TitleComplete disaster: Destroyed baggage, endless schedule changes, insulting compensation and terrible customer service that can ruin any family vacation (Booking HYQVRP)
AirAsia proudly brags about being named the "World's Best Low-Cost Airline", but their service is an absolute nightmare. During my family vacation this past summer, I booked three different flights with them, and they changed the schedules on EVERY SINGLE ONE of them, causing me numerous inconveniences and extra expenses for changes to transfers and hotels during my trip. For this specific flight from Chiang Mai to Phuket, they changed the schedule twice. Even worse, for my flight from Kuala Lumpur to Siem Reap (Booking RHIVHK), they delayed the flight by a whole day with only 15 days' notice, causing massive disruptions, extra hotel costs, and rescheduled transfers. To top it all off, on the Chiang Mai to Phuket flight, their ground staff completely smashed and destroyed my high-quality suitcase (bought in Spain). Ironically, since they are a low-cost carrier, I had to pay an extra fee specifically to get a better fare that would allow me to check my luggage, trusting it would receive proper, standard handling. They completely smashed the suitcase. I filed a PIR (Property Irregularity Report) No. 230877132 immediately at the Phuket airport, where they initially offered me a ridiculous compensation of 500 bahts (13 euros) or a cheap fabric suitcase (mine is a high-quality, hard-shell one). To make matters worse, their official app doesn't even show my open case in my profile, hiding their terrible management. Due to their negligence, I was forced to make an urgent emergency purchase of a replacement suitcase in Phuket just to pack my clothes and fly back home, spending an additional 1,500 THB. AirAsia customer support is repeatedly ignoring the international standards they claim to follow and respect. After repeatedly wasting my time—and despite having submitted the receipts for the original suitcase, the emergency replacement, and everything else requested—they are offering an insulting compensation of only 1,000 THB (€26). This does not even cover the emergency bag I had to buy because of them, let alone the original €165 suitcase! I have been more than reasonable by asking for a fair total of 3,900 THB to close the case, but they keep sending automated template replies that are spaced far apart over time. I imagine they are just waiting for me to get tired and give up. It is shameful that the "best low-cost airline" treats loyal, paying passengers this way. All I can do is warn you: Avoid it at all costs; they can ruin a business trip or a long-awaited family vacation. The fact is, if a company of this stature fails to respond when a problem arises, don't be fooled: the "world's best low-cost airline" actually proves itself to be the "world's worst airline with the worst customer service".