Air Asia

[jeya]

Has anyone been on a flight by Air Asia? How did you find the service.?.

Maybe you could share your experiences so that we would know what to expect.
TQ

[rakyat]

Its a budget flight, what sort of service do u xpect?

Definitely not fr the fussy ppl, u get flies in the plane, drinks & snacks must b bought but the stewardess do smile :p Cannot change flight (surcharge of RM50.00)

Fr short & budget flight okay-lah. Now rakyat also can fly

;)

[jeya]

Tq Rakyat
Knowing it is cheap i expect no service..just to be prepared and not get a shock.....flies!!! oh no. Got to think again for my next trip.

[CS Chua]

I flew Aia Asia a few times. Things are OK except that the planes were more than 20 years old. It was quite nostalgic really to sit on those old seats with the old type of cabins hanging over your head. The only thing I do not like is the seats which are extremely narrow and short. I could hardly put my two legs together as it will knock the seat in front of me. But with the price they are charging, I guess they have to put more seats in.

[JoeJaffar]

Travelled with my family a few times with AirAsia. Once to Kuching and most of it to Alor Setar. Service on board is not bad at all, given that it's low fare, no frills. Even flew in one of the plane equipped with full leather seat.

My only grouse is that most Malaysians (and maybe some of them are non-Malaysians too) are so kiasu, they will block the gate and run up to the plane when it's ready to board. No concern for those with families, kids and elderlies. As if the plane will leave without them. Some think it's a bus mini kot.

[farouk]

I flew Air Asia a few times and if i was to rate it, I would give it a 7/10. I had no problem with the flights other than the prices for food was pricey(but on such short flight I am sure one can go without buying anything) and on a few occasions the cabin crew were abrupt and rude. Wasnt being serious doing the safety brief but you get crew like that on MAS too!
Air Asia uses 737-300 which are about 20 yrs old(as CS Chua mentioned) and MAS uses 737-400 which is just 4 years younger. Australia has Virgin Blue and has this no frill no fuss motto as well but they use slightly bigger 737's like the 700 and 800 series. They do have smaller companies like Regional Express but one of their aircrafts is worth complaning about...is just like a cigar tube..u cant even stand straight in it nor can u stretch your legs.

[achee]

I am with all of you. Just like farouk, I rate it a 7, which is not far from MAS, which I will rate 7.5.

Have not been on Airasia overseas' flights tho. How are they?

[Voter]

Change of flight before the flight costs RM50. If no show you lose everything. No claim for refund. Watch out for aircraft retiming, especially those less popular flights. They tend to combine two flights into one and push the passengers on an earlier flight to the later one to fill the seat and save the cost of a less than 1/2 full earlier flight.

Other than that, like what they claim, "Now Everyone Can Fly". Not much of other complaints.

[pcyeoh]

Last week I took a return flight to Labuan and upon checking the fight schedule and prices of both MAS (on SuperSavers RM 460 return all in) and Air Asia (RM 369.99 return), I find that it is more worthwhile flying MAS. The price difference is merely RM 90.00. But for Air Asia I still have to pay for all the sundries and on MAS, they served me breakfast on the way to Labuan (0855hr) and dinner on the way home back to KLIA (1910hr) same day. And there are 5 flights per day. As for Air Asia, I have to stay overnight to take the return flight. I rest my case. My brother in law working in the aircraft maintenance sector said that they cramped in more seats in AA and that is why there isn't leg room for you, let alone the Mat Salleh. The ladies can't even cross their legs so it is open goal system. The WWF wrestlers and sumo wrestlers are all "boycotting" Asia Asia for obvious reason. In fact AA has been dreaming of flying them free to come up with another slogan, "Everybody can fit in and fly"

[KH EE]

Shouldn't it be "Everybody can fit in, sit in and fly"? :D

[orchipalar]

Err...whenever Orchi flies...domestically...in airspace it is definitely MAS....ahem...on land...err...would have to be 4X4...Orchi feels they are much safer...being PERAMAH!...never once did Orchi flew with AirAsia....except flying within or out of ASIA AIRspace...:D

[patrick]

I am one of those that have been flying AA quite frequently since their arrival on the scene. Dont have much complain.

On the contrary, they have been quite punctual most of the time. There was only one occasion when the flight to Penang was delayed because the connecting plane from Alor Star couldnt take off due to bad weather.

But it's true though. Sometimes one may not save very much compared to to MAS. Remember to take into consideration that the air fare for AA exclude airport tax, and other miscellaneous charges. Best is to check out the total costs before you book. Let me give an example. I just got back from Hadyai. Airfare was Rm69.99 one way. But after adding the misc., it came to about Rm103. See what what I mean? But to me, it was still cheap.

AA aircrafts may be older but many of their aircrafts are fitted with leather seats which I thought is rather cool! As for their cabin crew, I find them more bubbly and not so sombre. I often joke with them and rarely given me a stern look.

As for the queueing, cannot be helped because their flights are all on free seating. But to those with children, handicapped and senior citizens...no fear. You always have the priority to enter the aircraft first. So...dont worry. As for young folks...queue a bit lah! Want cheap ok mah!

The other thing I like about AA is I do all the booking online and I dont even have to go to their office like MAS. Taking number and queueing for service.....lecheh lah! Or even if you book through the phone, you still have to queue to pick up your tickets. In these days of IT, teruk lah!

All in all, I count the arrival of AA as the biggest blessings! I am now planning my next outing probably to Bangkok. For how much? Rm99.99! Eat your heart out !

Rgds.

[jeya]

TQ you guys for your useful inputs..would catch a plane for P.Langkawi soon and experience it for my self ..think i would enjoy this flight without its frills just like the rest of you guys.

Cheers

[KH EE]

jeya, happy holidays... :D but better pack ur food & drink, otherwise gotta buy from the stewardess... not that cheap, i heard... :)

[achee]

If you are flying during the ramadan, consider MAS ramadan package. Achee booked for KUL-alor setar return, and costs only rm160.00net. But as usual, the restrictions are there!!

FYI, the MAS online booking is not a user friendly one, in comparison to AA.

[jeya]

Thanks Kh Ee and Achee

Would fly on a full stomach so no need to buy on plane or tau pau afterall the journey is short.

[KH EE]

in that case, just carry a small 500ml bottle of water-lah. :D

[mysticalangel]

Hmm...I haven't had taken Air Asia. I travel abroad mostly for work so its either Emirates, SQ or MAS. I fly MAS when I go back home to Kuching. Supersavers on MAS cost about RM390 to Kuching & Air Asia is about RM345, the mere difference.

Someone told me AA, Kuching route always got delay or cancelled. So far I haven't had a reason to fly AA yet.

[pcyeoh]

FYI, the MAS online booking is not a user friendly one, in comparison to AA. - says achee
______________________________________

You are right. In my recent flight to Labuan, I did my booking via the www. Having decided on MH 2608, I chickened out when it comes to online payment. I was at lost. I don't believe in disclosing my credit card detail over the net. I wouldn't want the debt collector to know all these details. So I called 1-300-88-3000 and spoke to a SYT (Sweet Young Thing) and booked by phone and was given less than 24 hours to pay and pick up the ticket from the nearest MAS office. She was smart enough to warn me not to go to the PJ office as they were closed. I nearly bit my tongue to hear that. An major airline office closed on Sunday??? Since I am too lazy to pick up the ticket from the Sentral (the next furthest) , I asked if I could pay by credit card. She replied rather sweetly "I am afraid sir that payment made using a credit card must be made in person" Now this time I really bit my tongue. No choice I went downtown to personally collect the ticket. I then asked for the duty manager and told him that their payment requirement was rather strange. He was puzzled and when told about the SYT girl, he was very surprised.

I said, " OK but can you do me a favour and call 1-300-88-3000?"

He replied, "Er er that is our phone booking line."

"I know that but can you ask for this girl (Ms X) and tell her how MAS payments can be made."

"But sir, those girls manning the phones there should know that"

I then replied "But not this one" and then left their booking office.

[orchipalar]

Err...for those of you having flown regularly with AirAsia....some would say that their planes are older...may be you can tell Orchi..whether or not....AirAsia also have Fokkers?

Orchi recalls having flown with MAS...Fokkers(they would have fans outside of the plane rather than inside the cabin...man it was hot!)....

[satish]

Heh Orchi,
Thats why they are known as Sanyo fans..!
CHeers:D

[farouk]

Hi Orchi,
No Air Asia doesnt have any Fokkers, but MAS uses Fokker 50s in East Malaysia. Those fans you were talking about is turbo props la.
Turbo props are external and you can see the prop turning or not turning where as jet there is nothing obvious to the eye and you can not tell if the engine is running or not unless you are up close.

[JoeJaffar]

nope. they only have B737s..

[pcyeoh]

Don't tell me Orchi that the next question you are going to ask is "Does Air Asia have any helicopter - you know the one they install the gigantic fan on top of the roof and the little one at its tail? I also wonder when will they upgrade it to create mist like those found in Starbuck?" If you do that, I am going to whack you.

[patrick]

Jeya, the flight to Langkawi is only about an hour. So dont worry too much about bringing food etc. Before you know it, you would have landed.

As for MAS Online Booking....aiyoh!!! Terrible!!! I dont know who prepared their website for them. I tried to book to Cebu during their launching promotion and completely gave up the idea afterwards. Dont think I want to go back to their site again. When you try to fill in the name of passenger, everything sort of just hang there. One kinda website....Mana Ada System really!

And try booking for senior citizen....they tell you to come to their office. What kind of an online booking is that???

AA?....smooth as silk ..ooops..sorry I mean smooth as Tony Fernandez... ;-)

[aroki]

new member..SS19

yep air asia website is user friendly compared to most low cost airlines in SEA and lot better than MAS. given up hope on MAS website...too difficult and slow

Have used AA many times within Msia and Thailand. Overall service is ok..the flight attendants seem to enjoy their job and are pleasant. Only issue is lining up..they usually have two lines, one for people traveling with children,senior citizens and the other for the rest of the people. Sometimes they just let all hell break loose and let the other people to join the senior citizen line..which causes some queue jumping. Need to be consistent and firm on the lining up policy.

By the way it is free seating, so people do tend to line up fairly early..thus the boarding time is pretty quick.Food on the plane is not too expensive...mineral water RM3, nasi lemak RM7,sandwich RM6 ..cheaper than KLIA!!!

[orchipalar]

Originally posted by pcyeoh
Don't tell me Orchi that the next question you are going to ask is "Does Air Asia have any helicopter - you know the one they install the gigantic fan on top of the roof and the little one at its tail? I also wonder when will they upgrade it to create mist like those found in Starbuck?" If you do that, I am going to whack you.

Err...PCYeoh:) ...you probably would be thinking to stop Orchi from further posting in the webforum...coz another 3 more of Orchi's lunatic posts...Orchi might have to be beam off from this here Twilight Zone...to probably other Unknown Dimensions....:D
Ahem..otherwise you wouldn't need to threaten Orchi with any bodily harm...n everyone here knows that you are capable of throwing deadly punches....:D

Err...Orchi was merely trying to find out whether AirAsia has got any fokkers or not....ahem...like the MAS fokkers..which are operating mostly within Sarawak n Sabah...
Err....Saudara Farouk:) ...Orchi might be getting a bit older...but Orchi couldn't be that naive...not to know about the Turbo Prop Prat n Whitneys....which would be the standard issue on them fokkers....it is one of the oldest jokes...about the fokkers!:p
Afterall...Orchi has been airtravelling on quite many occasions with the fokkers...especially within Sarawak n Sabah....
To be honest....these fokkers can really give you the jitters...especially so in bad weather...

[PJS]

I've flown Air Asia a few times and I would say their on time record is only so-so. Leather seats in the 737? No those r not leather seats but PVC seats lah, damn uncomfortable.

I've book online for my wife n kid on a flight. They were ok with the airline with some minor complains of course comparing to MAS. And the return flight was retimed, again. But the good thing is, they send an SMS notifying me of the retime. It's a simple solution but it works, why didn't other airlines bother to implement the SMS notices?

[pcyeoh]

Hey Orchi, notice something? Congratulations, you just hit 1000 posting mark today.

Happy One Thousand Posting
Happy One Thousand Posting
Happy One Thousand Posting
Why the heck are you so free.

I have saved this page for you and will be sending it to you as a birthday card. Man, this is a historical event and this calls for a celebration tonight and it is on you.. Most probably you are the only one in this category now. Thanks to the Al Qaeda who hacked this forum for elevating you to this level.

[farouk]

:p Orchi, how would i know you were kidding and not blur??
Pratt and Whitney Canada PW125B turboprops if you want to action la :D
Sorry la but I love aeroplanes and there is never enough information I can absorb about them. :)
ps: OOh and happy 1000th post!

[achee]

Whatever said about AA, I hope it's here to stay.

Just imagine "life" without AA? MAS will be getting really wild in their pricing.

Don't dream about the MAS Supersaver (50%discount for the first 10 seats) fare. Without AA, do you think MAS is generous enuf to offer such? All this while, MAS have been humming that they loose money in the domestic sector .......... :confused:

BTW patrick, website and portal for MAS is handled mainly by IBM. Dia punya look and feel tak de class langsung. Lagi baik website usj.com

[orchipalar]

Err...forumer friend Farouk:D - No lar...not meant for it to be that way...Orchi just took the opportunity to have quite some laughs recalling the old fokkers joke....having the fans outside..while inside is bluddy hot!....heard it on the way to Long Pasia...to learn a bit or 2 from the Lundayek...with a fokker friendship...many many winters ago....:D

Err..PCYeoh...in this forum...everyone knows that is not true...our dear members...Cool Hand Luke and Empress_Julz...still are the chart toppers here lah!...n both of them have contributed much more to this forum history n fond memories....:)

Ahem....why is Orchi so free?....hehehe...gotta work smart also lar...;) ;) ;)

[lord]

I took the family to Brunei via Miri last Christmas and we flew AA cos' the price was way lot cheaper than MAS, we booked early of course. We really didn't have much to complain, having travelled with SQ and MAS most of the time.

Talking about food, I can't imagine hearing anyone enjoying MAS's onboard servings.

Service: 1. I enjoy the slacks and blouse of AA stewardesses. They look hip, brother. And Tony boy sure does know how to pick his 'girls';). The kebaya has to move with the times, man. And yeah, if it's meant to be traditional, why aren't the guys in sarong?!!:rolleyes:

2. AA girls have got this million dollar spark in their smile, unlike their MAS counterparts who strain their cheek muscles to make it look like they are smiling.

The only set back with AA is probably the rumours in town about no insurance. Anyone care to confirm.

And yeah, no diaper changing facilities on board. We had trouvle with the little one on our way back. So, if you hear anyone complaining about a return flight from Miri sometime Dec last year where the cabin was smelling of sh!t, just to let you know it was not AA's fault;)

[jeya]

HI

All of us have a passion but O'Palar posting in this forum is his passion so eer... ahem..please dont stop we love to read your posting eer ......ahem... sometimes you put me in a spin but then after the spinning stops I get your message loud and clear:D


Congragulations for your 1000 postings and more to come:)

[orchipalar]

Hello Jeya:) - Thanks.....Orchi is flattered by your kind gesture...:)
IF you haven't much to do tonight...please show up at Briyani Corner(Teh Tarik Stadium 2)...Orchi would wanna treat you to makan...n minum....:D

For directions..IF you fail to reach PCYeoh on his phone(Line is always HOT!)....you can call 012 205 6885...that being the numbers to his other keh poh chee assistance....;)

[jeya]

Hello O'Palar

Thanks for your generous offer would defintely like to meet you in person one day and it would be on me, sorry not tonight too late to cancel my night agenda.

Thanks again

[jeya]

Hi

I remember taking a flight with my father on a Fokker Friendship from the Sungie Besi Airport many decades ago...heading for Kota Baru.
Those days going on any plane was grand and still remember those huge propellors as you guys mentioned..they sound like hovercrafts.
Of late they were use to ply passengers in the remote towns of Sabah and Sarawak.

Satish, might know if MAS still maintains a fleet or sold them to some junkyard.

Cheers

[willi]

hi guys ... if you have small kids who are travelling along, you better also check with MAS family package. The pricing is not far off.

AA doesn't give discount to the 'underaged' as compared to MAS.

Further more, I noticed that the outstation airports in Malaysia tend to give priority to MAS in the event of flight reshedule, delay etc.

However - AA's presence is good to give 'healthy' competition to MAS. We as consumer will always support whoever can provide us with a better & economical service :D

[orchipalar]

Err....tiny birds told Orchi....to some destinations...AirAsia would not have the same day flight back...need to stay overnight for the next day's connection back....otherwise MAS is better for day travellers who would wanna finish his or her biz....to come back on the same day....dont know if this is true...how about all the other big birds out there....anyone can confirm this to Orchi?....ahem...the way AirAsia thingy has been going on here....Orchi might wanna try to book AA for next week flight to East Malaysia.....:)

[jpostill]

Congrats on your... erm... 1000 postings, Orchi!!!
PS Nice photo at the future balai polis site!

[SharL]

Fokker is not so bad. Twin Otter is worst, with Fans in and out of the planes. No aircon. You can see two "fans" outside the plane and 2 mini fans in the plane. The door to the cockpit is opened and you can see how the 2 pilots control the planes. One time, I said hello to the pilot and he offered me sweets.:)

[jpostill]

Don't you know you should never accept sweets from strangers?

[kwchang]

I used to enjoy watching the landing thru the open curtains to the pilot cabin on the Fokker. If you think landing is a piece of cake (when in Boeings), you should see how the runway seems to sway side to side during a landing approach on a Fokker! Pretty scary the first time because I realised the pilot had to negotiate cross winds and the plane was actually trying hard to stay on a straight path.

[orchipalar]

Chang quotes: "....Pretty scary the first time because I realised the pilot had to negotiate cross winds and the plane was actually trying hard to stay on a straight path."

Err....Chang:) ...Orchi doesn't mean to develop the sudden urge to be nit-picking either...but just in here....after having blown another spare of mouthpiece...haha...err...Orchi wonders....were you really serious about having flown by a fokker before? .... hehehe...the pilot was flying?...n he had to negotiate cross winds? ....n then again .....just wondering also... at the same time....how would the fokker ...suddenly fly by itself? ...ahem... trying hard to keep a straight flightpath?....:D :D :D

Having wondered that....hahaha....you should wanna categorize this as a JOKE....n MOVE it....to the appropriate link? :D

Otherwise...please accept n appreciate the facts that....even back in the old England teaching schools...same same....with the old Chinese teaching schools....the teachers n students are proned to make plenty of mistakes also lar.....Yes?.....hahahahaaa

[fatalshak]

Willi,

What MAS family package?

[fatalshak]

I flew AA to Bangkok :D .. dont ask .. it was fine ...

I flew Tiger from Bangkok - planes are newer, air hostess are rookies .. told me to sit anywhere but not where I wanted to sit bcos we had to balance the plane .. DUH! Plus they want you to check in everything except for the clothes you are wearing. So be careful what you are bringing ...

I flew AA from S'pore .. it was fine ..

[pcyeoh]

And the same rooky air hostess after having balance the plane asked my 3 children to go out and play as they were quite rowdy running in the plane that must have upsetted her.