An Airbus from the Malaysian low-cost airline AirAsia, at LCCT airport in Kuala Lumpur.
An Airbus from the Malaysian low-cost airline AirAsia, at LCCT airport in Kuala Lumpur.

Air Asia soon in France

Corinne Bourbeillon·

Dear English-speaking readers, this page is an automatic Google translation from a post originally written in French. My apologies for the weird sentences and the funny mistakes that could have been generated during the process. If you can read French, the original and correct version can be found here:

fr_FR Français
fr_FR Français

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  Between Two Journeys

This is probably the company that I took most often, with all my travels in Southeast Asia! In this month of October 2009, Air Asia, the Malaysian lowcost, has just filed an application for authorization to practice in France.

Soon a return Paris-Kuala Lumpur to less than 400 €, as it is the case for London since March 2009?

An Airbus from the Malaysian low-cost airline AirAsia, at LCCT airport in Kuala Lumpur.
An Airbus from the Malaysian low-cost airline, Air Asia, at Kuala Lumpur's LCCT airport.

Air Asia would then operate from Orly airport. The announcement was made by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak on Wednesday night in Paris after his four-day visit to France.

The DGAC (General Directorate of Civil Aviation) should quickly validate this request. We do not know yet when the line will open, nor how many flights per week will be proposed ...

Kuala Lumpur's practice is that this is a huge air hub serving many destinations in Asia-Pacific. I have often traveled too Malaysia Airlines, according to their promos, for this reason. Once in KL, it is easy and inexpensive to reach Bangkok or Phuket, Bali, Makassar or Jakarta, Vientiane, Hanoi, Siem Reap or Phnom Penh ... and even Australia, India and of course China.

Phang Nga Bay, Thailand, drowned in fog (AirAsia flight KL-Phuket).
Phang Nga Bay, Thailand, flooded with fog (Air Asia flight KL-Phuket).

Air Asia's competition is also likely to pull other companies' prices down further for Asian destinations. The Malaysian lowcost has a very good reputation in terms of safety (planes are new), unlike so many others in this region of the world.

I do not have any stock at home, but their very small prices and their reservation system on the internet allowed me to organize steps that I could never have offered otherwise.

The principle: the earlier we reserve, the less expensive it is. There are regularly "free seats" offers to look for, tickets in the 20-30 € via KL for the nearest Asian destinations ... When my last trip, A / R KL-Tawau cost me € 70, return KL-Kota Bahru € 50.

Air Asia from Paris? A boon, really, for the budget travelers in love with Asia.

sources :
→ Tourism magazine
→ AFP on Google News

• • • • • • • • • •

EDIT. July 2011: I finally flew on Air Asia X, from Paris, shortly after the opening of the line! ! ! To read here:
→ Paris - Kuala Lumpur on Air Asia X

EDIT. January 2012: less than a year after the opening of the Paris-KL line, Air Asia decides to close its connections to Europe ... Read:
→ Air Asia abandons flights from Paris and London

  Between Two Journeys

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Corinne Bourbeillon
Travelling diver and underwater photographer, Corinne loves to make bubbles underwater with fish! The beauty of the world and the ocean inspired her to write this travel and diving blog

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15 Comments

  3. Hello Corinne
    ❓ Well, that's good for you to talk about, because I'm wondering about Air Asia and maybe you'll get some answers:
    - for luggage, I see that it is possible to choose the weight that we record up to 30 kilos with a slight supplement, have you tried? it's effective?
    - can you choose your seat? it works well?
    - do you have to collect your luggage between 2 flights on the same company (example London-Kuala Lumpur-Denpasar)?
    - did you see their premium class and worth it? is it comparable to a business? Which company to compare comfort in eco?
    - did you test the food in flight?

    Reply

  5. @ Hélène from Mauritius: Pfff, yes, I know, I looked at the rates for Mauritius, it's not given ... An AirAsia flight that would pass through Mauritius, in my opinion, it's not for now.
    🙄

    @Anthony: Apparently, they had also considered Nice, as a possible airport ...
    😉

    @Manta: So, I'll only be able to answer your questions on the Asian flights I've borrowed (I've never tested the London-KL flight yet, so I do not know if it's exactly the same, but in my opinion you will find a lot of information on their site).
    1 / Luggage: yes, during my last resas, I took 25kg of luggage. It must be indicated online when you buy the ticket. It then appears on your e-ticket, so no problem.
    2 / Choose your place: I do not know too much. I think so. I have never done it anyway. At one time, it was not the case, the seats were not even numbered, you went on the plane and you put yourself where you wanted. It's over now, you have a place number assigned on your boarding pass. It seems to me that when you resa online you can choose your place, for a fee. To check, then.
    3 / Collect your luggage: I would be tempted to say yes, you have to get your luggage and re-register, because that's what I had to do by chaining Kota Bahru-KL and KL-Tawau. But with the flight from London, I do not know. There may be information on the site ...
    3 / Classes: not seen the "premium", I can not answer your question. All the flights I took were, once again, domestic flights in Asia, or between Asian countries, and I do not remember seeing any significant difference between the seats in the front rows or in the back ... I do not do not know the level of comfort for the flight from London.
    4 / Food: I have tested some snacks and paid sandwiches on occasion, but not meals, so I can not answer you either. It must not be extraordinary, I think.
    8)

    @Malene: Eh eh! It gives holiday desires, huh, what kind of news?
    😀

    Reply

  7. Hi Corinne,

    This is very good news that you are announcing us there. I do the same as you when I go to Malaysia, fly to KL and then I organize my flights on Air Asia. They have flights all over Asia, it's a very good company. I saw they have the World's Best Low Cost Airline 2009 by Skytrax, it's not bad. I can not wait to see the price of flights from Paris 😉

    Thank you for the info, I think this blog deserves to be recognized public utility (with funding of course 🙄)

    See you soon Corinne 🙂

    Reply

  9. @Thib: Me too ... 😉

    @Alain: Yes, the company is very well rated. What if I went to "Small Bubbles of Public Utility"? 😆

    @ Helen: You, of course, without AirAsia you would not have done all the trip you did this summer ... 🙄

    Reply

  10. Bin, sorry for being the only one among you not to appreciate Airasia.com with whom I have traveled a lot but stuffing myself 12h with AirAsia.com seats pitch ... I do not wish it to my worst enemy! 😯

    In addition I have a small tooth against them since February 25, 09, when they began to assign numbers to the seats and to charge the seats & #8230 numbers; Do you think that if you do not pay your place number, you will find yourself next to anyone but surely not next to those with whom you are traveling! lived: it happened to me on 4 flights in a row 😡, they do not even care if you travel with a minor, sitting alone between two people unknown to him and when you ask change position the steward / hostess tells you that it is not really possible even if the plane is empty & #8230; because they are eager to condemn all the unoccupied places & #8230; 😳
    As I know the annoyance of the Malays to deal with situations of conflict, I simply got up each time and sat on an empty row ... as of course, the staff pouted but no one came to tell me in face to join my place.

    As for the fare of the flights, add the expenses of file, the supplements by luggage (attention the price of the ticket supposes that you only travel with a luggage of the order of 5kg 🙄), the food on the plane and I do not I'm not sure that the tariffs are cheaper than them Bangkok Airways for example, which from another perspective, systematically offers access to the airport lounge with drinks, breakfast etc. to his passengers.

    Regarding AirAsia, I do not recognize the small dynamic company of 5 years ago that deserved at that time its title of best regional low cost with a nice staff (it does not cost anything either), it is now a big Ryanair type of money pump that I avoid to circulate in Asia, for the benefit of Bangkok Airways, Tiger airways, etc.

    M'sia recognizes that her biggest competitor is Airasia.com and I would not be surprised if they continue to make a fairly competitive rate policy to prevent them from spreading on the long haul.
    If you want to steal 100 € to get your knees broken in KL or with a phlebitis, it's like you want, personally between one of the best companies in the world in class eco service (M'sia, Etihad, Qatar & #8230;) and "The best low cost company 2009" (let's say) there is not a shadow of a dilemma for me & #8230; and do not dream: Airasia also practices Yield management, prices at 400 Euros, it will not be for everyone 😉 already try to book a London / Kuala A / R on Airasia.com you will see that you have in the £ 600 without various luggage etc.

    Reply

  11. @ Wet & Sea Very interesting and rich, your comment. I think that Manta, with his questions for which I did not necessarily have a precise answer, will appreciate having your point of view as well, argued and lived. Thank you!
    🙂

    For my part, having almost always traveled solo since the famous allocation of seats, I never had to suffer the inconvenience of being separated from others, and for good reason ...

    Otherwise, I have never made very long trips on AirAsia, so a possible discomfort of one to three hours, it supports very well. On the other hand, like you, I may be more cautious on long-haul routes from Europe. We should find testimonials of travelers who have already flown from London, and find out what it really cost them with food supplements, luggage, investments, etc., and know the conditions of comfort.

    For the luggage supplement, I seemed to remember that we only paid more than 15kg (but it may have changed?), "Packs" of 5kg or 10kg extra. I still see a young Malaysian in front of me, who had 17kg, and unpacked her bag at the time of the weighing, to remove two pounds of clothes from her checked bag, clothes that she kept with her in a plastic bag in the cabin ...

    Finally, in Thailand, there are certainly quite a few companies that one can prefer. But to rally a lot of other destinations between Asian countries (including Indonesia), AirAsia fares are still unbeatable. And then, still in Indonesia, I prefer, when I have the choice, to trust an AirAsia plane rather than another cuckoo from the local companies & #8230; 😕

    As for departures from Europe, we will see if we can actually or not topping a ticket in the 400 € in France. For the time being, the companies I have preferred, in terms of service and comfort, to accomplish this long journey of more than ten hours to Asia from Europe remain Malaysia and Singapore Airlines. I liked Emirates and Qatar, too, which often offer very competitive prices, as their planes are new and top-notch (super individual screens), the staff very good, but their schedules are often inconvenient and the stopover in Dubai or Doha or elsewhere is sometimes long. 😯

    The price remains for me the first criterion, it's true. And I will opt for AirAsia from Paris if it's really worth it (not to scratch 20 unfortunate euros). Because by regularly monitoring promotions, price changes, and with flexible dates to ± 1-3 days, we can really find rates worthy of lowcosts & #8230; For example, for my trip this summer, A / R Paris-Kuala Lumpur, on KLM, had cost me only € 540 (with decent schedules and a stopover in Amsterdam not too long). 😀
    On this subject, read the post I published: Divide

    8)

    Reply

  12. Wet & Sea tells anything!
    I took a weight supplement to go from 15 to 20 kg, between Bali and Kuala, it cost me € 2.50; I bought my ticket VERY in advance, I paid 12 euros including taxes, 3 hours flight !!
    So, stop the systematic reviews, I have been taking Air Asia for 4-5 years, all brand new, food aboard not included, but ridiculously cheap (2 € a meat-vegetable tray); the flight has returned to me 14 €!

    Reply

  13. @ DNL4U: The Wet & Sea review is actually about Air Asia flight from London, not about Air Asia flights in Asia, which we all appreciate, I think. Unbeatable rates and new planes, as you point out. And even the possible "supplements" are indeed derisory.
    On the other hand, not sure that the fare is really competitive from Europe, compared to the prices and regular promotions of a whole bunch of other companies, like Emirates, Malaysia, Qatar, etc.
    That said, nothing to get upset ...
    🙄

    Reply

  14. @ Wet & Sea Thin then, no more flight for Manado ... You teach me that. But hey, as you say, he remains Malaysia or Silk Air. I say that you are the voice of wisdom ...
    😉

    Reply

  15. About AirAsia.com: Manado is over, Air Asia has suspended flights since the end of February 2010, Lembeh will become painful to access.
    The Singapore-Tawau segment also disappeared on the same date, I had to take one of the last flights, goodbye Sipadan live from S'pore. 😥.

    Some novelties 2010: bookings fees applied for online payment (LOL when you know that AirAsia.com is 100% net .. 😯) and some supplements to pay for the right to travel on a seat next to his companions (not even a "hot seat", just a normal seat), otherwise they play the seats at the roulette wheel, which brings them nothing but simply frustrates the travelers.

    As a result, most of my regional flights are now on MH or SilkAir & #8230, with a huge price difference but an incomparably better service. One day we will discover that AirAsia.com is not the friendly company that we believe, but since I say anything .. 😆 😆 😆

    English proverb that I often come out with: "pay peanuts, get monkeys" ❗

    Reply
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