AK Going After 5 Star Market

[Mohd Saat 0]

NST Biz News

Bupinder Sing

Tues 17th June 08

 

Budget carrier Air Asia says the number of corporate passengers using its no-frills service has increased by 300% in the last three years, taking achunk of the premium market largely served by full-service carriers like MAS.

 

In yet anotehr show to compete directly with MAS, group CEO Datuk Seri Tony Frenandez said Air Asia is taking initiatives to improve its five-star services - in both product and services - to add more value to its low fare airline tag.

 

............

[KK Lee 5]

NST Biz News

Bupinder Sing

Tues 17th June 08

 

Budget carrier Air Asia says the number of corporate passengers using its no-frills service has increased by 300% in the last three years, taking achunk of the premium market largely served by full-service carriers like MAS.

 

In yet anotehr show to compete directly with MAS, group CEO Datuk Seri Tony Frenandez said Air Asia is taking initiatives to improve its five-star services - in both product and services - to add more value to its low fare airline tag.

 

............

 

 

AK is 5 star?! What’s next?

 

 

[Gavin Andrew David 6]

what 5 star services do they currently have?

[Yusoff 1]

5 STAR? Ah Aha ahahahaaa!!!.....

[Naim 6]

Better then whatever-star service, like a friend getting this personal email from TF on a broken vase case.

 

> From: xxx@airasia.com [ mailto:xxx@airasia.com]

> Sent: Thursday, 05 June, 2008 3:21 PM

> To: xxxxxxxxxxxx

> Subject: Re: Damaged Goods - AK1005 JOG-KUL 1/6/08

>

> I am disappointed to hear of your case. Have we compensated you for your vases. Also let me offer you and your family 6 complimentary flights to our newest destination vientianne or krabi. I do apologize and I am never busy to talk to passengers

>

> Kind regards and aplogises

> Tony

>

> Sent via BlackBerry from Maxis

[Rozhan 0]

Better then whatever-star service, like a friend getting this personal email from TF on a broken vase case.

 

> From: xxx@airasia.com [ mailto:xxx@airasia.com]

> Sent: Thursday, 05 June, 2008 3:21 PM

> To: xxxxxxxxxxxx

> Subject: Re: Damaged Goods - AK1005 JOG-KUL 1/6/08

>

> I am disappointed to hear of your case. Have we compensated you for your vases. Also let me offer you and your family 6 complimentary flights to our newest destination vientianne or krabi. I do apologize and I am never busy to talk to passengers

>

> Kind regards and aplogises

> Tony

>

> Sent via BlackBerry from Maxis

 

That's good. Exemplary service recovery.

Edited June 17, 2008 by Rozhan

[H Azmal 0]

>

> Kind regards and aplogises

> Tony

>

> Sent via BlackBerry from Maxis

 

Nothing beats personal touch. Bravo TF!

 

[mohd sukri abd hamid 0]

very funny airasia want to be 5 star service..tak logik betul..service in board pun kelam kabut,layan passager pun tak pass lagi....he he ..cakap tak serba bikinlah ak..sent your staff to be fully training first..

Edited June 17, 2008 by mohd sukri abd hamid

[Azmir I. 1]

very funny airasia want to be 5 star service..tak logik betul..service in board pun kelam kabut,layan passager pun tak pass lagi....he he ..cakap tak serba bikinlah ak..sent your staff to be fully training first..

 

 

 

Shouldnt it be "served on board" instead of "inboard - dalam/tengah", "sent youre staff ..... (past tense?) or send youre staffs,most illogical Mr Spock

[Naim 6]

very funny airasia want to be 5 star service..tak logik betul..service in board pun kelam kabut,layan passager pun tak pass lagi....he he ..cakap tak serba bikinlah ak..sent your staff to be fully training first..

 

Been using AK almost monthly this last few years and I think overall their cabin folks are ok, just that some speak with a kinda funny Enghlish accent over the PA system. In fact most of them are just a lively bunch of ppl. In many cases the captain himself would stand at the cockpit door to greet us, which is a nice touch. So I'm not sure what's your beef.

[Nik H. 3]

Been using AK almost monthly this last few years and I think overall their cabin folks are ok, just that some speak with a kinda funny Enghlish accent over the PA system. In fact most of them are just a lively bunch of ppl. In many cases the captain himself would stand at the cockpit door to greet us, which is a nice touch. So I'm not sure what's your beef.

 

With a 25 minute transit I'd prefer the flight crew to be in the cockpit double and triple checking the take-off tables, departure procedures, destination / enroute weather, aircraft system, ATC trend, etc etc etc than engage in PR. Preparation is the key to a good, safe flight and I'm glad my esteemed cockpit colleagues, while understanding PR is important, know the priorities of their job.

[affendi osman 0]

Looks like Sukri is so angry with AK.

 

[Naim 6]

With a 25 minute transit I'd prefer the flight crew to be in the cockpit double and triple checking the take-off tables, departure procedures, destination / enroute weather, aircraft system, ATC trend, etc etc etc than engage in PR. Preparation is the key to a good, safe flight and I'm glad my esteemed cockpit colleagues, while understanding PR is important, know the priorities of their job.

 

No prob, Nik, while the Kapten is playing host, the kid on the right seat is always feverishly busy at work. Hang on ... I'm getting worried now!

[mohd sukri abd hamid 0]

i dont like fly with airasia..have bad experience before with them..cabin crew very bad and rough with me and my family ..for me airasia is nothing ..they just looking for money only...we start fly with carrier nation malaysia airlies..we pay more but we got what we pay. ..

Edited June 18, 2008 by mohd sukri abd hamid

[Fitri Shukri 0]

Five star or not, I'm always looking forward to purchase their meals on board.

 

For me, most of the cabin crew in both AK and MH are very polite and give good service, especially if you as a passenger are polite to them too and respect that they have a work to do.

[Kenneth T 0]

I think if you rank AK in terms of the number of flight delays, they will certainly be 5 stars for sure.

[Naim 6]

I think if you rank AK in terms of the number of flight delays, they will certainly be 5 stars for sure.

 

I'm just curious. How often do you take AK?

[Azri M. 0]

<h1 id="story_title"></h1>No fuel surcharge hike, says AirAsia

By Fintan Ng<h2 id="story_byline"></h2> http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?f...mp;sec=business

KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia Bhd says it will not increase its current fuel surcharge but instead it will increase other sources of income from sale of food and beverage and merchandise.

 

Group chief executive officer Datuk SeriTony Fernandes said Wednesday that high oil prices was not going away and the low-cost carrier was looking at other measures to mitigate the increase.

 

He said AirAsia targeted to increase its revenue from ancillary income via sale of F&B and merchandise to 13% from 9% now.

 

He was speaking to reporters after announcing its new and expanded F&B menu at its In-Flight Food Experience.

 

 

 

 

What kind of Inflight food experience will be onboard?? Like flying roti canai? hehe

 

 

 

[Kenneth T 0]

You dont have to fly AK to experience such situation. You can read it in newspaper and those who flew AK.

[Naim 6]

You dont have to fly AK to experience such situation. You can read it in newspaper and those who flew AK.

 

Oh I see, but I'm only interested in your personal experience. I also hear stories, lotsa them.

 

[Kenneth T 0]

I dont think those who have experienced AK will tell stories, so as the local newspaper.

[Nik H. 3]

No prob, Nik, while the Kapten is playing host, the kid on the right seat is always feverishly busy at work. Hang on ... I'm getting worried now!

 

The 'kid' is probably competent and good at his work. But nothing beats constant cross checking and monitoring, even at a preparatory stage. Its not unknown for even two experienced pilots to get into a situation in flight that was triggered by a minor oversight at preparation stage.

[Loh Wilson 0]

I don't see any '5-star' value yet.

[mohd sukri abd hamid 0]

you right Loh wilson..they need to work hard that to be 5 star service

[KC Sim 2]

When MAS wanted to be a "five-star value" airlines that becomes a hybrid carrier, I thought it was as far as reverse engineering is concerned.

 

Now the pioneer of Asian true LCC which evolved into a hybrid carrier wants to be a "five-star" carrier!

 

At the end of the day, I hope that the staff at both carriers know when to wear which hat in serving its customers. It is conceivable that some will forget to wear the right one and give its true five-star passengers the three-star treatment . . . and perhaps, some others might be positively surprised by the five-star service they get for their discounted tickets.

 

All these against the backdrop of minimal fuel hedging against six-star fuel prices.

 

Actually, it is not necessary to demand that someone flies hundreds of times with any carrier to earn the right to an opinion of that carrier's punctuality or service. If he/she flew two sectors with that carrier and both were late . . . he or she will already have gained that impression - a bona fide one. It is further reinforced by true experiences and anecdotes from friends and associates. I flew seven sectors with Thai AirAsia and three with AirAsia . . . nine of these sectors were delayed by an hour or more. And in all cases, there is no information about the delay - even at the time when the plane is supposed to be pushed back for departure! My latest experience was in December 2007 on the early morning flight from KUL to Kuala Terengganu . . . the early morning schedule did not insulate it from being delayed by slightly more than an hour.

 

I am sometimes wary of statistics . . . especially about punctuality. When I used to work in a ground handling company in the airport, an on-time departure or arrival is one that is off-chock or on-chock respectively within three minutes of its schedule. Now it seems like some airlines are using 15 minutes as the guideline. A 15 minute delay against a 30-minute turnaround is quite significant.

 

There is no doubt that any airline can be a good airline on any given day . . . but a truly good airline (from a frequent traveller's perception) is one that is consistently good. Similarly, an airline that delivers nine delayed departures against 10 can only be perceived - at least by that passenger ie. me - as one that suffers from a punctuality crisis. This of course has nothing to do with the quality of the cabin crew of both airlines. In that particular area, I think both carriers are standing out quite well, especially MAS.

 

KC Sim