Having flown on several short-haul AirAsia flights, I finally decided it was time to try out their long-haul product (operated by AirAsiaX) especially when they have won Best LCC in the World, eight years in a row!
Whilst I am used to breezing through the check-in desks and using the fast-track lane at airports, I had no access to any of those today because I refused to pay for anything but the bare bones – a seat, a bag and a meal – all for under $250 flying 8 hours between Melbourne and Kuala Lumpur.
Thankfully I have checked-in online before arriving at the airport because the web check-in desks had a significantly shorter line. Despite the shorter line, it still took me 20 minutes to get through. Then, I went through security, immigration and spent time browsing the airside duty free stores and bookstores to kill time because I had no lounge access today!
Boarding commenced on time and Premium Flat Bed passengers were called to board first before those paying a Premium Flex fare. Thereafter, it was general boarding for everyone else.
Walking past the 2 rows of angled business class seats that reminded me of Malaysia Airlines and Korean Air older planes, I found my seat in the third row of the next cabin – the “Quiet Zone”. You do pay a small premium to be seated in this area but it sure was worth it! The seats are exactly the same as the rest of the plane but with no kids allowed, and the feel of a more exclusive cabin, made flying low-cost more enjoyable. The seats were the usual slim-line economy seats and they were comfortable enough. Legroom was generous for an LCC – I was dreading and fearing the worst!
At meal time, I was served my pre-ordered meal of Chicken Rice. It’s amazing that the real thing looked exactly like the photos on the menu! Yummy!
During the flight, I spent some RM13 (or $4) on snacks. A bargain! Bottled water was sold for just over a dollar too!
I read a book, caught on some work, slept for an hour, and before I know it – I was in Malaysia again!
My only gripe was the toilets – they are not the cleanest.
All in all, AirAsia has definitely been the game changer in this industry. It is no wonder that they have been voted Best LCC. Their tagline “Now everyone can fly” is certainly true because you can now fly internationally for less than a domestic flight ticket!