Booking with Air Asia - Be Aware

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Big Boy
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Booking with Air Asia - Be Aware

Post by Big Boy »

I need to fly to Isaan soon, so rather than the mind blowing drive, I decided that I would fly.

A quick check of airlines:

- Smile - by far the most expensive.

- Nok Air - usually cheap, but cheap seats sold out.

- Air Asia - 690 Baht each way - sounds like a bargain.

Started the booking process.............................

- Do you want to take luggage? 330 Baht each way per person.

- Do you want to sit together? 70 Baht each way per person.

- If we lose your luggage that we're charging you 330 Baht each way to carry, do you want to be able to claim? etc., etc., etc.

It was still working out marginally cheaper, so I carried on with the booking (wishing I could have booked with nik Air a couple of weeks earlier.

Then the question, would you like a hire car? I have a car hire company that I normally use, and they have competitive rates. However, Air Asia was offering a saving of 200 Baht on my usual vendor. Like an idiot, I accepted their offer.

When the hire car voucher arrived, they had the wrong dates (it was part of the airline booking FFS, there was only one set of dates). Phoned the number provided on the Car Hire Voucher - young girl insisted nothing to do with her, and I'd have to phone Air Asia. Phoned Air Asia - nothing to do with us, we deal with airline bookings. TIT.

Scanned the net to find somebody who might help me. Eventually found a number that sounded hopeful. Rang it, and they seem to have sorted the date bit, although I only have a holding e-mail so far with a pledge that I'll receive a Car Hire Voucher within 24 hours. Meanwhile, while talking to the 'helpful' person, she just happened to mention that there would be a 550 Baht/day charge that had not been included - my 200 Baht saving had suddenly become a 1,450 Baht loss.

I think this type of deception has been stopped in the UK, but is still going strong here in Asia.

An expensive lesson learned, and I won't be caught again.
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buksida
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Re: Booking with Air Asia - Be Aware

Post by buksida »

Booked countless flights with Air Asia and never had a problem, of course I do not check ANY of the add-on boxes and always review the final price before paying.

Sorry but if I want a car I'll contact a car hire company, not an airline.

Good to know though for those that are check box clickers! AA has a lot of optional extras that can double the original price of the flight.
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
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Re: Booking with Air Asia - Be Aware

Post by Big Boy »

OK, not trying to get too personal, how do you manage without luggage? 4 of you have just spent quite some time up North, did you manage to pack everything into hand baggage? Baggage is the only one I ever check, and can't understand how anybody travelling for a couple of days or more can manage without.

I'd normally agree on car hire, but when they offer a price that is cheaper than the hire company, I actually thought I'd be stupid not to accept - obviously, I was stupid to accept.

I did review the final price, and it was exactly what I thought I would pay (apart from a 385 Baht processing fee). The hidden cost was only revealed, after the booking had gone through, and they had cocked dates/times up.
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Re: Booking with Air Asia - Be Aware

Post by buksida »

We flew up with carry on luggage - 7/8kg each is plenty (even for the mrs). We flew back with one check-in bag at 330 baht extra. Never bother with insurance as all valuables are all carried on, never bother with meals on short flights, and if you don't leave check-in until 10 minutes before takeoff you'll always sit together.

We wanted to hire a car at the airport and tried all of the companies there (Avis, Hertz, Thairentacar, Budget) - not one would do it without a credit card (which I don't own) so we found a private company in town for a similar rate and I paid a deposit which was refunded in full.
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
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Re: Booking with Air Asia - Be Aware

Post by oakdale160 »

recently went to the USAfor 6 weeks, just hand luggage, never checked bag for years.
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Re: Booking with Air Asia - Be Aware

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Yes, I had a boss who used to travel a lot. He travelled all over the world for several weeks at a time. If he couldn't fit it into his camera case (with his camera), it didn't go. He could never understand why his nickname was whiffy.
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