AirAsia is the best low-cost airline for 14 years in a row, and for a good reason.
AirAsia stands out from other airlines as an affordable and reliable airline.
Introduction
We were scheduled to fly AirAsia from Manila in the Philippines to Tagbilaran (Bohol).
To be honest of all the airplanes we had booked for our trip in the Philippines, we were the most worried about this one.
The flight from Manilla to Panglao was only 1 hour and 30 minutes, but it was the last flight of a very long trip and we wanted/needed a smooth experience.
Booking tickets
This is usually your first experience with an airline if you’re booking directly through the airline.
Buying tickets online with Airasia was fairly simple and cheap.
AirAsia offers different types of fares :
- Low Fare
- Value Pack
- Premium Flex
- Premium Flatbed
Each fares offer different types of benefits. However, I find that the difference between the fare types isn’t staggering and ends up winding down to more lugagge weight.
We opted for the premium flex tickets because we needed the extra luggage weight. With our tickets we we’re able to choose our seats and pick out complimentary meals.
Online check-in
Online check-in can be a good experience or a terrible one and add extra unnecessary stress to your trip.
The online check-in with Airasia was another nice surprise. This was the easiest online check-in I ever did. Our boarding passes were issued in minutes after answering a few very simple questions. In fact, it was so easy that I even questioned myself if I had done everything right.
The boarding passes didn’t come in the wallet version for iPhone but this was fine as the boarding passes issued were pdf’s and worked fine.
Bag drop
The bag drop was again a smooth and easy process. It does say online there is a dedicated bag drop area for premium flex tickets, however, we didn’t seem to find it at the airport. The airport staff was kind and efficient. Few people were waiting in line and the ground staff even printed out our boarding passes which was convenient.
Flight experience
- Boarding : Boarding started quite a bit in advance but this was a good thing. It was quick and efficient and we were able to leave earlier than planned. I was really pleased by this because I had read a few reviews online stating that AirAsia tends to delay flights.
- Seats : The seats were decent and felt nice. Seat space was also convenient, that said we were in row 1 so we did have a little extra space, to begin with.
- Flight crew : The flight crew was especially kind and professional and the whole flight experience was really great.
- Food : As stated previously, with our flight tickets complimentary meals were included. There are many different food options to choose from, such as : Pak Nasser’s Nasi Lemak, Uncle Chin’s Chicken Rice, Prawn and Chicken Wanton Noodles, Hyderbadi Vegetable Biryani
Food in depth
As said previously, there are many meal options available. However, bear in mind that meals available might vary on your specific flight route.
I chose the Thai Basil Chicken With Rice and my partner took the Chicken Inasal.
You can order your meals in advance when booking tickets, or you can buy your meal directly onboard. If you choose to buy your meal onboard directly, be aware that the crew will have to heat it up and it might take a little while. Whereas, if it is preordered it will be directly served to you beforehand.
Our food was delivered quickly after take-off and was ok, nothing exceptional but it hit the spot. I have to say that the food was served extra hot but the flight crew did warn us so there was no harm in that.
Flight delays
Probably because boarding started early, we landed in advance, which was very much appreciated.
The landing in the airport of Panglao was smooth and the deboarding of the plane was fast and efficient.
The airport of Panglao is rather small but I have to say that we were pleasantly surprised when our luggage was quickly delivered.
How AirAsia compares to other budget airlines
We’ve tried out a few other budget airlines in the past such as Easyjet and RyanAir. In comparison, AirAsia was a much better experience and our experience didn’t feel low cost at all. The flight crew and land staff of AirAsia surpass in many ways the staff from other budget airlines.
Conclusion
Airasia came in as a great surprise and I would fly with this airline again. I recommend trying out Airasia on your next trip.
The staff was so efficient and professional it was a pleasure from A to Z.
