My experience with AirAsia lately

AirAsia (http://www.airasia.com) has been awarded as a most innovative airline and promoting cheap air ticket for consumer to fly with them. I have been a frequent flyer with them as well.

Form my experience with them, they have been delaying flight from every now and then. It is acceptable for some people as they are providing cheap air ticket but I do think the quality of service shouldn't be compromised.

I have a really bad experience with them lately. I have booked an air ticket travel to Penang on 17/07/2009 a year ago due to its promotion. I do normally book earlier in order to get the cheap ticket(as usual). It is stated in my ticket that the departure time is 1450. During the one year period, the AirAsia management has done a lot of changes including changing the departure time maybe due to its load factor or marketing strategy, they never inform me about the changes.

So I ended up reaching the LCCT airport very early and could just waiting at there. As you know in LCCT, there is not much seat available and too many people are waiting to board the flight. After a couple of hours waiting, I walk to the LCCT lobby with the hope that my flight is ready for check-in but it is not listed there. I could not wait and straight away get to the service counter to check on the flight status.

I have been informed that the departure time should be 1525 but not the 1450 as listed on my itinenary. It say it would been listed soon on the department main board. So what I could do is to wait again and get a lunch while waiting. I think something not right and it would get delay again, hope that I am wrong. After taken my lunch, as I aspected, it has been reshedule to 1630 for departure. As a frequent flyer of airasia, I do know that they have another flight on 1630. So I think they are merging the 2 flight into one without taking consideration of its passenger. What we do get is just a sorry statement for the flight delay.

This is really time wasting due to the delaying of flight and it will delay the visitor schedule as well. Even fast gowing and inovative organization claimed by Airasia still cannot practice the on time policy and improve the service quality. And I do think they need to be more sincere and care about the customer needs and not just looking on the cost factor. I think all of us are willing to pay 20% more just to make sure our need is being taken care of.

Again, the service quality shouldn't be compromise and I think it should really spend effort and time to improve this. The new call center established by Airasia lately still without any improvement. I have try to call in to confirm on the flight status but I just could not get the right selection. All the selection has just been voice prompt and tell you to check on Airasia.com. It is just a useless support call center without any help provided.

I personally think that Airasia has been very helping to materialize some of our dream like
1) Everyone can fly due to its affortable price.
2) Creating a lot of job opportunity for Malaysia and overall growth for Malaysia.
3) Promoting Malaysia as a Global Hub for transportation.
4) And etc

But I think they could do more in term of
1) The one time policy and follow up with the customer. It is all right if airasia changes the flight schedule but they should inform the customer in advance. As a lot of the customer is buying ticket in advance for at least 1/2 year, they should be informed if they is a change.
2) I think that the delay and reschedule is unfair for customer. For an example, if we have 2 flight selection on 11am(Rm100) and 2pm(RM50). Due to our time constraint, we might choose the 11am flight and pay extra in order to catch the appointment. But due to some unforesee circumstances, they might delay until 2pm, so the fare which we are paying for is actually wasted and they are not compensating our lost.
3) With the new improved call center, more personnel should be recruit as it takes you forever to call in.
4) The new seating policy isn't properly plan before implementation. It is understood that airasia is trying to make money on the hot seat but at least they should make sure all the companion should be arrange to sit together rather being seperated. we are not asking for any special seat but at least should have the flexibity of seating in a group. I have a few experience and see the family member and couple has been seperated in seating. I hope this will not happen at least for myself.

Please feel free to comment or share your flight experience with us.