Hmm...
My experience of Air Asia is that ground staff try to intimidate you into booking onward travel and return tickets at premium on-the-spot prices on the theory (and occasional practice) that anybody's immigration folks can deny you entry if they can think up any reasonable reason to believe you might become a really inconvenient burden on their government all too quickly.
In your particular case, it seems to mean that if Air Asia folks need an excuse to bump somebody, you will be a choice candidate.
But primarily, it means to me that ground staff didn't know the real answer and didn't want to say anything that might get them into hot water.
You can do a computer printout of your pre-arranged visa, right?
Personally, I'd do that and fly with it, so to speak. After that, trust your lucky star and see where destiny actually intended you to go: travel is really, all only about SELF discovery, right?
Finally, your pseudo "smala" is North African Arabic for "extended family", so look, you're dealing with fellow Asians, and you can bargain. Tell Vietnamese immigration that you have this grandfather who died fighting for the French in 1952 and that you want to see his grave: they will understand, but basically, Air Asia is just trying to lock you into buying a return/onward ticket.
(Any wiser thoughts welcome!)
Last edited by ArthurBorges; 26th Oct 2009 at 17:53.