Jump to content
MalaysianWings - Malaysia's Premier Aviation Portal
Sign in to follow this  
Loh Wilson

Air Asia Free Seats

Recommended Posts

fsen1.jpg

 

Air Asia's zero fare craze is back again !!! Lets share what have you bought and what good deals you have found :p

 

Yesterday Air Asia's booking engine crashed before the clock strikes 12am due to overwhelming response, I decided to go to sleep instead of keep on pressing the F5 key. I did not manage to sleep soundly because the only thing in my mind was "CHEAP TICKET". Very unwillingly I woke up at 4.30am because I was shivering cold. Since I no longer able to fall back to sleep then I decided to try my luck to book through my mobile phone.

 

The server was able to respond though it was still a little slow nevertheless I managed to book KUL-BDO return trip all in for Rm35. At last, I can see my desire to go Bandung for shopping is materializing, now I am hoping nothing will pop up to spoil my shopping plan for CNY clothes.

 

How about you guys ?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Wow, that's very cheap...to bad we don't know when the School March Holidays will be. So I manage to get the May Day KCH-PEN for 145, not the cheapest but it's better than nothing.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

AirAsia's IT is bad - server always not able to cope with the load. Instead of spending money on newpaper ads, they could have gotten better servers to handle to transaction processing and bought more bandwidth at the data centre.

 

This is AirAsia's first zero fare sale of 2010 and most of the people who book on AirAsia don't read newspapers. Those who do read newspapers don't really know how to work their rather cumbersome booking engine and seldom can get the zero fares!

 

AirAsia should allow registered user to add other pax to their profiles. That way, they do not need to key in details of the other pax, if they are booking many tickets. This will mean that the server completes the bookings faster, thereby reducing congestion.

 

Tips:

 

To avoid convenience fee, just book the barebones flight only and pay via your internet banking account. Later on you can use Manage My Booking to add things like luggage, seat selection and meals. When using Manage My Booking to book the add ons, there is no convenience fee charged.

 

Doing this will avoid the two additional screens for seat selection (on return flight) and enhances the chances of a successful flight booking.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes! Took 2h30mins this afternoon and thanks god I have booked myself two tickets to Melbourne with return trip. RM260 per pax, plus tax/charges total up is RM600++ per pax for return trip.

 

Not 0 fare but I'm quite happy! It's still dirt cheap afterall! haha! TQ AK!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

AirAsia X (D7) does not do zero fare gimmicks. But RM 600+ return to Melbourne is a pretty decent deal! :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I think Wai Ping must have snagged lots of BKI-KUL seats - not many left! ;)

 

KUL-BKI return is RM 40+ with 15 kg luggage

KUL-SGN return is RM 170+ with 15 kg luggage and one meal

 

Worthwhile savings if you don't mind spending hours waiting for that overworked server to complete your booking!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

[Off Topic]

The promotion is gone, but something is coming towards Bukit Bintang's Plaza Berjaya next month.

pzbsalesoffice.jpg

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Why's there a Mazda 3 on its left

Because it is a Mazda showroom. :p

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I think Wai Ping must have snagged lots of BKI-KUL seats - not many left! ;)

 

KUL-BKI return is RM 40+ with 15 kg luggage

KUL-SGN return is RM 170+ with 15 kg luggage and one meal

 

Worthwhile savings if you don't mind spending hours waiting for that overworked server to complete your booking!

 

Eh, just came back from HKG lah. :D

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Anger AS AirAsia A$250 London Fare Dries Up Quickly

 

MELBOURNE, June 9 (Bernama) -- Australians' expectation of securing a A$240 Melbourne to London fare on AirAsia X has turned to anger among those who missed out.

 

The fares advertised by AirAsia yesterday went on sale at 2am Wednesday but were sold out within an hour, the Age newspaper reports.

 

The newspaper has received heated calls Wednesday from disappointed travellers complaining about AirAsia, angered that they could not access the sale fares -- offers that were still being promoted on AirAsia's website at 2pm Wednesday.

 

One disappointed customer, whose booking ended up costing thousands of dollars -- rather than hundreds -- has vowed to complain about AirAsia to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

 

But a public relations agent for AirAsia defended the sale, saying that among the various fares in the sale as many as 4,000 seats from Australia (exiting Melbourne, the Gold Coast or Perth) to its Kuala Lumpur hub -- the first leg of the trip to London -- were offered.

 

About 1,000 discount seats were offered on the Kuala Lumpur-London sector. All have been sold too, Air Asia's spokesman told the newspaper.

 

Another 1,500 sale seats from Australia to Kuala Lumpur were added Wednesday in response to customer demand but they too had probably been snapped up by now, he said.

 

-- BERNAMA

 

Source : http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v5/newsbusiness.php?id=504644

 

Regarding AirAsia X (D7) offering free seats for 24 hours booking time 9-10 June 2010 (Travel period on 11 Oct - 14 Nov 2010), I think not only australians getting mad but my self a bit disappointed too. I had try searched all date from 11 Oct - 14 Nov for route KUL-TSN-KUL and KUL-PER-KUL start earlier morning 9 June after 12.01AM, but i didn't find any free seats. I' already clear my laptop IE cache and refresh again but still not found free seats. Feedup about these thing, i go sleep and wokeup again on 5 AM but still the same results, didn't find any free seats available.

 

Then i try again on late evening around 5 PM 9 June and finally i found free seats available on date 13 Nov but only one way TSN-KUL. I'm also found free seats for one way PER-KUL on date 11 Nov. I bit wierd because i had try on ealier morning but didn't find any free seats on 13 Nov (TSN-KUL) and 11 Nov (PER-KUL). So im very curious, it's system still not fully ready for customer to start search earlier morning or free seats offered very limited?

Edited by Ikman Ikreza

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I tried searching for KUL - OOL and only managed to find 0 fare for return. The KUL - OOL sector lowest fare I could find was RM600+.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I tried searching for KUL - OOL and only managed to find 0 fare for return. The KUL - OOL sector lowest fare I could find was RM600+.

 

It's seem 0 fare just available only for route return to KUL.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes, only flights into KUL had zero fares. I checked and found that OOL-KUL can be had for around RM 220 with 15 kg luggage and one meal. MEL-KUL was around RM 250. D7 are not known for their zero fare gimmicks and I think this marketing trick was the idea of AK. As it is, there were not that many tickets available. In any case D7 only has 10 destinations and much lower capacity. So it cannot compromise its yields too much.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I don't even bother with these sales any more. Really, it's more a publicity stunt than anything else. There are so few seats available that it's almost impossible to get all the sectors you want at the sale price. And that's where they catch you. For example, you might get the "free" seat from MEL to KUL but it'll be full price for you return trip. Then you'll find a "free seat from STN to KUL but not KUL to STN. I remember doing a search once when Air Asia claimed that there were still seats available between OOL and KUL. I searched through the whole travel period just to test them and there were none. These sales are purely a publicity stunt and has absolutely nothing to do with "now everyone can fly" (that is, it's not for the customer's benefit).

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Josh T, although I agree with your point that there are very few zero fare seats available per sector per flight, let us also not forget that airlines are in the business to make a profit. ;)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I don't even bother with these sales any more. Really, it's more a publicity stunt than anything else. There are so few seats available that it's almost impossible to get all the sectors you want at the sale price. And that's where they catch you. For example, you might get the "free" seat from MEL to KUL but it'll be full price for you return trip. Then you'll find a "free seat from STN to KUL but not KUL to STN. I remember doing a search once when Air Asia claimed that there were still seats available between OOL and KUL. I searched through the whole travel period just to test them and there were none. These sales are purely a publicity stunt and has absolutely nothing to do with "now everyone can fly" (that is, it's not for the customer's benefit).

 

Yup Josh T, agreed with u. Me also tried searched the whole travel period from KUL to other destinations but not found any free seats. Suppose AirAsia make clearify about these and on their advertisement should be sound like these "AIRASIA X - ONE WAY FREE SEATS, RETURN AT LOWER FARES"

Edited by Ikman Ikreza

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Josh T, although I agree with your point that there are very few zero fare seats available per sector per flight, let us also not forget that airlines are in the business to make a profit. ;)

I completely understand that, which is why I stated that these kinds of sales are purely a publicity stunt! I also think that the "free seats" ploy is a little deceptive too because, really, they really aren't free, are they?

 

Yup Josh T, agreed with u. Me also tried searched the whole travel period from KUL to other destinations but not found any free seats. Suppose AirAsia make clearify about these and on their advertisement should be sound like these "AIRASIA X - ONE WAY FREE SEATS, RETURN AT LOWER FARES"

It's a publicity stunt and people always jump when they see the word "free"! I've tried Air Asia before and I will never fly them again, no matter how cheap they are. I've found MH to be reliable and to have competitive fares against the other full-service airlines. In fact, MH are about to have me as a loyal business class customer from here on end!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes, the current D7 general all destination free seats promo is the first time it has done that. It has not joined the AK zero fare promos in the past due to limited supply of free tickets. Lately, even the launch of new destinations did not offer FOC seats - most of the time it is priced at RM 99, RM 129, or RM 199.

 

Yes, D7 is not for everyone as it caters to a different market. Those who have complained about the current D7 gimmick are most likely not typical of the typical customer profile for D7. That is why it is strange that the Malaysian govt. is protecting MAS by not allowing D7 to fly into SYD. They both serve different market segments and competition is minimal. Some people will never fly D7 while others won't bother with MH.

 

Lets see what happens next...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I wonder if what happen in Australia, if the consumer there choose to bring D7 to their court, we'll get to see a more transparent promo in the future.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I wonder if what happen in Australia, if the consumer there choose to bring D7 to their court, we'll get to see a more transparent promo in the future.

 

Yup, agreed with u. Suppose more transparent promo from them to avoid any misunderstood.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

i don't really care if they actually sell 0 fares, or 0+ or 0++ or 0+++. all i know i've been grabbing dirt cheap fares for years already, and have done 23+ of ak/akx international destinations. this year alone, i'm doing 4 trips to china :good:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I wonder if what happen in Australia, if the consumer there choose to bring D7 to their court, we'll get to see a more transparent promo in the future.

Australia has stricter consumer protection. It would be good if we get someone sue them for falling foul of Australian law. However, I don't think that D7 are so stupid as not to clear it with lawyers before advertising.

 

Yup, agreed with u. Suppose more transparent promo from them to avoid any misunderstood.

Frankly most of the time, consumers are too naive and forget to read the T&C - they only see what they want to see, i.e. FOC seats.

 

So it is not easy to succeed in a legal case.

 

i don't really care if they actually sell 0 fares, or 0+ or 0++ or 0+++. all i know i've been grabbing dirt cheap fares for years already, and have done 23+ of ak/akx international destinations. this year alone, i'm doing 4 trips to china :good:

Yes, some of the more savvy Aussies have already said that D7 is god sent to them. For the price of a camping holiday in Australia, they can go overseas and enjoy paradise under the sun. So not everyone is displeased.

 

Its about time consumers looked at the bottom line. AK/D7 are charging more for extras now because they know pax like to see low or FOC seat prices. So the important figure is the final amount you have to pay, not whether the seat is FOC or not.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Good point. At the end of the day, it's up to us the consumers to work out what's best for us. Some people are willing to spend a few extra dollars for comfort and convenience, but some are not. No right/wrong, just a matter of personal preference. :drinks:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Here is a Tweet from D7 CEO, Azran Osman Rani:

 

about 7000 free long-haul seats offered. 7000 happy people, 700,000 unhappy people

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Sign in to follow this  

×
×
  • Create New...