Thread: Air Asia Rant

Originally Posted by champagne charlie

You ain't experienced jack until you've flown Southwest in the states. Air Asia's a full service airline by comparison.

All internal US carriers are utter shit...at least Air Asia makes a bit of effort flight attendent tottie wise...all Xep flight attendents look like bulldogs chewing bees....and give you whithering looks should you even dare to ask them for anything.

Originally Posted by josh_ingu

As you may know by now, changing a ticket is damn expensive. I changed one on line a while ago - final cost to *change* the ticket was as much as if I had just purchased a new single leg.....

However, again, for the record, my last few international flights with AA have been pretty much on time. International they seem to be a *bit* better on the ball.

I do agree with LDMA that if I needed to *ensure* I was somewhere on time, I would probably pick a different airline - however, that being noted I switched to AA for my international flights as both Thai and Singapore airlines were both having a solid streak of delayed flights. If I am going to be delayed anyway, may as well be delayed on a cheap airline and save myself a few K....
-j-

I hear what you are saying, and they were going to charge me 1000 baht to change the ticket..which is a lot considering I only paid 2000 total for the ticket.
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LDMA

While we're onthe subject about what cnuts Air Asia are, did you know they also refuse to sell tickets to disabled people.

AirAsia - Now Everyone Can Fly - Betulkah? | Peter Tan - The Digital Awakening

Wow, that is shocking, and discriminatory. Nice to see them fighting for their rights though. One more reason to fly Air Asia, eh?

Originally Posted by josh_ingu

tricky one

Originally Posted by josh_ingu

*forced*

Originally Posted by josh_ingu

grossly obese

=

Originally Posted by josh_ingu

disabled

Originally Posted by josh_ingu

So how does that relate to my having an "opinion" on the issue?.

You did kind of show your hand there Josh....

LDMA,
After the protest by disabled people against AirAsia's discriminatory policies, they met us and allowed us to book online with the condition that we inform their call centre of our condition. However, wheelchair users are required to sign an indemnity form to absolve the carrier from all responsibilities should anything happen to us. I filed a complaint with the Ministry of Transport in Malaysia regarding that. I am not sure if this condition is still in place.

josh_ingu,
I am not here to look for a quarrel, so there is no need to nitpick on the petty. If you say what you said is not your opinion, ok, fine. I was just commenting on "what you said." Additionally, I did not assume that you have a position. How you assumed that I assumed you have a position is beyond my understanding.

Flying is not a luxury. It is a matter of choice. You can decide you want to take a bus from Singapore to Bangkok. Nobody will stop you from doing that. You can even decide you want to walk the entire length of the journey. That would make taking a bus a luxury. That is also a choice.

What I am talking here is the equalization of opportunities. It is about choices. It is about providing to disabled people the same that is provided to non-disabled people. It is as simple as that. There is no reason to subject disabled people to a narrow band of services only as we live among you in the community.

A "private entity" that is providing service to the public must make that service inclusive or run the risk of being branded practicing discrimination. The policy of not allowing one category of people to buy tickets is akin to telling a group of people from a certain ethnic group that they are not allowed to buy tickets too.

Cost has often been used as an excuse not to provide services or facilities to disabled people. Providing services and facilities for disabled people should be factored in as the cost of doing business. That is what AirAsia seems to be doing now by agreeing to spend RM6mil to upgrade their facilities and make it accessible to disabled passengers.

There is one thing that I agree with you. This is a tricky issue but that does not mean that we cannot come to a win-win situation for everyone concerned. Anyway, this entire debate, argument or whatever you want to call it is summed up in the Social Model of Disability. If you have the time to spare, please do look it up.

Agree with P. Tan (and wish he would post here on other issues)...

SD's mother used to fly up from Phuket on AA 5 times a year. She switched to Nok because of long delays, gate changes that required a little ol' lady to hotfoot it across the terminal in competition with the young and thriving, and utter contempt for AA staff.

When the Chinese bite their fellow Chinese, you know there's a problem.

^^ I totally agree with you, Peter. Disabled people should be able to have the same opportunity and choices as able-bodied people. There should be no if, and, or but, about it. Period.

I'm going with Nok when the time comes to move back to the UK. Although this will mean a trip across town between DM and Suwannabhumi, the reliability and night and day service compared with Air Asia makes this a no brainer.
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I think one problem comes down to Air asia confusing no frills with quality.

Air travel cannot just be considered in terms of the product (ie the seat on the aircraft), and this is how I feel I am treated....we take you point to point and that's all we care about. Whether Air Asia like it or not air travel is primarily a service, and there seems to be a failiure in a large number of other vital human interfaces which are basic requisites for a service. Laziness where there is no cost saving can NEVER be justified with a service. I refuse to believe that there are no profits in this business, that cannot be ploughed back into staff training and analysis of where the service is so badly failing.

Nobody has ever addressed this point and will raise it again. For the same price as Air Asia, Nok Air allows you to reserve your seat online. So, no crush. Where is the cost saving in not allocating seats? Air Asia are trying to lower service standards in the name of "no frills", in order that they can make a fast buck by charging people not to be treated like cattle and to be allowed on first.

Cyrille, tomcat, phuketbound,
I have been saying the same things that I said here for so many times that I am beginning to sound like a broken record. Nevertheless, I am glad you all understand the predicament faced by disabled air travellers and what needs to be done. If the world has more people like you all, life would have been much easier for disabled people. Thank you.

I think this thread is one great reason why people should always include trackback links when posting links to blogs. Thanks for your input Peter!