I fly very often with Air Asia from the beginning and have very high respect for its innovativeness. I also believe very strongly in open competition which they have done very well. The service were very good but of late both the counter and inflight service has been lacking.
Is it because it is growing too fast? During the last Hari Raya Puasa, it was chaos in the airport. Our flight (my family with 3 children) was delayed and they moved us to another flight and then our luggage did not arrive until the next day. It seems Air Asia has a policy of not giving compensation if the luggage is not more than 24 hours delayed. So one has to be in his clothes overnight. Sorry to say, this policy stinks and looks like it is trying to get away from its responsibility.
Anyhow, what is more interesting is what I observe on my flight back to KUL last week. I have never seen so many "issues" on a single flight before and this is what I mean by creeping problems coming into the airline.
1. there was an Air Asia staff with her mother seated in 12E and F (emergency row).
2. flight crew more interested to talk to her than to serve customer.
3. the mother seemed aged by allowed to seat in 12F?
4. the staff was allowed to place her handbag on her seat both for takeoff and landing.
5. a flight attentant accompanied her to seat on 12D both during take off and landing.
6. a man come to seat in 14D, when the attentant was him to move back to his seat, his answer was "I am an Air Asia staff, it's OK" and the attentant allowed him.
7. upon landing the attendant seated in 14D moved to the end of the plane. You know when everyone get's up and stand in the aisle, how difficult it is to move around?
8. then another attentant moved from the back to the front carrying an envelope to pass to somebody in front when the aisle is full of passengers. Imagine the pushing and shoving around.
After experiencing this flight, I just had to write about it. I am going to post this into the facebook and hope someone from Air Asia will read about this and take some action.
I will still fly Air Asia as it is still worth to do it. Recently, I flew Jetstar and MAS. Service is very crisp in Jetstar but very surprising was MAS service. The service was GREAT. One of the reason why I fly so often with Air Asia is that MAS service use to suck and it is such a hassle to purchase their tickets (unlike Air Asia) but they seem to get the service right this time. I have never seen the crew working so hard before (flight from Sydney to KUL). Not only that but sincere and efficient service.
Maybe, that's the right word....Air Asia service is getting "fake" or "forced".
Until next time, cheers.
