AK's Performance

[Naim 6]

Not bad for May '07.

 

[image grab from airasia.com]

 

Anyway on 28/6, almost all AK flights that day got retimed.

 

+++

[Kevin Teh 0]

May is the month KUL back in 2 Full RWY ops...

 

Let's see how they perform on June/July then

[Andrew Yong 0]

I am the one of the pax in May !!! My fright AK5102 cancel early at the morning(10/7/2007) <_ then anource to delay hour src="%7B___base_url___%7D/uploads/emoticons/default_mad.gif" alt=":angry:"> !!!So I am the one of the 10% !!!! :pardon

why almost the frights retimed on this date??

Edited July 14, 2007 by Andrew Yong

[Isaac 0]

Opps. I thought you were talking about their flight loads.

[Seth K 3]

Does AK start counting delay percentage after their retime?

Edited July 14, 2007 by Seth K

[Keith T 2]

I just flew my first ever AK flights - JHB-KUL-JHB, and I must say I *gasp* rather enjoyed them! The cabins were much nicer and fresher than the MH 734s. Express boarding worked a treat, rather like star alliance gold or oneworld elite priority boarding except that getting on faster is more important in this case to get a nice seat (at JHB, a separate queue on the right hand side; at KUL, we queued up at a different gate away from the jostling masses). I was able to get my bulkhead aisle both ways, seat 1D. The only downer was the tarmac walk, like most other LCCs I suppose. And also that ugly tin shed masquerading as an airport terminal in KUL.

 

The flights were rather timely. We landed in KUL early on the outbound, but the time we gained was absorbed by the long taxi. Inbound was punctual. Or was I just lucky because these are morning flights and hence early in the late flights domino effect chain?

 

So in future, unless I'm flying MH C, I'd pick AK for my domestic flights in Malaysia if the timing suits. AK's nice, new cabins and express boarding definitely beat MH Y even with the latter's assigned seating. All I'm giving up is a free drink but I could always buy that onboard AK if I really wanted one. I don't get any FFP benefits with MH anyway so for once FFP isn't a consideration.

 

More details in my trip report when I get home!

Edited July 14, 2007 by Keith T

[Rozhan 0]

I had reservation about flying them in the early days of operations, but when new A320s started joining the fleet, everything changed.

[BC Tam 2]

Keith,

You survived intact !

But then you should really have forgone the 'Express Boarding' scam to trully savour the AK experience

[Keith T 2]

But then you should really have forgone the 'Express Boarding' scam to trully savour the AK experience

 

How is it a scam exactly?

I like the idea of not having to jostle, getting to board first and having my favourite seat.

No different from Star Alliance gold or ow elite priority boarding/priority seating really - except you can't actually pay for those.

 

Besides, Express Boarding numbed the harsh, cold reality that I was actually flying AK.

 

So between AK and MH domestic I'd say AK trounces MH by a long shot - no way I can get the bulkhead aisle on MH unless checking in super early, or Enrich elite of which I'm not.

 

Then again I've not experienced a delayed AK flight, but I suppose their fares are so cheap that I could simply cancel, give up the non ref fare and book MH in the event of a delay?

Edited July 15, 2007 by Keith T

[Waiping 12]

How is it a scam exactly?

I like the idea of not having to jostle, getting to board first and having my favourite seat.

No different from Star Alliance gold or ow elite priority boarding/priority seating really - except you can't actually pay for those.

 

Besides, Express Boarding numbed the harsh, cold reality that I was actually flying AK.

 

So between AK and MH domestic I'd say AK trounces MH by a long shot - no way I can get the bulkhead aisle on MH unless checking in super early, or Enrich elite of which I'm not.

 

Then again I've not experienced a delayed AK flight, but I suppose their fares are so cheap that I could simply cancel, give up the non ref fare and book MH in the event of a delay?

 

Are they letting Express Boarding board the plane first or do they let elderly or family with children board first?

 

Back to the topic, does flight "rescheduling" count as delays? Because the rescheduling might be done 2 hours before flight, which mean you get to know you flight just got "rescheduled" when you check-in. What about flight cancellation?

 

I normally asked for front row seat on MH because they offer more leg room. The ticketing staff never let this Enrich Blue member down.

Edited July 15, 2007 by waiping

[Pieter C. 5]

The flights were rather timely.

 

Same with my flights, Keith: out of the five AK flights I took last June, only one was delayed (the last one, yes, an evening flight, so some domino effect here)...not bad at all, and, moreover, you cannot beat their fares, be it for the tickets, the snacks/drinks on board, or their new(est) Airbus aircraft

 

[Keith T 2]

Are they letting Express Boarding board the plane first or do they let elderly or family with children board first?Back to the topic, does flight "rescheduling" count as delays? Because the rescheduling might be done 2 hours before flight, which mean you get to know you flight just got "rescheduled" when you check-in. What about flight cancellation?I normally asked for front row seat on MH because they offer more leg room. The ticketing staff never let this Enrich Blue member down.

 

A call centre agent told me that express boarding pax board ahead of pax with special needs. A hilarious DYKWIA (Do You Know Who I Am) situation ensued in JHB, will elaborate in my trippie...

 

Well thankfully my flights did not get 'rescheduled.' If they did I'd be mightily pissed off as they were early morning flights which necessiated wake up calls at ungodly hours.

 

Alas I'm Enrich nothing - not even a member, but same situation as you with all Star Alliance and oneworld carriers due to my status. For eg, only full fare and oneworld sapphire/emerald pax can pre-select their seats before check in opens on BA (meaning if you're discount First class with no status you need to wait till online check in opens), Star Gold pax get priority in choosing seats on LH and SQ IME, row 86 on CX is open only to oneworld sapphire/emerald, exit rows on AA only for oneworld sapphire/emerald/AA Golds etc. The other huge advantage of pre-boarding that goes without saying - overhead locker space.

 

For MH I'm told by a station manager that Enrich Plat and Gold members get no special favours beyond published benefits, eg with upgrades or priority seat allocation as 'unlike other airlines we treat everyone equally', which shows how they treat their loyal pax..... For someone who works hard for and values FFP status a lot it is a no brainer which airline I (do not) choose to fly with.

 

their new(est) Airbus aircraft

That's certainly a big plus. The cabins felt really fresh. Edited July 15, 2007 by Keith T

[Rozhan 0]

Apparently a group of physically disabled members of the public picketed against Air Asia at LCCT today for its discriminatory policies against the disabled.

 

I feel AK should have at least a small team of dedicated staff to help them during boarding / disembarking at all stations they serve. That will go a long way in improving its image as a caring service provider.

[Radzi 2]

For MH I'm told by a station manager ................... 'unlike other airlines we treat everyone equally',

 

What a joke. Must be a "juara".

 

Check out the other thread.

[Naim 6]

Aiseyman, down to 86% for Jun '07.

 

 

+++

 

Not bad for May '07.

 

[image grab from airasia.com]

 

Anyway on 28/6, almost all AK flights that day got retimed.

 

+++

 

[Wilber Tan 0]

well...

my flight from JHB to KCH on early evening 28th of July cancelled and transfer to night instead!!

 

sob sob...

[Mohd Firdaus Bolong 0]

Know what??Took AK 5102 to BKI last Sunday,they announced..."pax holding express boarding only stand at P7 and others wait at P8.And a couple with their child didn't get to board early,and it was raining very heavily.

My flight taxied on ime and after 5 minutes returned to the gate,shut down the engines and announced that 2 of our pax are disembarking due to 'health' problems.We waited for 1 hour to get rid off their bags.

And not so long ago a minister said that AK delay is only counted after 30 minutes delay while MAS' delay is declared a delay if it is delayed by 15 minutes...

[Kenneth T 0]

Oh my God....i cant believe that Keith is on a LCC..haha, by the way i wonder if ure on the new A320s or the B733s? If ure on the new plane, then its' unfair to compare the MH B734 with the AK A320S since the later is relatively new...as compare to a plane with average age more than 13 years old

[Keith T 2]

Oh my God....i cant believe that Keith is on a LCC..haha, by the way i wonder if ure on the new A320s or the B733s? If ure on the new plane, then its' unfair to compare the MH B734 with the AK A320S since the later is relatively new...as compare to a plane with average age more than 13 years old

 

I got the A320.

 

Hmm unfair to who?

As a pax I'd want new cabins so hardly unfair to spend my money on the cabin that appeals to me more.

Let's put it this way - AK's newer plane/cabins feel nicer and cleaner than MH's older plane/cabins. There. Will reassess when MH buys new planes. That should be a pretty 'fair' assessment.

 

Xpress boarding is a big winner in my books - you'd need to buy C or be Enrich elite to board first on MH (assuming they enforce priority boarding on domestic flights) and the difference between C and Y is often more than the MYR20 you spend for Xpress boarding.

Edited July 26, 2007 by Keith T

[Kenneth T 0]

I got the A320.

 

Hmm unfair to who?

As a pax I'd want new cabins so hardly unfair to spend my money on the cabin that appeals to me more.

Let's put it this way - AK's newer plane/cabins feel nicer and cleaner than MH's older plane/cabins. There. Will reassess when MH buys new planes. That should be a pretty 'fair' assessment.

 

Xpress boarding is a big winner in my books - you'd need to buy C or be Enrich elite to board first on MH (assuming they enforce priority boarding on domestic flights) and the difference between C and Y is often more than the MYR20 you spend for Xpress boarding.

Unfair comparison between a new and and ageing fleets....Im sure the new A320s will not be in this condiction shape in a number of years to come since AK is more concern with the maximise utillisation of the plane for the number of trips that they can make

[Keith T 2]

Unfair comparison between a new and and ageing fleets....Im sure the new A320s will not be in this condiction shape in a number of years to come since AK is more concern with the maximise utillisation of the plane for the number of trips that they can make

 

Then we'd see in a number of years. What matters is now, and for now - their cabins ARE cleaner and nicer.

I'm not an enthusiast for any airlines or anti anyone - just a traveller sharing my experience.

Edited July 26, 2007 by Keith T

[Pieter C. 5]

I'm not an enthusiast for any airlines or anti anyone

 

Thought you were anti-ST ?

[BC Tam 2]

..... you'd need to buy C or be Enrich elite to board first on MH (assuming they enforce priority boarding on domestic flights) .....

Now that you mention it, I don't recall any announcements at BKI's boarding gates about priority boarding for the 'elites' - just for the elderly, handicapped (oops, the physically challenged) and parents+kids. Can anyone clarify, do they ?

[Azmir I. 1]

My flight was delayed on 26/076/07,it was an MH flight to SIN,on arrival at SIN I had to run to get to the airplane to get on with the connecting flight to AMS and finally to TLS.So MH delays are no less better than AKs,by the way Im an AK pilot,of course theyll be some element of bias here.By the way Im in TLS doing CCQ A320-A330.

[Keith T 2]

Thought you were anti-ST ?

 

I'm not anti them. I just prefer other alliances.

And hey I did try getting on to some KLM flights.