Air Asia Expands in Australia

[Skynews]

I note Air Asia is starting flights from Darwin - Bali, and connect on to the rest of asia.

I picked a random date and compared with Jetstar, Air Asia $70 AUD Bali Darwin
Jetstar on the same day $189.

Air asia Bali Singapore $80 AUD. This should liven up the market.

So Darwin Bali $70 each way
Bali to Phuket $115 return
three flights Bali - Singapore $80 each way. Other destination ex Bali include jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok. They sent me an email a few days ago advertising Kuala Lumpur - Paris $163 AUD.

If you look at their established routes and they maintain these ridiculously low fares.

The world’s best low-cost airline is now flying Darwin to Bali. And we are so excited about delivering Top End service, we are offering a great launch fare from AUD99. So, like 100 million passengers have done before, you can now grab low cost, high quality airfares to Bali, then even springboard from Bali to KL, Singapore, Bandung, Jakarta, Phuket or Bangkok.

Darwin, a new gateway to Bali and beyond.

They quote $100 AUD here, however when I checked it was $70 including taxes, either way, a good deal.

[fender]

Sure will liven things up, J* can get lil starving biafrans to crew the flights for a crew meal and bottle of water.

[Skynews]

They already employ them don.t they?

I havent travelled with Air Asia, I know a few QF engineers that use them throughout Asia, and they seem to be extremely happy with whats on offer.

[hongkongfooey]

Air Asia's product 5hits all over jokestar.
Price generally far better, cabin crew actually friendly, oh and a new thing out called reclining seats ( Jokestars new a/c do not have reclining seats, I hope the few dollars saved makes up for the loss of punters ), and Air Asia's premium economy extremely good value for an almost lie flat bed

[FR8R H8R]

Air asia is all cheap and friendly until any sort of holiday approaches. Prices go through the roof at school holiday, c-mas and so on. I reckon they're still better than jetstar, but keep in mind the pilots are indons and i think everyone knows that nation does not have the greatest safety record.

How much is it worth to you to have an aussie crew is what you should be asking yourself when booking your tickets.

[Skynews]

A Jetstar 150 hour pilot or an an experienced Indo for my money.

How does Air Asia's safety record compare with that of Jetstar?

[Sunstar320]

How does Air Asia's safety record compare with that of Jetstar?

AirAsia have had their fair share of incidents. Mainly hard landings and tailstrikes, the majority of their crew are fairly low houred, especially on the 330. They pay pretty poor too, about 45k FO/85k CAP (aud).

Pretty sad when some Cabin crew there earn more than the pilots...

[Skynews]

Pretty sad when some Cabin crew there earn more than the pilots

unfortunately that happens in Australia.

So they both have low hour pilots, they have similar safety records, so unless people are saying that only Aussie pilots are safe, go Air Asia I say.

How much is it worth to you to have an aussie crew is what you should be asking yourself when booking your tickets.

Not as much as it used to be. I feel comfortable in a QF passenger seat, that does not include QLink, the rest I rate similar to Asian LCC's.

[b_sta]

At least as far as product and service quality is concerned, Air Asia is undoubtedly a level above Jetstar, also.

[neville_nobody]

They pay pretty poor too, about 45k FO/85k CAP (aud)

Depending on which country you live in that is actually a good salary.

Air Asia pilots don't spend $80 000 plus on training 2+ Years in GA working for below average national salaries then pay $10000 for a turboprop job then $30 000 for a jet endorsement either.

Was funny to see the jaw drop on some our flight attendants when they first saw the Air Asia uniform

[Worrals in the wilds]

AirAsia have had their fair share of incidents. Mainly hard landings and tailstrikes, the majority of their crew are fairly low houred, especially on the 330.

Purely personal opinion, but I've seen them in action and thought they had a worrying case of Get-There-Itis on a couple of weather related occasions. On the other hand, they got there in the end and they have a good rep for service and advising pax about what's included in the price, unlike a number of LCCs (oh, you want an aircraft with two wings? That'll be an extra $20 ).

To pinch a bayou expression, ya pays yo' money and ya gets yo' chance . Many 'dubious' carriers (both LCC and full cost) have no trouble attracting pax and don't pretend to be anything other than cheap 'n' dodgy. I've no problem with that, but a big problem with carriers that trade on their reputation for being safe and honourable while using the same cost saving practices as their cheap 'n' dodgy rivals. Just my $0.02.

J* can get lil starving biafrans to crew the flights for a crew meal and bottle of water.

That's funny. Designer bottled water or just the home brand stuff?

[Whatsit Doingnow]

How much is it worth to you to have an aussie crew is what you should be asking yourself when booking your tickets.

absolutely nothing....the asian cabin crew are far more friendly and accommodating and easier on the eye, and as for tech crew....well , for some reason a lot of aussie pilots seem to think they are the only ones who know how to fly an aeroplane......

[Icarus2001]

How much is it worth to you to have an aussie crew is what you should be asking yourself when booking your tickets.

Good question.

[gobbledock]

ouch

C`mon Icarus2001 ! Just some scratches really, AN undercarriage collapse and a QF overshoot, no problem.
Now quickly delete pic number 2, I can hear Big Trev screaming already !!

[startingout]

Having witnessed the outcome of the training for Air Asia first hand it should be considered lucky they they have expat captains. Logging 200hrs and flying 670 does not put out a pilot who can find their way even VFR around Malaysia, someone getting lost barely 15nm north of Ipoh when they have spent the last two hours looking out the plane window is rather tragic, especially if they have are they to provide some form of first officer role in the jets when the **** hits the fan. (there are currently I believe 950 FO's like this in waiting, cpl in hand and itching to get into the red craft)

On a side note, is it possible and practical to fly the a320 single pilot in the event of crew incapacitation/incompetency?

[MrWooby]

Whatsit Doingnow, yes asian pilots can fly, but the biggest difference between asian pilots and western pilots (aussies and the rest) is that a western pilot will speak up if something is wrong. Western pilots dont have the loss of face crap that permeates asian culture. Just look at the the recent crashes in indonesia and india where the FO has allowed the captain to crash and kill people ! Any low time western FO faced with the same situation, would tell the captain to go around, and if that doesn't occur within a reasonable time frame he would takeover and fly the go around himself. It also carries on to weather incidents at destination, a western pilot if he cannot get in from minima legally will divert, whereas the asian pilot, not wanting to incur loss of face and pressure from management from not landing at destination will push the limits, to ensure he gets in ! I just cannot believe people consider what the flight attendant is wearing and saving 50$ as more important than their lives.

[Neptunus Rex]

These cheap fares can be very misleading. I have to fly from an Asian port to London, then on to Kent, so I checked the fares on the Internet.

Air Asia cost $1,180. That was before added costs for meals and drinks. It also involved a long stopover in KL and arriving at Stansted at an ungodly hour.

The Gulf carriers were slightly cheaper, but with full service included, two-hour stopovers and arrival at Gatwick or Heathrow.

Finally, I checked my local National Airline, which is a very good in terms of safety and service. $866, direct to Heathrow arriving at breakfast time. Also, a pre-booked car to take me from Terminal 4 across London to my destination doorstep, a lot less than from Stansted (where's that, Guv?) No contest!

[peuce]

Air asia is all cheap and friendly until any sort of holiday approaches. Prices go through the roof at school holiday, c-mas and so on.

Unlike in Australia

.. but keep in mind the pilots are indons

Actually, it's a Malaysian airline and you often hear Aussie/ South African and British accents giving cockpit announcements.

Also, from my experience with them, the cabin crew are much more safety thorough than what I've experienced on QANTAS. Anything out of place or anyone doing the wrong thing and they jump on it straight away.

I enjoy having the option to .. buy food, or not .... buying an exit row, or not .. and I've never been stranded at an airport by them. All things considered, I'm quite comfortable in continuing to fly with them.

[FR8R H8R]

Sure is a lot of oz bashing here. Ok, qantas may blow a hole in the fuselage or have an engine fail but how many pax have they killed?

Jetstar service is absolutely horrible, without a doubt. The non reclining seats are on par with ryan air. But, again, how many times have they bought the farm?

Finally, peuce, you are incorrect. QZ is an indonesian company. They fly the DPS routes, not AK which is Malaysian. There are very, very few expats at QZ, if any at all. Maintenance in indo is a corrupt eyewash of falsifications.

So, basically, guys here think an asian tart in a short skirt and a reclining seat are important? What about the twin stripe FO who's corrupt father bribed someone to get his license?

Enjoy the nasi goreng lads.

[domaus]

My friend is travelling Boxing Day to Phuket from Brisbane. All flights are around $2000 at lease one way (busy time).

We found a way though to do it on the cheap:

Brisbane - Darwin VB (staff pass)
Darwin - Bali Air Asia
Bali - Phuket Air Asia

All coming to under $300AUD!

Even Tiger ex PER via SIN was $1500 one way!

All flights have a wait of four hours before the next (which is probably wise anyway) but for someone when money is an issue I think we did well getting her on her way. V Australia staff travel was capped for around this date so I couldn't put her on a direct flight for the way there. Pretty annoyed as there's seats but they won't tell me how many staff are booked/what the cap is. Unnecessary secrets, would've saved me time trying otherwise

I would certainly use Air Asia between Bali and Phuket - 2 holidays in one! Well done Air Asia (to the rescue)!