To : customercare-donotreply@airasia.com
Subject : COMPLAINT ON ticket price
On 8 Jul 2009, I booked a ticket for my husband travelling from Shenzhen to Kuala Lumpur, travelling date : 30 Sept 2009 time : 8.45pm , flight: AK89. The ticket priced at 895.00 CNY without airport tax. Knowing that the fare is capacity controlled, and the price has actually increased quite a lot, meaning only limited seats left, i purchased the ticket without second thought to avoid it being sold out.
However, about a week later on 18 Jul 2009, i checked the ticket price again for the same date and travelling time (ie. 30 Sept 2009 time : 8.45pm, AK89), i was shocked to found out the price has reduced to 258.00 CNY!!! The ticket i have purchased is almost 4 times expensive!!!
Isn't Airasia's fare was said to be capacity controlled and fare offered only to limited seats, how could the price suddenly fluctuated??? If the seats with lower fare still available, how come Airasia are selling it with higher price 1st??? I know there is a promotion, and I could understand a 10% to 20% price reduction of previous price during promotional period, but in my case thats more than 70% reduction. That isn't fair to us who purchased the ticket earlier, thinking that the earlier the cheaper. Is Airasia marking up the ticket price before promotion (Airasia knows there is promotion coming soon) and to break even the promotional cost???
In this case, as a consumer, i think Airasia owed us an explanation and i requested a solution (cancelled my ealier purchased with no cost so that i could repurchased under the promotional price or refund the difference between 2 prices). Also, please advised us whether to purchased the ticket earlier to enjoy cheaper price or to wait until there is promotion??? because in my case, promotion price is very much cheaper than what i got earlier.
I'm really dissappointed. For years, since the route available, my husband and i travelled frequently via Airasia between Shenzhen and Kuala Lumpur (vice versa), but we end up being manipulated!! I sincerely await your reply asap.
By : Jess Wan
Below is Airasia's reply to me which i don't really satisfy.
Dear Ms.Jess,
We thank you for writing in to us.
Regards to your feedback, the fare that you booked is with airport tax of RM 90.00 (amount i quote has taken out the tax!) and it is not a promotion fare.
AirAsia offer fares that are lower than the market rate and one of the reasons we can offer such low fares is by distributing our fares according to demand and supply. This approach in general allows more people to take advantage of our low fares (In my case, i felt we being taken advantage).
The promo fares may not be available on every flight as it depends on the demand for that flight and how many seats have already been booked. The special offers will normally only be available on days when there are fewer people flying (If demand is low, why ticket selling at high price 1st??? taking customer's advantage lor!!). Furthermore, we may increase or decrease the number of seats available on any flight while the promotion is running depending on the situation and how much we demand see coming in (So...its up to Airasia. When they happy, they could sell it cheap; when they are not, increased the price).
We regret to inform you that we are unable to cancel and refund because once booking is confirm cancellation of flight is not allowed and payment are not refundable (That's standard answer! I am just trying my luck).
Trust we have your understanding in this matter.
Thanks and Regards,
Mani
Guest Support
We are really angry about Airasia. For years, we been travelling via it and we always trusted on is pricing, buying early for cheaper ticket. Even if the price has increased overtime but we really need to make the trip, we will still pay for it with no doubts, believing it is because only limited seats left. This is the first time we encounter this.
Well, a 10-20% reduction during promo is understandable, but now ours is a 70% reduction. Money paid for a person's ticket is then enough to paid for a family travel for 3!!! That's ridiculous, i think...
I have lodged a same complaint to "National Consumer Complaints Centre (NCCC)". Lets see any outcome. Hopefully, because of this, Airasia won't simply increase or decrease the price and claiming because of the 'sudden' change in demand and supply.
2 comments:
Jess, I also kena like ur case b4, I used to travel back from KL to Penang by Airasia, but the fare price decreased not within a day. then, a lady who also took Airasia very frequent told me that Airasia will keep change their price for every week... maybe that time when I purchased is the cut off day. She told me that the price will decreased although just 2 days b4 the depart date.
that's their trick..
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