKK for B1755. Not bad at all !

[dananderson]

When I flew AA from SIN/BKK last year I paid for 15kilo carry on. They weighed my bag and it was just barely over the limit. I aske if I needed to pay more and they said no. Last week in PP they had all these signs stating bags 7k would not be allowed to travel. Several people took backpacks well over 15k no problem,

[yermanee]

OK then - if you are going to be pedantic let's call it a 'budget airline as long as you don't want to travel at peak times and as long as you book well in advance airline'. Happy now?

No I'm not happy.

It is a "budget airline" as far as services are concerned (luggage, food, no refund etc. etc.) but not always price wise.

That's all I'm saying.

Happy now?

yermanee

[chuang]

Then again if u booked it further in advance, comes in at under 6000 baht return with all extras added in.

Booked one week out, of course its gonna cost top dollar, especially seeing as its over Easter season.

Try to book in advance that is in november nowhere near Loy Krathong for Chiangmai/Bangkok one way without baggage..it costs about 2000 baht...

Is this a budget fare ?

[fishhooks]

You pay for what you GET and you SUFFER if trying to book with them at short notice.

Most of us who have been flying with them since inception know HOW to book with them and when NOT to book with them.

BUDGET or BUDGET NOT doesn't enter the equation!

Know them as with the knowledge that you may apply to any travel situation and you will do WELL with them.

I get mildly upset with them at times, but I look at the big picture........................After at least 40 flight sectors with them, I've really nothing to complain about and certainly without doubt would not have been able to cover a fraction of airspace that I have been able with them.

I've just completed 6 A A trips in the last couple of months, all on time, all with excellent ground and flight service and ALL well priced as per when I booked.

Do your homework and you will be fine!

Edited April 23, 2011 by fishhooks

[dananderson]

Well stated Fishhooks. I have done 5 trips with AA in the last 10 months and a couple flights actually arrived 10-15 minutes early. My only gripe with this carrier is with it's website and booking hassles related to the site, were their best fares reside.

[Deeral]

Why do people keep saying "budget" as of it is a catch-all excuse?

There are reasonable parameters of service, expectations and customer comeback and in many circumstances Air Asia falls sort of these.

Edited April 24, 2011 by Deeral

[fishhooks]

"sort" or "short" whatever.

If you don't like them and there are many reasons throughout topics on the forum to agree, stay away!

When in doubt.......MARK IT OUT.

For those of us here and I'm sure it's in the majority, who have benefited greatly in our hip pockets and KNOW what the limitations are, the knockers here are sre simply becoming nothing but a P in the A.