AirAsia flight D72723 4/6/09
I booked a flight from MEL to KUL which would get me to Kuala Lumpur in suitable time to on travel to Shenzhen.
I started the day @ 4.30 am in St Helens Tasmania. I had to catch the only bus for the day @ 8.30. I travelled to LST and then had a wait of 5 hours with limited catering available.
On arriving @ MEL I then discovered my flight to KUL was going to be
6.15 hrs late departing. This gave me a waiting time of 12.15 hours not planned. At approx 9.30 pm the AirAsia check in opened and I was able to get rid of my bag. On checking in I was given a meal voucher.
The problem was, all the catering traders were closing down.
I could only sleep on a bench for 1 hour as the noise and position was too bad.
We were told the plane was going to be late because of fog in Perth the previous day (2/6) some 20 hours before our departure and the airline was unable to catch up. (The steward is now trying to tell me a different version of events.)
So after a sleepless night, I traversed passport control @ 5.30 am expecting we would be airborne @ 7 am as promised.
Wrong again. We lost 30 minutes just loading people on the plane. (Now 7.30). We lost 2 passengers and the flight load schedule) another delay. Then we lost the tow tug. When we finally got the tow tug we had lost our place in the takeoff queue. (Now 7.44).
In the meantime inappropriate music was blaring in my ears with no sound control. Add to that the pilots mumbles. The stewardess thought the time was good to fill the immigration papers and I set my table up. The tug moved us 100 feet so my table was removed.(Now 7.55).
Told there was 7 planes ahead of us by the captain but I counted well over 15 plane movements before we reached the runway (now 8.41am).
The plane rotated @ 08.43 8 full hours behind schedule. My original
transit changeover in KUL of 9 hours now down to 1.15 hours. With the minimum of 45 minutes check in time, I am left with 30 mins. In that time, I have to retrieve my luggage, clear customs into Malaysia, re check in, clear customs, find some food, have a smoke, reboard the next flight. I now discover there is no transit facility as AirAsia, is point to point carrier whatever that means. They did not explain that on the website.
Food, yes you are right. If the original flight was on schedule I did not need to order a meal on my flight. The plane is 8 hours past the time I expected when I booked on line. But now refused a meal as I did not order one. So I am expected to go for 24 hours without decent food. And now after 5 hours since leaving the lounge, I have had 1 cup of fake tea @ a cost of $2.
What a disaster. My 1st & Last flight with AirAsia.
I bet $M that the inflight magazine does not publish this letter in travel3sixty.com, but I am sure I can find many other ways of broadcasting such an unprofessional airline.
5 Comments
Point to Point = “No point flying with us unless you have No expectations of:
– service
-arriving or departing on time
or baggage.”
Cheap has it’s drawbacks.
I think you must be related to Kyle. That just what traveling in the third world is like. Its tough for the locals to- no food for weeks on end. No air-conditioned terminal to feast in. Next time spare us and go to los vagas with Kyle.
Aah the romance and glamour of twentyfirst century Budget airline – budget service air travel. As always expect the ubiquitous Mr Murphy to be lurking with intent.
Always take squishy earplugs, MP3 player, good book, sandwich, give up smoking, try and avoid checked bagge and a healthy dose of Broome-time. It will happen when the planets align and the flight-crew’s biorhythms coincide. Try and relax. You can only make that happen.
Tas Flyer is correct – cheap has its drawbacks, expensive isn’t THAT much better.
What exactly did AirAsia do wrong, and what could they have done better so perhaps ameliorate your experience?
The issue is what happened in Melbourne. Your original departure flight time was 00.45. Advised of the delay to 07.00 you check in at 21.30 and a food voucher issued. You are still in the departure terminal. You know at this time that you will not be going anywhere until immigration and quarantine at 05.30. Did you consider a quick blast into Melbs for a few loud drinks at the Hairy Canary?
Loading of passengers (including lost or disorientated) is hardly within AirAsia’s complete control. This set the chain of events for the tug, the taxiing. Did you think the pilot was having a sulk as other shinier airlines got precedence?
Guess what? shit happens, prepare for it.
Tell you what, I’m flying AirAsia for the first time later this year, I’ll let you know how it goes.
bilbycoote, spare us your bogus and irrelevant concern for third world poverty.
AirAsia is actually a good low cost carrier but it would be wise to allow yourself a comfortable 24+ hours between connections (eg overnight in Kuala Lumpur even though it is a pretty unattractive city)
Air Asia Perth to Denpasar. Departure set for 04.30.
Checked in at 02.20.
Waited and briefly napped.
Boarded on time.
Wheels left the tarmac exactly on 04.31.
Not the most comfortable flight, some parent allowed their four year to practice interval sprints up the aisle. i didn’t notice ANY airline music other than my MP3 player or earplugs.
Landed Denpasar 08.05. long walk from gate to visa on arrival and customs, carousel. luggage as planned cleared quarantine and found our hotel driver for the transfer to ubud.
The plane left and arrived at the advertised times.
Return flight scheduled 00.30. Arrived at the terminal at 22.05. Huge queues out the terminal just to go through electronic scanning and then stand in the queue for check in. Checked the departures and there were nine departures between midnight and 01.00
Initially only one person was processing check-in for Air-Asia, due to IT issues, later a second and third desk opened up. Cleared all protocols by 23.00. Played cards and napped until called for the flight. Bussed to apron and boarded at 00.30. Quick head count as a passenger was missing. Resolved, doors shut. Taxied and queued took off 00.40.
Arrived Perth 04.05 five minutes early.
Luggage and customs and quarantine and my lift was waiting at 04.50.
I call that a flawless performance by a budget airline, definately no frills, but for a three and half hour flight with challenging logistics each each gate the result is commendable.
I’ll use Air Asia again and would recommend the airline to others.