The joke goes that it’s cheaper to fly from Kolkata to Bangkok, than it is to fly from Kolkata to Bangalore or Mumbai, at most times of the year. Air Asia is a large part of the reason why this is true. We flew a rather special sub-sector, within this well-used holiday destination travel plan. Starting at Kolkata, we flew to Bangkok, and then to the island Koh Lanta, in an airline ferry transfer service. The Kolkata-Bangkok plane was an Airbus 320, part of a new fleet of planes for this fast-growing sector. The plane was resplendent in red and white, clean and well-maintained inside. The seats were comfortable, though not large, and offered ample leg space for an average-sized person. I can see, however, that someone over six feet in height, or those of substantial weight may have trouble fitting in. However, the flying time is short, about two and a half hours, so this may not be as much of an issue as it would be on a long-haul flight.
Thankfully, we had been previously informed about Air Asia’s luggage policy. Under this, one carry-on bag weighing about 7kg is allowed free, but all checked baggage has to be paid for on a per-kilo basis, if travelling economy. Business class passengers are allowed one 20kg bag for free, and baggage can be pre-booked online at airasia.com. Unfortunately, several passengers were not fully aware of the policy, which led to some confusion during check-in.
Also consistent with low-cost carrier policies, all food and beverages have to be purchased onboard. Apart from the usual nuts and soft drinks options, there was a delicious fried rice, which had vegetables and shiitake mushrooms. It was light and flavourful, and perfect for an onboard meal on a short-haul flight.
The transfer from Bangkok to the island ferry worked as well as may be expected. Some bags were mislaid, but were found soon enough, and in good condition. On the whole, flying Air Asia turned out to be a good experience, albeit a somewhat crowded one, on account of the popularity of the sector.