AirAsia offers 1,000,000 free seats

[NM]

from news.com.au:

MALAYSIAN airline AirAsia is giving away 1,000,000 free seats in a bid to boost domestic travel.

Dubbed AirAsia's ZERO FARE, the airline's promotion is asking passengers to just pay the airport tax and admin fee of $12.

All flights take off from Kuala Lumpur and fly to Malaysian destinations such as Kota Bharu and Penang.

More info at Air Asia web site.

Flights seems to be Malaysia and Thailand only. Date Jan-April 2010.

 

[docjames]

I'm no economist, and have no idea the flying costs of an A320, but 1,000,000 seats is equivalent to approx 6666 flights (@150seats).

how can any business afford to take that sort of hit and remain viable.

Edit: Had a look BKK-HKT:

They at least get the following out of each pax
Insurance Surcharge 100.00 THB Administration Fee 130.00Approx AUD$19

Hardly free, but still darn cheap.

 

[one9]

Seeing that the flights are some time away and seeing they are so cheap, I would guess than at least 20% of people may not end up travelling.

 

[MH_fan]

Since when are Air Asia's air fares "free"? You have to pay for the taxes, which equates to about 80-90% of the total fare anyway! When you compare it to MAS, it's just a bit cheaper but is the difference worth the the disorganised check-in process, the disorganised boarding process, the constant delays, the lack of refreshments, etc.? Not only that, Air Asia have a very nasty habit of changing the flight schedules, not informing you of it, you finding out by accident or being informed too close to when you are to fly, and then it is virtually impossible to get any refund or to get in contact with their customer service. I have been burnt several times by them already and now I just completely ignore these promotions.

 

[NM]

Seeing that the flights are some time away and seeing they are so cheap, I would guess than at least 20% of people may not end up travelling.

And will the airline still be operating in 2010

 

[straitman]

And will the airline still be operating in 2010

Cynical to the end :!:

 

[NM]

Cynical to the end :!:

Who, me :?:

 

[Chimpy]

Now available from Australia.

Gold Coast from $71

Melbourne and Perth $82

This includes all taxes and fees

 

[StevePER]

Gold Coast from $71

Melbourne and Perth $82

This includes all taxes and fees

And much cheaper for the return flight, eg KUL-PER $33.

 

[fortymilliondaggers]

Not seeing any availability in Jan, Feb or March.

 

[Chimpy]

From the Gold Coast it seems to be the cheap flights on Tuesdays eg. Feb 16

 

[FL360]

All the free seats departing from / arriving back to Australia around Easter 2010 is gone, I won't be surprised they release less than 5 free seats for each flight.

This is another way for bait and switch advertising, the next tier is $179 per person per way, which I would rather fly full service given they usually will be about $200-$300 more .... given that
1. LCCT is such a dump...
2. seat is crumpy
3. pay for food / drink
4. pay for luggage
5. last minute flight changes / cancellation
6. no customer service
...... [please add on]

 

[k_sheep]

Well I got return OOL-KUL for $144 including luggage and food over easter. No way am I complaining about that!

 

[FL360]

Yes, for people living outside the major cities, like Sydney, there are definitely some advantages...

For examples fares to asia are much cheaper if you live in Darwin, Perth, OOL,
or even Adelaide ! (sometime MH and CX have cheaper fares ex-adelaide).

 

[kamchatsky]

All the free seats departing from / arriving back to Australia around Easter 2010 is gone, I won't be surprised they release less than 5 free seats for each flight.

This is another way for bait and switch advertising, the next tier is $179 per person per way, which I would rather fly full service given they usually will be about $200-$300 more .... given that
1. LCCT is such a dump...
2. seat is crumpy
3. pay for food / drink
4. pay for luggage
5. last minute flight changes / cancellation
6. no customer service
...... [please add on]

Well you get what you pay for, right? I have never tried AirAsia long distance but did try the AirAsia Thailand and I had no problems. The plane took off and landed on time, sure no food/drink/TV etc, pay additional for extra luggage (and they are strict on that which I found out). But that is their business model and they try to do it as cheap as possible. If you don't like it, there is always MH .....

 

[FL360]

Well you get what you pay for, right? I have never tried AirAsia long distance but did try the AirAsia Thailand and I had no problems. The plane took off and landed on time, sure no food/drink/TV etc, pay additional for extra luggage (and they are strict on that which I found out). But that is their business model and they try to do it as cheap as possible. If you don't like it, there is always MH .....

I have no problem with their business model, but for me to travel with them long haul the price difference has to be more than $500AUD from other full service alternative...

for short haul I don't really care...

Airasia's normal price between MEL and KUL is about 600 return all inclusive, that's not much difference from full service, or when SQ/MH has a sale...

 

[kamchatsky]

I have no problem with their business model, but for me to travel with them long haul the price difference has to be more than $500AUD from other full service alternative...

for short haul I don't really care...

Airasia's normal price between MEL and KUL is about 600 return all inclusive, that's not much difference from full service, or when SQ/MH has a sale...

It is also like Jetstar and Virginblue/PacificBlue. Sometimes I get it cheaper on Qantas/AirNZ than the LCC airlines. People automatically thinks LCC is cheap when in reality if they really do some comparison then sometimes it is not much of a difference.

Remember without these LCCs the full fare airlines would charge thru the nose. Just see what happens to transpacific routes prices once V Australia comes in to play (GFC also causing issues here). Remember the old days where SYD-LAX on QF would be at least $2000!!!!

 

[MH_fan]

I've just scrolled though almost every available date for flights between Gold Coast & KL and Melbourne & KL. These so-called "free" fares are nowhere to be seen. I'd consider this false advertising!

 

[FL360]

I've just scrolled though almost every available date for flights between Gold Coast & KL and Melbourne & KL. These so-called "free" fares are nowhere to be seen. I'd consider this false advertising!

I am sure when they start the sale there are seats, I suspect less than 5 for each flight, they are generally sold out within hours, i.e. between 2am to about 7am AEST time, and when Malaysia sees the sun, the web-site will jam, however the mobile site stills works...

 

[kamchatsky]

I've just scrolled though almost every available date for flights between Gold Coast & KL and Melbourne & KL. These so-called "free" fares are nowhere to be seen. I'd consider this false advertising!

Not true. I did see the free seats when it first come on sale. and I still saw it the day after. May be they don't have much, but at least their system doesn't crash/timeout etc when you try to book it .... unlike some jets with stars on it ......