3 ms·

I remember this time in Asia I booked a flight to go back to Japan. I got Covid, so had to cancel the flight (the company considered I had to cancel the flight,

I remember this time in Asia I booked a flight to go back to Japan. I got Covid, so had to cancel the flight (the company considered I had to cancel the flight, not that they would not allow me in, as per their TOS). This company had no-refunds for the flight I purchased, and I confirmed with a rep that I was never going to get the flight money back, no matter what I did, even if I cancelled. It also costed money to cancel the flight though! And even then I would not get the money back. So the "cheapest" option was to watch my date come and a seat go empty. Which is really absurd, had I been allowed to cancel (for "free") even if I didn't get my money back it'd have been a big win for the company which could double book their now free seat and still get the money. I should probably have pursued it further, I'm 100% sure the whole ordeal would have breached multiple regulations back in Europe, so probably in Asia too, but with Covid and I had just had a motorbike accident wasn't in the mood to fight it.

csomar 3y ago
Asia has much less regulation than the EU or even the US. Interestingly, the service is kinda okay and very cheap because they care more about the reputation and repeat-customers. Given the prices airlines like AirAsia flies with, I’d say they beat the US/EU by a wide margin.
kobalsky 3y ago
> had I been allowed to cancel (for "free") even if I didn't get my money back it'd have been a big win for the company which could double book their now free seat and still get the money. don’t worry they 100% sold the seat if the flight was at capacity. flights are always overbooked, and if everyone shows up they offer money until someone takes the offer to get on a different flight
- franciscop 3y ago
  I wonder if that was true, for over 1 year, including my anecdote, I loved flying through Asia because flights were always at half capacity, at best. Which might actually explain why they didn't care about cancelling though. I've also noticed incidentally overbooking seems to be a common occurrence in the USA, but I've never seen it in EU/Asia (not that it doesn't happen, just that it seems a lot more common in the USA).

csomar 3y ago

Asia has much less regulation than the EU or even the US. Interestingly, the service is kinda okay and very cheap because they care more about the reputation and repeat-customers. Given the prices airlines like AirAsia flies with, I’d say they beat the US/EU by a wide margin.

kobalsky 3y ago

> had I been allowed to cancel (for "free") even if I didn't get my money back it'd have been a big win for the company which could double book their now free seat and still get the money. don’t worry they 100% sold the seat if the flight was at capacity. flights are always overbooked, and if everyone shows up they offer money until someone takes the offer to get on a different flight

franciscop 3y ago
I wonder if that was true, for over 1 year, including my anecdote, I loved flying through Asia because flights were always at half capacity, at best. Which might actually explain why they didn't care about cancelling though. I've also noticed incidentally overbooking seems to be a common occurrence in the USA, but I've never seen it in EU/Asia (not that it doesn't happen, just that it seems a lot more common in the USA).