Help: AirAsia Flight Cancelled - What Are My Options?

cktftw on 08/12/2014 - 11:17

To keep it simple:

  • AirAsia decided to cancel the route from Kuala Lumpur to Adelaide from 24th Jan onwards for commercial reasons
  • I'm flying Seoul to KL on 27th Jan
  • Then KL to Adelaide 29th Jan
  • I'm offered refund or re-route to Melbourne on a different date

Now:

  • Refund is not viable. Booked this 1 year in advance on promo. To book new flights now (with another airline) would cost approx $2K compared to $400
  • They also take months for refund from experience of others
  • Re-route to Melbourne would obviously involve purchasing a domestic flight

I have chosen to take the re-route to Melbourne as I don't have a lot of time left to reschedule my hotels etc.

Do I have any legal standing in:

  • Making them pay for a new flight, say on Malaysian Airlines altogether as a consequential loss?
  • Make them at least pay for my domestic flight from Melbourne to Adelaide?

Cheers

Travel

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Comments

  • pork chop on 08/12/2014 - 11:41
    +2

    Read your booking terms & conditions. I'm afraid you have no legal standing.

  • TassieJones14 on 08/12/2014 - 11:48

    I know it's a dickish move by AA. Maybe demand that they pay for Melbourne - Adelaide sector - not sure if they are obliged to do that. You can't expect them to pay for your Malaysia Airlines flight from Adelaide - KL, though.

  • cktftw on 08/12/2014 - 11:56
    -1

    Anyone's got experience in how to get them to pay for the domestic flight?
    Call to the call-center was obviously unsuccessful.
    Was wondering threatening legal action would make them pay up..if so how?

    • cypher67 on 08/12/2014 - 12:02

      Not a chance, you think you are the first person to be in this position? Budget flight come with no gaurantees, pay the premium fares if you want assurances. I know it sucks, but this type of thing is not new. I've been successful through claiming the extra expenses via travel insurance, the airlines actions whilst they are not enjoyable are all completely above board.

    • donga100 on 08/12/2014 - 12:15

      It's likely that almost all of the staff at Air Asia have no way of booking a domestic flight for you so it's not likely to be even considered as an option no matter how much you complain. You should be able to claim it through your travel insurance with no problem.

    • SirFlibbled on 19/12/2014 - 23:40

      No you can't…

  • cypher67 on 08/12/2014 - 11:59

    Thats how these budget flights work, you are at the mercy of the operator. Travel insurance might be your best bet if you took it.

    • cktftw on 08/12/2014 - 12:11

      I do have travel insurance with my credit card but not sure if they'd pay for cancellations due to commercial reasons like this..

    • TNDO on 10/12/2014 - 18:13

      I've tried the travel insurance option, and unfortunately it's not covered under my policy.

      May be different with other policies though, would be interesting to see if anyone can actually have their domestic leg reimbursed.

  • derpdeder on 08/12/2014 - 12:05

    Did a search for KUL to ADL on 29 Jan. Where are you getting the $2k figure from? Malaysian Airlines is $471 direct and Qantas is $471 with a stop: http://www.kayak.com.au/flights/KUL-ADL/2015-01-29

    Get the refund and just book with another carrier.

    • cktftw on 08/12/2014 - 12:10

      If they refund..they'll refund the entire itinerary..i.e. return tickets ADL to KL
      Comes up to $1.8K pardon me not $2K on MAS

      • Paul Atreides on 08/12/2014 - 12:24

        umm, so then no refund and just book the MAS from KUL - ADL?

        that way it'll be $400 + $471 = $871 and not $1.8K

        I still feel your pain OP, unfortunately I wouldn't think much would come from your time investment, I'd just pay extra for the domestic flight from MEL.

        • stargalaxy on 08/12/2014 - 15:14

          Wouldn't a re-route to Melbourne be cheaper, surely Melbourne to Adelaide flights don't cost $471??

        • Paul Atreides on 08/12/2014 - 15:18

          @stargalaxy: yep, thats why i said so in 3rd sentence, i was just giving OP that option in case the utility of arriving back in ADL direct is more than the price difference between $471 and the cost of a domestic flight

  • ukmark on 08/12/2014 - 12:06

    Just have to suck it up I am afraid and make your way from Melbourne to Adelaide. At least you didn't pay a lot for the flight.

    To anyone that says, that's what you get when you fly a cheap airline, I have had a similar thing happen with both Qantas and BA. (Well, not cancel the route, but cancel the flight I was booked on - and within a week of departure)

    Threatening legal action would do nothing, in fact - it may just get them to refund your ticket. Then you have to find your own expensive flight from KL.

    It sucks, but it is one of the down sides of air travel - and if you travel enough it will eventually happen to you.

  • Cheeper on 08/12/2014 - 12:23

    Melb to adl… a little inconvenient but wont cost much if you book now. Easy.

    "If you fly.. prepare to wait"

  • Cluster on 08/12/2014 - 12:57

    AirAsia is offering a refund so they're fulfilling their obligations under Australian law. The fact that it's going to cost you a whole lot more to book flights with another airline is not AirAsia's concern. Unfortunately, there's not much you can do in this situation. Budget airlines are more prone to cancelling flights at short or even no notice.

  • stargalaxy on 08/12/2014 - 15:56

    I have fly with Air Asia at least 30 times in the last 10 years and never have a cancelled flight so far, must be one of the lucky one. There are the occasional delay for few hours but nothing major. I do acknowledge that their customer service are sub-par and it is really frustrating when you need assistance. I do fly Singapore Airlines, Qantas, Virgin and Jetstar from time to time and found that Singapore Air is the most helpful among all.

    Anyway, for OP, at least you are given 1 month notice and you can still make alternative arrangements and not last minutes cancellations.

    • [Deactivated] on 17/12/2014 - 23:11

      I fly with them frequently too. They didn't cancel the individual flight.
      What they've done is pulled the entire route to Adelaide.

      I've never had a cancelled individual flight with them, nor even a late flight, ever.

  • oldrocker on 09/12/2014 - 11:35
    +2

    I'm also caught up in this cancelation, so I've decided to accept their offer of flying KL-MEL and just make my own way back to ADL, the fares are not dear, anyway. I've flown AAX countless times and have saved heaps with their low fares, so I'm not too fussed about changes like this. Overall, my experience with AAX is quite positive. Good luck with your claim, OP, and have a nice day.

  • budgetman on 09/12/2014 - 21:49

    A mate of mine booked flights for July 2015 from ADL to BKK.
    AIR ASIA are providing him with complimentary domestic flights to and from MEL.
    I would be giving them a call.

    • TNDO on 10/12/2014 - 18:11

      Are you able to shed any light on how he went about doing this?

      I was told there was nothing they could do when contacting customer service.

    • Ristretto on 15/12/2014 - 14:46

      I'm interested in this outcome as well because I'm in a similar situation.

  • fatwombat on 13/12/2014 - 23:48

    Forget AirAsia. You will not get your refund. I have been waiting for my refund since August. You should read the complaints on Airasia's FAcebook. They give false promises. The only option is to claim from your creditcard for goods you did not receive.

  • budgetman on 15/12/2014 - 21:51
    +1

    I have just read what air Asia has sent to my friend and he has not read the information correctly.
    They are offering to change his departure from ADL to MEL only, no domestic flights from ADL to MEL.
    Sorry for the confusion, I will read info myself before posting next time.

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