Air Asia - Steep prices for a LCC

[ethernet]

Air Asia scabby /stingy with long dated forward promos.

Ever since Air Asia got Sydney, bucket fare booked 10 months in advance have gone - so it seems.
I suspect they have a non-compete with MH mates agreement, but even out or to MEL fare in December are sky high. No more crazy sales - or I missed em. In my eyes from Australia, they look less LCC every day from .au.

I hope their load factors are still high, only I am not falling for it. Next trip on Flyscoot. To give Jetstar credit, they snared a few SEA around the $350 each way mark., mostly Japan and Bali. I am not qualified, but it seems a Chinese airline and .Vn are waving a stick and discounting, then Cathay, then the rest.

At this rate, I will be taking my December leave in Australia, and hanging out for February for OS.
I am not playing the December game, although I must admit, those 330RM from KUL to MEL were good while it lasted.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

I agree, they are often far more expensive than VN and BI especially once you add baggage and meals. They are really only LCC when you book 10 months in advance on a sale, sadly I never plan travel that far ahead. For these reasons I haven't bothered using them in quite some time except for the odd short haul route out of BKK.

 

[MH_fan]

AirAsia are a rip-off. Even the sales aren't that good anymore.

 

[moa999]

For my last trip in an around Malaysia, MH won on 5/6 trips on price alone (and generally better schedule).

 

[Mrmaxwell]

All the LCC's start out with the WOW sales and then gradually try to increase the ticket price while not losing customers. JQ are the perfect example of this and are regularly priced higher than specials from full service airlines!

Don't confuse Air Asia with Air Asia X - Air Asia are great for intra-asia flights. I suspect Air Asia X needed to increase margins to try and make some money along with consolidation of routes. Already they CEO of Scoot has come out saying while their planes are 80%+ capacity they are not making money. It really is simple math - you cannot fill planes with $99 seats and make money on long haul - won't happen.

 

[ethernet]

Correction Air Asia X. I maintain the key aspect is is increasing the prices without getting a bad reputation or to be noticed sharply as being way out of line. Charging more than Jetstar is quite dumb IMHO, as is having promos for $20 off or less than 5%. In my books they are fast becoming another Tiger - my LAST option, and in these busy days, not even opening their emails. Either people are dumber than I expected, or there are a lot of QF passengers that have turned to trying someone else.

 

[ethernet]

Air Asia X still keeping their promise NOT to compete with MH. (Same or more than MH, and .SG cheaper than both).
$1000 one way to Asia around 14 December plus. Return is probably more than a regular full service airline.
I would have thought with all that Southern China capacity added, bets that all their Christmas's come bad.

 

[MH_fan]

Their current sale is not very impressive at all. Their premium seats are a rip-off. Interestingly, when you check for flights, the sale price is only ever available one way and the other is ridiculously priced! I have not been able to find a premium seat return ticket on their current sale for under A$1900! Sometimes the seat is as high as A$1500 one way and no other seats in the premium cabin have been booked. This sale is a rort!

 

[ethernet]

Yes, I agree. My last trip was scoot(see review). I also checked out of MEL and Brisbane prices - another yawner.

Also be alert, Air Asia will charge you for TWO lots of baggage, if it flys via KL to a further destination. Tricky.
Checking lastminute.com, Garuda was a several hundred cheaper - giving AA-X a bad name. This is why Air-Asia-X fails. Three disappointments in a row, and they drop rank. Current order is Scoot, Jetstar on Fridays, lastminute, then Air-Asia, then Virgin
Or do what I just did. Book one way, and having other windows open like flyscoot.com and JQ, spread your business around.
Between QF having many idle planes on the ground, and Southern China Airlines scooping up sub-continent pax (read sudden growth in outbound capacity), a real sale may be in the wind.

 

[jetlagger]

Without being biased, but rather neutral in these circumstances.. there are a few web blogs around about - google : why not to fly air asia... I was surprised!
Result: Oh dear..:shock:

 

[dajop]

I don't even bother checking Air Asia any more (that's ex-SIN). On routes like SIN-BKK they are, almost always more expensive than Tiger and Jetstar, and often Thai as well. Once, I've even seen them only $50 cheaper than CX on the route, and CX was in business class.

 

[stryker]

Well I won't book another AAX flight, no matter what the price. The seats are so narrow and uncomfortable and crammed together, and you won't know whether the seat next to you is free until after the doors are closed (AAX seat maps are very unreliable and the check in agents are completely unpredictable). Add to that the "carry-on bag police" at KLIA LCCT who weigh your carry-ons before you can proceed to the departure lounge (of course to gouge more money out of you) and you have an "airline" that is out of control in terms of gouging pax.

I had a booking SIN-KUL-SYD for later this month, but couldn't face the AAX flight. Instead I booked a Scoot "business class" ticket SIN-SYD for $300 during their recent promo.

 

[markis10]

I don't even bother checking Air Asia any more (that's ex-SIN). On routes like SIN-BKK they are, almost always more expensive than Tiger and Jetstar, and often Thai as well. Once, I've even seen them only $50 cheaper than CX on the route, and CX was in business class.

They are back to Don Mueang now!

 

[jetlagger]

Well I won't book another AAX flight, no matter what the price. The seats are so narrow and uncomfortable and crammed together, and you won't know whether the seat next to you is free until after the doors are closed (AAX seat maps are very unreliable and the check in agents are completely unpredictable). Add to that the "carry-on bag police" at KLIA LCCT who weigh your carry-ons before you can proceed to the departure lounge (of course to gouge more money out of you) and you have an "airline" that is out of control in terms of gouging pax.

I had a booking SIN-KUL-SYD for later this month, but couldn't face the AAX flight. Instead I booked a Scoot "business class" ticket SIN-SYD for $300 during their recent promo.

Or even contending with the wide spectrum of demographic amongst the pax.. Had several persons approach me to 'assist" carrying stuff for them on Air Asia flights.. This is truly a backpacker styled airline.. with all the frills to match!
I had a crazy lady whilst I was in the Check In for a CRK/BKI flight on Air Asia, insist I help her carry her diving gear.. WTF..! I turned around & said.. 'I don't know you, or your cough.. so check it in on your own expense..."

 

[N860CR]

History has proven that low cost and long haul simply do not work. The costs of operating the aircraft on such a complex leg (there's more than just the fuel... crew hotels, parking charges etc etc etc really add up) simply make the whole operation too pricey. Air Asia X can subsidise the long haul operation by connecting people onto their very successful short haul operation. The verdict on Scoot is still out... however I'd say it's quite unlikely that they will go onto be a successful money-making business. QF claim JQ Intl is a massive success, however the general consensus in the industry is that it's a loss maker. Their biggest success has come from operating directly from popular Australian holiday ports that people actually pay more to get to than connecting on a full service carrier (i.e. DPS, HKT & HNL). Air Asia X suffer by only flying to KUL which is generally a stopover only.

 

[ethernet]

Well done, impulse buying is dead.

I'll repeat I booked 50/50 scoot/AirAsiaX, learning from the Tiger grounding, that the other Airlines failed to help (actually the domestic sales on now are cheaper than back then to Cairns). I feel cold about their NZ event. OTOH does Malaysia really want to be 2nd fiddle to Singapore or .th airlines? They are heading there.

Air Asia is missing out all my short hops and sales, as I seem to have missed any significant long haul connecting AirAsiaX sales. There is just no co-ordination that i can see. I don't know what their load factors are - nor not how Melbourne outbound is faring, say midweek. I maintain that a cozy non-compete deal with MH, is quite clear for December bookings. I know there are revenue-predictor engines, and the stupid public don't know about block dumping. I have flown MH via FlightCentre who get a good deal at rare times, but not aware of AirAsiaX ' holiday packages' being touted heavily.

Jetstar has been scabby of late with some internationals, and Virgin has changed it models too (higher, by a lot).

 

[yohy?!]

Airlines will charge what the market will bear, unfortunately the market is made up of the great unwashed who book through flight centre...

 

[tomlikesbeetroot]

Airlines will charge what the market will bear, unfortunately the market is made up of the great unwashed who book through flight centre...

I fly PER-DPS return every fortnight. My options are Garuda, Air Asia, Jetstar and Virgin.
With price and flight times being my main factor, have done Jetstar and Virgin both 3 times (for the departing leg only), and Garuda 4 times (return). Have to say for the 50+ flights I have had with Air asia over the past 18 months, have to say I am pretty happy with them. Always on time, food is much cheaper than virgin and jetstar.
The only thing I hate is that prices are doubled/tripled during school holidays. I assume that this is because so many people book early to avoid the high prices. But very frustrating for me not being able to book too far ahead.
I do notice with Air asia, it is always cheaper booking in the other direction, even after factoring in foreign currency fees. I have been able to save up to 25% on some legs by booking 2x one way tickets instead of a return.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

I fly PER-DPS return every fortnight. My options are Garuda, Air Asia, Jetstar and Virgin.
With price and flight times being my main factor, have done Jetstar and Virgin both 3 times (for the departing leg only), and Garuda 4 times (return). Have to say for the 50+ flights I have had with Air asia over the past 18 months, have to say I am pretty happy with them. Always on time, food is much cheaper than virgin and jetstar.
The only thing I hate is that prices are doubled/tripled during school holidays. I assume that this is because so many people book early to avoid the high prices. But very frustrating for me not being able to book too far ahead.
I do notice with Air asia, it is always cheaper booking in the other direction, even after factoring in foreign currency fees. I have been able to save up to 25% on some legs by booking 2x one way tickets instead of a return.

there usually is not cheap fares during school holidays even to start with, cheaper than last minute yes, but not as cheap as non school holiday periods. This is when the airlines make their money!

 

[ethernet]

Yes, AA)X was not bad. I liked the 300RM KUL-MEL tickets on either side of Christmas day ($100-$150 odd), plus they scored a sidetrip. However this year, in the other direction, as you mentioned it is showing $800-$900 one way!, even on scummy mid-week flights out of MEL. 1200-1400 return. So it is actually cheaper for me to fly China Southern to China - then reverse and fly back. Either the world is flat, or gamesmanship and bluffing is up 800%.BTW in the last 5 Boxing day flights, I reckon they averaged 70% capacity inbound. So I reckon they are sitting on a mountain of unsold seats, with the possibility that SYD sold or might sell OK. I have a good 'feel' for their sales and promos, and detect a huge change this year (way up).
I think they have decided to track Virgin or JQ fales (also touching regular airfares). I also checked MH fares ($1900 odd return) and their website is both slow and broken/retarded. Oh well, I fly none of them perhaps. Tiger also gets the dunce award, for not best-efforting a connecting flight if I booked Syd-PER with them, still. If AA)X is true to form, there will be a last minute dumping of unsold tix, but too late for me to get cheap connecting flights out of MH. Fine by me - I just hope I can score some last minute BA flights to Asia before they quit the Kangaroo route.