on Flying Budget Airlines ...

I was reading Haris Ibrahim's complaints about his flight using Air Asia (link here). I also read the comments that followed his post. Here's the thing I don't get about some people who complain about Air Asia.

* If you have luggage to drop off, don't turn up 35 minutes before the boarding gates close. If everybody has the same idea, of course you will have a long queue. And yes, this applies even if you have done a web check-in. And really, this is a budget airline - don't expect to just waltz in and be treated with premium service. You don't go to McDonald's and expect to be served at your table , do you ?

* If you didn't bring along your boarding pass, don't expect to be able to get on the flight without any hassles. This applies not just at Air Asia, it applies at many other companies. It is not their fault that your documentation is not complete.

It happened to me once at Kota Kinabalu Airport. We couldn't print a boarding pass because we didn't have the equipment and the web check-in was done at KL. I informed the Air Asia counter staff and they printed the boarding passes for the group - all nine of us. Smooth flying all the way.

Now if you turn up at the boarding gate without a boarding pass, don't blame them if they don't let you on the flight. It's your fault for not having the proper documentation.

* Do not expect Air Asia staff to help take care of your 70+ years relatives or very young children. They allocate one, sometimes two staff, at the departure gate for the whole plane. Do you seriously expect them to extend any help in these areas ?

If you say that they do not extend help to the aged or to young children travelling alone, it is true. Either arrange it yourself, or fly on another airline. Air Asia caters to people who can get in and out by themselves or with their families. That's how they make it cheap.

* Don't complain that Air Asia is expensive if you book the night before the flight. The ticket prices are time sensitive. The earlier you book, the cheaper it is.

I once booked tickets on an Air Asia flight in two tranches. The first tranche was booked much earlier and were cheap. The ticket prices for second tranche were 3 times the price of the first tranche. All Economy Class, all on the same plane - the difference in ticket prices were purely due to the timing of purchase.

* Don't complain that once you purchase their meals, purchase the seat choices, etc. it is almost the same price as a full service airline. These items are discretionary. You DO NOT have to buy them.

* Taxi rates to LCCT are expensive because it is far away. Granted. But that is hardly Air Asia's fault. Just ask Dr. Mahatir why the KLIA has to be in the middle of nowhere.

* And complaints about the signage and toilets at LCCT being lousy. Seriously ! Air Asia is an airline. If you're not happy with the LCCT, why blame Air Asia ? They don't own the LCCT, they don't manage it, they didn't build it or ask for it to be there ........ they wanted Subang Airport.

Here's the thing. For most flights overseas, Air Asia is not a monopoly. If you don't like it, just fly on another airline. If you continuously complain about them, and yet keep on booking their flights ................ pardon me if I'm wrong, it just makes you look stupid.