Warning on air travel advertisements

[Brer Fox]

Today I noticed an advertisement in these topics. It read "Best prices on flight tickets to any destination". As a frequent traveller between Hanoi/ Bangkok/Hanoi I thought I would check it out. The name of the search company is Jetrader and as quick as a flash it brought up all the prices of the flights I was wanting. Top of the list for the cheapest fare was Air Asia which was less than half the price of the next cheapest Qatar; strange I thought. So I drilled down deeper only to find the Air Asia price was a net price exclusive of all the usual airport fees and charges. All other quoted prices seem to include this normal element of air fares. This is deception on the part of Air Asia and unfortunately because of the way Air Asia promotes their prices and Jet Trader may be unknowingly complicit in this deception. Jetrader should not promote such airlines knowing the listed fares are untruthful. Plus we all know about the add-ons with Air Asia with baggage, priority and normal seat allocation, booking fees, credit card fees and insurance. I wouldn't be surprised if they charged for wheelchairs. The Australian government woke up to this Air Asia trick some years back and made the quoting of fare prices which do not include airport charges as illegal. Priority boarding is a joke; all that happens is you get on the bus first which then takes you to the plane on the tarmac. Air Asia might think themselves to be smart but people are a wake-up and they will ultimately feel the brunt of dissatisfied customers. Pity the Thai government doesn't follow the Australian lead and change the rules in Thailand to protect Thai customers who are being suckered by this cheating practice. Added to customer dissatisfaction is the Air Asia customer services at that dump of an airport Don Meuang. Try catching an early morning flight out of there. The Air Asia check-in is a chaotic shambles.

[CNXBKKMAN]

I use air asia sometimes and i dont have a problem selecting the add ons i want. No bags or 25kg of baggage? Travel insurance or deselect it as i always do. Its the total price tp pay and the timings that you need to compare against the other flight options.

[northernjohn]

I use air asia sometimes and i dont have a problem selecting the add ons i want. No bags or 25kg of baggage? Travel insurance or deselect it as i always do. Its the total price tp pay and the timings that you need to compare against the other flight options.

You are correct and wrong at the same time. It is the total prices you need to compare. Problem is Air Asia advertises the price with out the normal extras that you must pay.

I was in pricing a return trip to Bali the other day at the Air Asia office here in Chiang Mai. they were about 8,000 baht. She started telling me about the other things and I kind of tuned her out. When I ask for an air fare I want the total flight airport costs fuel costs luggage cost. I don't want to stand there and figure them out. I went to one of the larger respectable agencies and was quoted about 1,500 baht more. That was an all in price.

As for service it has been a while since I used them. It was just before they moved over to DM airport. I was in bad shape and needed a wheel chair. I was told I would have to wait a half hour. Previous flights as was mentioned priority seating was you got to stand in a group who were allowed to get seated first. Big deal. You just got more people climbing over you.

to each their own. I didn't retire to have to shop all around with a calculator to save a few baht even though saving it means no service. Air Asia has no Flight attendants just Flight sales people.

[thailandforumaddict]

Frequent flyer but just understand this now ?

[CharlieH]

MOVED to Travel forum

[KhunBENQ]

Frequent flyer but just understand this now ?

With all respect I agree to this.

How long is one flying in/from Thailand to notice this deception?

One of the good points for Thai Airways and Thaismile: no such swindel.

Off topic:

It took me a while to notice that all the telecom/mobile/internet prices are advertised without tax

Add 7% to all those prices.

[kkerry]

Booked a flight on Air Asia to Singapore the other day. Ticket price was 399 baht but I ended up paying 1169 total, nearly triple the original price. I suppose I could whinge and moan about all the deception but I doubt I will find many airlines cheaper.

[CNXBKKMAN]

Thats the bit you focus on the, the price to pay 1169 baht, not the headline promo advert of 399. If 1169 is competitive against the other options and the timings work you could save some money. If there is a family of four travelling you could save enough to pay for the hotel. You have to click through their website, deselect things, add bits you want but if you can be bothered you can save some money. If its too much messing about use a good travel agent and they will give the best choices and save you the trouble. A good agent can make suggestions and tell you stuff you were not aware of. Airline websites cant ask questions and give you good advice.

[StreetCowboy]

I use air asia sometimes and i dont have a problem selecting the add ons i want. No bags or 25kg of baggage? Travel insurance or deselect it as i always do. Its the total price tp pay and the timings that you need to compare against the other flight options.

I find it frustrating that you don't get the full price from AirAsia until quite late in the booking process. Generally, if MAS gives me a decent price, and the timing is good, I don't bother going all the way to check the Air Asia price.

[masuk]

I use air asia sometimes and i dont have a problem selecting the add ons i want. No bags or 25kg of baggage? Travel insurance or deselect it as i always do. Its the total price tp pay and the timings that you need to compare against the other flight options.

I had to make an AirAsia booking tonight, to Australia.

The cheaper fare was about normal, but much to my surprise, they're now copying a page from one of their competitors and for $10.00 or so more, you get a free seat on both sectors in the quiet zone and some leg room, 20kg baggage, 1 meal per sector..

About time. The rows of red sets on most flights to Oz have been empty.

Seeing as it's all internet booking, I think charging extra for a credit card is bit rich.

[StreetCowboy]

I use air asia sometimes and i dont have a problem selecting the add ons i want. No bags or 25kg of baggage? Travel insurance or deselect it as i always do. Its the total price tp pay and the timings that you need to compare against the other flight options.

I had to make an AirAsia booking tonight, to Australia.

The cheaper fare was about normal, but much to my surprise, they're now copying a page from one of their competitors and for $10.00 or so more, you get a free seat on both sectors in the quiet zone and some leg room, 20kg baggage, 1 meal per sector..

About time. The rows of red sets on most flights to Oz have been empty.

Seeing as it's all internet booking, I think charging extra for a credit card is bit rich.

I think they don't charge extra for direct debit / bank transfer payment; they're only passing on the charges the credit card levy on them (plus or minus a little...)

[KhunBENQ]

Advertised DMK to Loei: 590.

OK, Tue, May 26: 590.01.

Entering name, click Continue -> 1014.21

Oops

Deselect checked baggage -> 684.21

????

Well hidden: uncheck insurance -> BIG warning !!! -> 590.01

Did I win?

Almost: credit card payment 96.30, total 686.31

Try direct debit: 632.81, a fee for direct debit, what an impudence.

Counter Payment fee applies....

...

Misleading, deceptive, enough!

Remembers me of Ryan Air, EasyJet.

All the same bunch.

Edited May 15, 2015 by KhunBENQ

[KhunBENQ]

Other example.

28 May, DMK to Khon Kaen.

AirAsia, start price (advert) 690 Baht, price with 20 kg baggage and credit card payment: 1116.31.

Thaismile, 20 kg baggage, credit card / direct debit, 1000. No BS.

[kkerry]

If you are in Thailand and don't mind a walk down to your local Seven Eleven, then for a 30 baht fee you can also pay cash at Counter Service and save on the more expensive credit card fees.

[CNXBKKMAN]

Advertised DMK to Loei: 590.

OK, Tue, May 26: 590.01.

Entering name, click Continue -> 1014.21

Oops

Deselect checked baggage -> 684.21

????

Well hidden: uncheck insurance -> BIG warning !!! -> 590.01

Did I win?

Almost: credit card payment 96.30, total 686.31

Try direct debit: 632.81, a fee for direct debit, what an impudence.

Counter Payment fee applies....

...

Misleading, deceptive, enough!

Remembers me of Ryan Air, EasyJet.

All the same bunch.

Thats a good example of the Air Asia BS booking system but in that instance gives you a very cheap airfare, if you can travel without a checked bag. Probably similar to the cost of a bus ticket. The other example its clear that Thai Smile is the one to go with if the times are ok.

[DogNo1]

Deceptive pricing by the discount airlines has been the norm in Japan for years. Deceptive pricing is a pain in the neck! I've learned to be cautious.

Now about reward miles tickets - I recently used my UA 360,000 miles for a round trip from Tokyo to LA on the Dreamliner. I've now dropped out of all mileage programs and use a credit card that gives me 2% cash back. Flying is getting expensive again!

[HooHaa]

Frequent flyer but just understand this now ?

exactly. he just woke up to what has been clear to many others since the inception of budget airlines.

well worth a novel though.

[bendejo]

AA has been sticking customers with that insurance nonsense since day 1. They did well because it was difficult to figure how to get rid of it, so I guess a lot of us got stuck by it at least once.

Then there is the laundry list of things that you cannot opt out of, like "administration fee" and fuel. I see no reason for this breakdown, just tell us the price of the ticket, for chrissakes!

A few years ago Malaysia passed a rule that they couldn't do this anymore, so they stopped, but now they are back at it again.

But I do appreciate some of the add-ons. The extra luggage option has come in handy on occasion, but bear in miind you have to add that on before you finalize for the boarding pass -- if you show up at the airport they won't let you add the fee, but instead will charge the overweight luggage fee, which is exhorbitant. I haven't done this in a while, maybe the policy has changed.

My favorite is a Malaysian SIM card for RM10, including RM10 of phone time, so the card itself is free. I do this when flying into KL: go to the kiosk in the airport, show the lad your boarding pass and phone and there you are, a Malaysian phone number within minutes of getting off the plane. In case you haven't heard, in Malaysia you can't just buy a SIM, you have to show your passport and they have to enter into a live computer system. I don't know about anyone else, but I don't feel good about some potentially dodgy store clerk pawing through my documents. With the AA SIM all that data is already in the system from the ticket purchase.

I think they should tack on another RM2 (15b) or so and give everybody a bottle of water, it's convenient and the markup is good for them, as those small bottles cost less than RM1.

[rajyindee]

I use air asia sometimes and i dont have a problem selecting the add ons i want. No bags or 25kg of baggage? Travel insurance or deselect it as i always do. Its the total price tp pay and the timings that you need to compare against the other flight options.

You are correct and wrong at the same time. It is the total prices you need to compare. Problem is Air Asia advertises the price with out the normal extras that you must pay.

AirAsia's advertised prices on its website includes the COMPULSORY charges you HAVE TO pay, i.e. airport tax, fuel surcharge, VAT etc. What it doesn't include are OPTIONAL charges, i.e. baggage, seat selection, scoff etc. Some folk prefer to have the choice. You may have a processing fee depending on your choice of payment method, but that's not unique to low-cost airlines.

Edited May 15, 2015 by rajyindee

[OMGImInPattaya]

Only rubes believe they're going to fly from Bangkok to anywhere for 25 bucks...it just takes a few minutes to click through and select and deselect what you want to get the final price.

[roamer]

Navigating the website least of your problems.

Recent experiences; arrive 3 minutes late at check-in when police close the airport link road due to a security alert. Denied boarding.OK, exaggeration, they were happy to try to sell another ticket for the same flight. So call it denied ticket ?

Arrive 30 minutes late at check in due to incoming AA flight over 2 hours late, "no problem sir, flight still at the gate,let me check you in."

[Razzler1973]

I do so enjoy the advertising of flights minus the taxes. Everyone knows

They can't advertising the price with taxes as taxes are variable depending on where to/from, type of tickets even if all in economy and various factors like that. I asked some airline people once

That's what they say anyway ... hmmmm