Air Asia - Was The G/F Ripped Off Or Not

[jackspratt]

I think we should all agree she was ripped off.

It does not appear she has been ripped off, you will eventually find out when you see the itinerary.

So which one is correct?

Edited July 25, 2012 by jackspratt

[buenavad]

OK, I have just done a dummy booking for one person on AA's site, and booked with all the add-ons which you would normally do for a short flight. I just cancelled once I got to the payment part.

1296.50 Air Fare & Taxes

330.00 20KG Luggage (15KG-300baht, 25KG-428baht, 30KG-660baht) - Don't know which one, if any, she paid for.

69.55 Seat Fee

100.00 Credit Card Fee(Normally charged per person when paying by credit card on-line)

1796.05 Total - This is what you would have to pay if you booked on-line with a credit card with 20KG of luggage

So, using the example above there is a 125.95baht difference, you say she paid 1922baht/person, not much for an over the counter service

fee.

The interesting part is what luggage allowance did she pay for.

It does not appear she has been ripped off, you will eventually find out when you see the itinerary.

I just did it on the website and the results are:

1 Guest - 1,161.68 Baht

Check-in Baggage - 330.00 Baht

Airport Tax - 50 Baht

VAT - 84.82 Baht

Special Services tax - 21.59 Baht

Seat Fees - 374.50 Baht

Total. - 2001.00

you're welcome!

[bino]

I've often seen something strange about their website. It seems that the prices always increase right before my eyes. I'll look at it one time- do the booking procedure all the way through short of actually paying to see all of the extra charges. After that I'll go to Thai Airways, Nok etc for some comparison shopping. When I come back minutes later to actually book Air Asia, the prices are increased or the flights I was looking at are no longer available. Happened more than once - in fact seems like every time. It makes me kick myself and think that I should have just booked it in the first place. Made me wonder if their site is "sensitive" to multiple requests from the same IP address or something like that.

[UbonOz]

OK, I have just done a dummy booking for one person on AA's site, and booked with all the add-ons which you would normally do for a short flight. I just cancelled once I got to the payment part.

1296.50 Air Fare & Taxes

330.00 20KG Luggage (15KG-300baht, 25KG-428baht, 30KG-660baht) - Don't know which one, if any, she paid for.

69.55 Seat Fee

100.00 Credit Card Fee(Normally charged per person when paying by credit card on-line)

1796.05 Total - This is what you would have to pay if you booked on-line with a credit card with 20KG of luggage

So, using the example above there is a 125.95baht difference, you say she paid 1922baht/person, not much for an over the counter service

fee.

The interesting part is what luggage allowance did she pay for.

It does not appear she has been ripped off, you will eventually find out when you see the itinerary.

I just did it on the website and the results are:

1 Guest - 1,161.68 Baht

Check-in Baggage - 330.00 Baht

Airport Tax - 50 Baht

VAT - 84.82 Baht

Special Services tax - 21.59 Baht

Seat Fees - 374.50 Baht

Total. - 2001.00

you're welcome!

You have used the "Hot Seat" price in your calculation.

[UbonOz]

I think we should all agree she was ripped off.

It does not appear she has been ripped off, you will eventually find out when you see the itinerary.

So which one is correct?

The fare calculation is correct, my first comment was made before I did the on-line booking.

[chotthee]

Inconvenient fee, also happens in Tiger Airways and if I remember correctly, also in JetStar.

I fly more than 50 FD/AK/QZ flights a years so I knew all their tricks.

1. Bag, insurance , seat, meal, etc, have to manually removed as you go, else it automatically added in.

2. If you pay via internet banking with Thai SCB, no inconvenient fee. (In Malaysia, I think they partner with CIMB)

3. Say if you book KUL-SIN, you can still request they quote in Thai-Baht, than pay via SCB internet banking.

(Their rate are still better than credit card, and no inconvenient fee charged)

(Note: credit card foreign transaction do hide a 3.5% fee into their exchange rate. Many people didn't know that as they are not shown as a separate item)

4. Also, if you book more than 1 person, you may consider splitting the booking.

Say they have 3 seats left at 600 Baht, and more seats at 800 Baht

You want to book for a party of 5 people.

If you try 5 seat, the system will show 800 Baht for ALL your five.

I would then check the price of 1 person, and the system will show 600 Baht.

Keeping trying 2, than 3, than 4 etc, until you know how many seat is available at the lower price.

In this case, I would book 3 person at 600 baht, then book another 2 persons, by this time, the system will show 800 Baht.

5. Price usually more higher and higher as seat are taken, unless suddenly there is a sales, quite unlikely, but I did see a couple of time, lower prices do come out again.

For DOMESTIC, counter check-in is subjected to a fee. (Free for international)

I always do on-line check-in and print the boarding pass at home.

(I believe there are machine check-in for free, but I never use it before).

Question about receipt.

All your payment, including all your fee are stated in the booking, and you could obtain a copy on-line.

[UbonOz]

All Low Cost Carriers use the same techniques, it is good in one way as you only pay for what you want, something you cannot do on full service airlines.

Look at all the slagging Ryan Air gets in the UK.

LCC's have been around a long time, it is only the uninitiated that get caught.

I am more than happy with Air Asia, I understand how they operate.

In February in an AA sale I bought two fares from UBP/BKK/KUL/SYD and return for THB21,000, travelling in October. Check the fare now and it is nearly three times the price.

AA also have their "BIG" points going now, will be interesting to see the benefits in the future.

[theoldgit]

If you think AA load the fees then you should look at the new Scoot Airlines, the budget airline of Singapore Airlines.

Their "convienience fee" for using a credit card online, and as far as I can make there is no other way of booking, is 200 Baht per person per flight, their standard seat fee is 125 Baht, and a 20kg of checked baggage is 850 Baht per round trip.

So on a round trip to Singapore the extras, convenience fee, selected basic seats and one checked bag, cost my girlfriend and I 2,150 Baht.

All these budget carriers can and do offer good flight deals, but they are all pushing the boundaries with the add ons.

Edited July 25, 2012 by theoldgit

[4evermaat]

I've often seen something strange about their website. It seems that the prices always increase right before my eyes. I'll look at it one time- do the booking procedure all the way through short of actually paying to see all of the extra charges. After that I'll go to Thai Airways, Nok etc for some comparison shopping. When I come back minutes later to actually book Air Asia, the prices are increased or the flights I was looking at are no longer available. Happened more than once - in fact seems like every time. It makes me kick myself and think that I should have just booked it in the first place. Made me wonder if their site is "sensitive" to multiple requests from the same IP address or something like that.

yes, airlines use what is called dynamic pricing and use all kinds of tricks to maximize profitability.

[yermanee]

I've often seen something strange about their website. It seems that the prices always increase right before my eyes. I'll look at it one time- do the booking procedure all the way through short of actually paying to see all of the extra charges. After that I'll go to Thai Airways, Nok etc for some comparison shopping. When I come back minutes later to actually book Air Asia, the prices are increased or the flights I was looking at are no longer available. Happened more than once - in fact seems like every time. It makes me kick myself and think that I should have just booked it in the first place. Made me wonder if their site is "sensitive" to multiple requests from the same IP address or something like that.

To avoid this always delete the cookies from air asia on your browser. That way then cannot identify you !!

Yermanee

[falang07]

or Tools/Start private browsing, if using Firefox

[Mosha]

H'mm dont AirAsia use the Ryanair business model? That should tell you all you need to know.

[yermanee]

or Tools/Start private browsing, if using Firefox

Thanks for the tip. I didn't know that.

Yermanee

[seasia]

or Tools/Start private browsing, if using Firefox

I didn`t know that, just checked and it`s in the drop down menu.

Thanks !

[curlywatt]

OK, I have just done a dummy booking for one person on AA's site, and booked with all the add-ons which you would normally do for a short flight. I just cancelled once I got to the payment part.

1296.50 Air Fare & Taxes

330.00 20KG Luggage (15KG-300baht, 25KG-428baht, 30KG-660baht) - Don't know which one, if any, she paid for.

69.55 Seat Fee

100.00 Credit Card Fee(Normally charged per person when paying by credit card on-line)

1796.05 Total - This is what you would have to pay if you booked on-line with a credit card with 20KG of luggage

So, using the example above there is a 125.95baht difference, you say she paid 1922baht/person, not much for an over the counter service

fee.

The interesting part is what luggage allowance did she pay for.

It does not appear she has been ripped off, you will eventually find out when you see the itinerary.

I just did it on the website and the results are:

1 Guest - 1,161.68 Baht

Check-in Baggage - 330.00 Baht

Airport Tax - 50 Baht

VAT - 84.82 Baht

Special Services tax - 21.59 Baht

Seat Fees - 374.50 Baht

Total. - 2001.00

you're welcome!

no check in baggage, just carry on 7kg allowance, no seats booked either, this reduces price to 1296 baht, if they charge 5-600 baht per ticket for counter service thats fine, can anyone confirm this charge

[curlywatt]

Inconvenient fee, also happens in Tiger Airways and if I remember correctly, also in JetStar.

I fly more than 50 FD/AK/QZ flights a years so I knew all their tricks.

1. Bag, insurance , seat, meal, etc, have to manually removed as you go, else it automatically added in.

2. If you pay via internet banking with Thai SCB, no inconvenient fee. (In Malaysia, I think they partner with CIMB)

3. Say if you book KUL-SIN, you can still request they quote in Thai-Baht, than pay via SCB internet banking.

(Their rate are still better than credit card, and no inconvenient fee charged)

(Note: credit card foreign transaction do hide a 3.5% fee into their exchange rate. Many people didn't know that as they are not shown as a separate item)

4. Also, if you book more than 1 person, you may consider splitting the booking.

Say they have 3 seats left at 600 Baht, and more seats at 800 Baht

You want to book for a party of 5 people.

If you try 5 seat, the system will show 800 Baht for ALL your five.

I would then check the price of 1 person, and the system will show 600 Baht.

Keeping trying 2, than 3, than 4 etc, until you know how many seat is available at the lower price.

In this case, I would book 3 person at 600 baht, then book another 2 persons, by this time, the system will show 800 Baht.

5. Price usually more higher and higher as seat are taken, unless suddenly there is a sales, quite unlikely, but I did see a couple of time, lower prices do come out again.

For DOMESTIC, counter check-in is subjected to a fee. (Free for international)

I always do on-line check-in and print the boarding pass at home.

(I believe there are machine check-in for free, but I never use it before).

Question about receipt.

All your payment, including all your fee are stated in the booking, and you could obtain a copy on-line.

where can i obtain a copy on-line for counter booking ?

[jackspratt]

I think we should all agree she was ripped off.

It does not appear she has been ripped off, you will eventually find out when you see the itinerary.

So which one is correct?

The fare calculation is correct, my first comment was made before I did the on-line booking.

I guess it's good we (ie all of us) didn't jump right in and agree with you then.

[Baloo22]

I like Air Asia. It's really good when you are able to plan your trips far enough in advance to catch some of their "promo" fares. During the on-line booking process, you choose the options you want and don't choose the options that you don't want.

In March, I booked my Chiang Mai - Phuket round trip for July. In April, I booked my Chiang Mai - Bangkok round trip for September. Then, as you step through the booking process, you select/de-select the options you want. I'm just using carry-on, so I de-select extra luggage. For a one to two hour flight, I don't care what seat I'm in, nor do I need a in-flight meal. So I de-select those options. Etc, etc.

Yes, there is an extra charge for credit card use but I have found many businesses here in Thailand that do that.

I was also able to logon to their website and print out my "boarding pass" for both flights of my July round-trip before I even left for the airport. Worked great!

[PattayaParent]

i checked it on the internet 30 mins before she booked it and the price was 1,296 baht, when she came back 15 mins after booking she told me the price was higher, i looked on the internet again and the price was still 1,296 (all-in-fare)

should have used a debit card and book it online

look there's no point telling me what i should have done, if my aunt had balls she'd be my uncle, the g/f has booked before using these air asia desks and it's always the same price as the internet plus 100 baht (i think) handling charge

I've been told it's 500 Baht extra by the desk staff (although not in Phuket).

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Air Asia Fees 210 baht booking handling fee.

[scorecard]

Look at the itinerary it should have a breakdown of the charges.

Good point.

'All-in-fare' perhaps doesn't include: admin fee, seat allocation fee.......

[bino]

yes, airlines use what is called dynamic pricing and use all kinds of tricks to maximize profitability.

To avoid this always delete the cookies from air asia on your browser. That way then cannot identify you !!

Yermanee

or Tools/Start private browsing, if using Firefox

Matt- thanks for confirming my suspicions! Yermanee / F7 - thaks for the suggestions. Never occurred to me to try "tossing my cookies".

[scorecard]

Everything about Air Asia is a scam. They will try to hustle you all the time. But the flights are comfortable and easy.

'scam' - Not true and not fair.

AirAsia is what is claims to be - a low budget airline, nothing more and nothing else. Everything is shown on their website, if you don't want extra luggage etc., then click and adjust it.

Somehow I doubt the claim that there is no receipt unless you pay extra.

[UbonOz]

Air Asia Fees 210 baht booking handling fee.

It is quite clear on the link you have given that the relevant charge for this booking is a "Booking Service Fee - THB210", the OP states no other add-ons were purchased, Post #45.

Does not say per sector/person. You then assume 210baht per booking.

So, cost should be according to farang logic is 1296.50 x 5 = THB6482.50 + THB210 Total THB6692.50

Anyway, if it was me I would go and discuss the matter. If no satisfaction, rip their arm off and hit them with the soggy end.

[curlywatt]

the itinerary just had booking reference, flight details and names of people travelling. anyway the g/f went back and was told counter service is 225 baht, they said they made a mistake and and gave her 2004 baht refund, now before anyone starts i didn't pay for these flights, she paid her mothers fare and the other 4 relatives paid their own

[UbonOz]

the itinerary just had booking reference, flight details and names of people travelling. anyway the g/f went back and was told counter service is 225 baht, they said they made a mistake and and gave her 2004 baht refund, now before anyone starts i didn't pay for these flights, she paid her mothers fare and the other 4 relatives paid their own

A nice happy ending.

[4evermaat]

the itinerary just had booking reference, flight details and names of people travelling. anyway the g/f went back and was told counter service is 225 baht, they said they made a mistake and and gave her 2004 baht refund, now before anyone starts i didn't pay for these flights, she paid her mothers fare and the other 4 relatives paid their own

A nice happy ending.

could you imagine if the op walked inside with her what their refund policy might have been?

"The second best time to plant a tree is today" sent from TV android app (Galaxy Cooper).

[StreetCowboy]

Bizarrely, I am going to come out in favour of the OP on this one. If you can't get a receipt, then there is surely something dodgy going on, and consider not going ahead with the deal. Now if the person was not wearing an Air Asia unifor, in an Air Asia shop, you might query their commitment to Air Asia....

I accept that travel agents have to earn a living, so I'll leave i there

SC

[stevenl]

the itinerary just had booking reference, flight details and names of people travelling. anyway the g/f went back and was told counter service is 225 baht, they said they made a mistake and and gave her 2004 baht refund, now before anyone starts i didn't pay for these flights, she paid her mothers fare and the other 4 relatives paid their own

A nice happy ending.

could you imagine if the op walked inside with her what their refund policy might have been?

"The second best time to plant a tree is today" sent from TV android app (Galaxy Cooper).

And why would that be any different?