AirAsia Ceased Senai-Macau Service

Air Asia has discontinued its Senai-Macau flight service. The last flight is on Oct 4. This was the second change of flight arrangement by Air Asia without notice in less than two months.

In late July, the budget airline changed its daily flights schedule between Senai and Macau to three-days week - Tue, Thu, Sat.

Anguish

Commuters are anguished and outraged of not being notified - twice.

No action was taken to inform the customers and the public of the decision and change. There was no announcement on the website and newspapers. No phone call, sms or e-mail.

Those who are fortunate enough learn about it from chat forums on the internet.

Worst still, there is no special service to help troubled customers either. Air Asia offices, especially Kuala Lumpur's call centres, are difficult to reach by phone. It could take days to finally get someone to answer the calls.

The misery is compounded for those who had made bookings for accommodations for their holidays in Macau and places around it (Zhuhai, Hong Kong, Shenzhen..etc.). Each changes incurs more losses in cancellations and new reservations of rooms and flights with other airlines. No compensations whatsoever.

Air Asia is a complete failure.

Speculations

Rumours have been spreading that the airline is facing serious financial problem. Taxes, surcharges and fees collected from customers were not paid to airports and instead were used for further expansions. Now, the airports are asking for its pay. Thus, causing it a severe cash flow crisis.

But the streamlining of Senai's flight schedules to Macau to three-days week might suggest that there is not enough passengers to cover the costs of daily operations. So, it tries to optimise the number of passengers per flight.

Sorry, you can't fly

What ever the reasons are, Air Asia has decided to stop operating its Senai flight to Macau. It has given up Johor's market demand to Macau; boosting its rivals' reputation and business in Singapore: Tiger Airways and Jetstar.

Most likely, it'll be gone for good as confidence towards it is lost.