WARNING $$ - AIR ASIA DECEPTIVE??

[BKKSR]

 

This is to alert you all to what we suspect is a very deceptive practice of Air Asia. And, seems like Min of Tourism, Civil Aviation or even the Tax department are ignorant or pretending. 

On Nov 19^th, my husband and I booked on Air Asia site ( Big member since 2017) from Bangkok to Phuket for Dec 19, 2021. We selected the first flight out – which was on Thai Lion Air and return flight on Air Asia for Dec 28^th.

However, we received an email on Nov 20^th and again on Nov 22, saying the airline has cancelled the flight.  And to their site to refund or reschedule. SO we went online to their AVA bot service. Then the deception began to appear. First AVA did not recognize the flight PNR, nor was there anyway to tell AVA that it was the airline that cancelled. Then after several attempts it recognized the PNR but only to say that the booking was through a travel agency and that the refund would go to them. This was, of course, a big surprise. SO, we tried several times to get a refund and eventually realized that AIR ASIA did not tell us the truth.

We went to Don Mueng airport office of Air Asia. The staff told us that since Thai Lion Air was involved the booking is automatically done through an in-house travel agency. The staff also said that she had spoken with many customers with similar issues. She also said the website does not mention this fact: the booking is done through their in-house travel agency. Even the email I received saying that flight was cancelled came from Air Asia not the travel agency.

So, several questions come to mind:

1.      Why is AIR ASIA NOT telling customers, at time of booking that because Thai Lion is involved the booking is done via an inhouse travel agency. And that all refunds would go to the agency and it would then send refund? The receipt also does not mention any of this info.

2.      Why is it so impossible to make flight changes or refund via AVA – their bot. It is 5 years behind the technology of customer service bots.

3.      What happens when a customer (who may not have access to an actual sales/ticket office with a human customer agent) cannot rebook or cannot cancel their flight online. What happens to the fee and tax paid for the flight. Because neither the customer nor the Govt is getting this money.

4.      The airport staff also mentioned that the staff themselves have reported this problem, yet it persists. She encouraged us to report on social media and other places.

[mickkotlarski]

1 hour ago, BKKSR said:

This is to alert you all to what we suspect is a very deceptive practice of Air Asia. And, seems like Min of Tourism, Civil Aviation or even the Tax department are ignorant or pretending. 

On Nov 19^th, my husband and I booked on Air Asia site ( Big member since 2017) from Bangkok to Phuket for Dec 19, 2021. We selected the first flight out – which was on Thai Lion Air and return flight on Air Asia for Dec 28^th.

However, we received an email on Nov 20^th and again on Nov 22, saying the airline has cancelled the flight.  And to their site to refund or reschedule. SO we went online to their AVA bot service. Then the deception began to appear. First AVA did not recognize the flight PNR, nor was there anyway to tell AVA that it was the airline that cancelled. Then after several attempts it recognized the PNR but only to say that the booking was through a travel agency and that the refund would go to them. This was, of course, a big surprise. SO, we tried several times to get a refund and eventually realized that AIR ASIA did not tell us the truth.

We went to Don Mueng airport office of Air Asia. The staff told us that since Thai Lion Air was involved the booking is automatically done through an in-house travel agency. The staff also said that she had spoken with many customers with similar issues. She also said the website does not mention this fact: the booking is done through their in-house travel agency. Even the email I received saying that flight was cancelled came from Air Asia not the travel agency.

So, several questions come to mind:

1.      Why is AIR ASIA NOT telling customers, at time of booking that because Thai Lion is involved the booking is done via an inhouse travel agency. And that all refunds would go to the agency and it would then send refund? The receipt also does not mention any of this info.

2.      Why is it so impossible to make flight changes or refund via AVA – their bot. It is 5 years behind the technology of customer service bots.

3.      What happens when a customer (who may not have access to an actual sales/ticket office with a human customer agent) cannot rebook or cannot cancel their flight online. What happens to the fee and tax paid for the flight. Because neither the customer nor the Govt is getting this money.

4.      The airport staff also mentioned that the staff themselves have reported this problem, yet it persists. She encouraged us to report on social media and other places.

Sounds awfully dodgy. I would call the Consumer Protection Board about this and ask for an investigation. Spread it on social media and tell as many as you can.

[riclag]

 I avoid them as much as possible! Same with buying from AliExpress and Lazada.

. Sorry to hear of your misfortune 

Thanks for the alert Op

[Faz]

TIT!

[BainaiThai]

 I avoid them as much as possible! Same with buying from AliExpress and Lazada.

 

I have no problems with Lazada.  My wife and I use them weekly and have no, none, zero problems with their website, their deliveries or customer service...