rouse696

Air Asia Airlines warning. What to consider before flying with Air Asia –that your checked in luggage does not exceed a value of $180 USD and you do not mind losing or using the items on your trip and that your essential items do not exceed the 15-lb and fit in a carry-on bag. We still after 7 months, many e-mails and a trip to SE Asia (was suppose to be able to pick up a check at the Bali airport but the check was not there) have not received reimbursement. Hopefully they did not carry their lack of regard for luggage to other areas of their operations. Their terms and conditions can be found at http://www.airasia.com/skylights/html/EN/fullterms.htm While Air Asia has great rates flying within SE Asia, think before checking in your luggage unless you do not mind ever seeing it again or being reimbursed for it. I, along with many others I found on the internet, have been shocked to learn of their compensation policy and lack of concern for your luggage that Air Asia Airlines has in effect. My son’s luggage did not arrive at his destination of Bangkok, Thailand from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is not desirable to spend hours trying to get a hold of Air Asia to report your luggage missing, let alone taking the time to try to find replacements. This was a 7-week vacation, which included many SE Asia and Australia destinations that required both hot weather clothing and winter clothing suitable for temperatures around freezing. My son was too trusting and do not fully understand the high risk of theft, especially in Malaysia and had his digital camera with 120 pictures from Singapore and Sumatra, Jakarta and Bali, a MP3 player along with popular brand clothing purchased in the USA were in his luggage, while trying to juggle the weight restrictions. The luggage was lost on July 31 (7 months ago) and many e-mails and we still have not received even our small reimbursement (approx $180 + $50 for inconvenience) which does not even cover the price of our luggage ($200) let alone the contents ($800) or the inconvenience of trying to replace your possessions while on a vacation in a foreign country (chargers for cameras, cell phones, prescription medication for malaria $170, new clothing purchased for your trip, etc). . Keep in mind Air Asia airlines has a limit of one bag weighing 7 kg (15.4 lbs) as your carryon bag (and size requirement) and one bag weighing 15 kg or 33 lbs as your check in bag which are strongly enforced. You will be charged for excess luggage ($108 for 30lbs). In comparison United Airlines limits you to 100 lbs in 2 checked in bags and does not weigh your carry-on bag and reimbursement is up to $2,800. What airline do you think would be more interested in recovering your luggage? I would definitely think of checking into Traveler Insurance when considering Air Asia Airlines. Hopefully this will help someone.

hornbill

i hate to say it but the security at our malaysian airports is quite lousy. the airports are mangaed not by the airlines but by another company. i have travelled malaysian airlines and have had my luggage 'violated' (althoughnothing was taken) or damaged. i just try not to check in most times .. i realise this is not possible for a lot of people.

so, although airasia may have poor policy and reimbursement to missing luggages, they cant be blamed for the very poor airport security because they have no say or control over that.

unfortunately, when this happened to me with malaysia airlines, they were similarly unhelpful. i dont really know how we can complain to be effective!

LA_FadeAway

Hornbill, given Malaysia Air's limited carry-on policy, I don't see how we have any choice except to check bags with them coming from L.A. I hate checking bags! We had stuff stolen from ours flying to Mexico from the U.S

Rouse696, I sympathize with your situation, but I also can't begin to imagine checking expensive electronics or prescription medicine. Your son really should have known better about those items. That's an expensive lesson to learn.

rouse696

Although, Air Asia might not be responsible for airport security, they should be responsible for customer support. They have been extremely negligent at holding up to their end of the bargain for the small reimbursement. After 7 months, we still have not received any reimbursement even thought Air Asia promised to send a check for months and we could not even pick up the check at the Bali airport office in Dec when we were there as they had promised. My son did not check in the Prescription meds for malaria, nor other non-replacable (in SE Asia) items mentioned to caution others. My son, 21 years old and like many others his age, never think anything will happen.

rouse696

Update: After many, many answered e-mails since December 22, 2006 and over 7 months and a second trip to SE Asia attempting to get our reimbursement, I finally received a check for $189.50 from Air Asia today (3/7/06) which was sent on March 2, 2006. Wonders never cease. I am only out about $600 now from this one flight which cost less than $100 and have almost enough to replace the luggage, but not any of the contents. I am thankful that my husband and son did not lose anything else, like their life. I hope their lack of regard for luggage and customer service is not carried over to fleet maintenance and that who ever handling maintenance can be trusted more than those handling your luggage.

Jancowan

We have just completed three return flights with Air Asia booked on line and had no problems with baggage losses. I would state that you could not beat the prices we paid for the flights or their dependability of on- time flights. The only negative was that there were charges for excess baggage.

alr837

dependability - that's a shock, most people seem to have problems with their time keeping and flight cancellations!

LA_FadeAway

I don't think you can depend on any airline to be on time anymore. We used Thai Air and Bangkok Air thinking we didn't want to risk being delayed by Air Asia. Well, sure enough, both our flights were delayed. One by an hour and the other by about four hours!