AirAsia refund fury: Passengers affected by booking glitch
AirAsia customers faced turbulence after a Facebook post accused the airline of a major booking scam.
The post, shared on the page อีซ้อขยี้ข่าว : อีซ้อ, claimed “The scam is out! A famous airline cheats on ticket prices, opens a promotion booking system to deduct money, and in the end, they say the booking was unsuccessful and they don’t refund money. Hundreds of thousands of victims!”
The message also stated that Thailand’s Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB) is investigating.
AirAsia quickly responded, clarifying that the issue lies not with the airline itself but with its affiliated app, AirAsia MOVE, a travel booking platform. According to AirAsia executives, the app’s Direct Debit payment method malfunctioned, leading to funds being deducted without bookings being confirmed.
In a statement issued today, December 3, AirAsia MOVE CEO Nadia Omar assured affected customers that refunds are being prioritised.
“We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause to our customers. To ensure a smoother experience in the future, we have temporarily disabled our Direct Debit payment method since November 26.”
The company also explained that customers in Thailand would receive an email with refund instructions by tomorrow, December 4. Refunds will be processed within seven working days once accurate bank details are submitted.
AirAsia MOVE has promised systemic improvements to prevent future occurrences, but anger lingers among travellers. Social media users have slammed the airline for the lengthy delays and lack of transparency. While the airline has distanced itself from direct blame, public trust appears shaken, reported Amarin TV.
If you’re affected, check your inbox for a message from noreplycustsupport@airasia.com and act quickly to ensure your refund.
ORIGINAL STORY: Grounded: Thai AirAsia denies ticket fraud, blames airline app
Thai AirAsia denied allegations of ticket fraud, stating that the issue stemmed from its application, which was managed by its supplier.
The alleged ticket fraud came to light after the local news Facebook page, Esor News, shared the story on December 1. The page posted the following message:
“Abscess pops! A renowned airline deceives clients, offering ticket reservations and collecting payments before notifying them that their bookings have failed. No refund is issued. More than 100,000 people have fallen victim.”
The administrator of the Facebook page also claimed that the Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB) was aware of the issue but no action had been taken to assist the victims.
The entertainment news agency’s Facebook page, Gossipstar, also commented, stating that the administrator booked a ticket with the airline the night before and encountered the same issue.
The application kept buffering for several minutes during the payment process, so the administrator decided to transfer the payment to another account to prevent potential losses.
This information captured the attention of netizens and leading Thai news outlets. Sorayuth Suthassanachinda, a prominent news anchor on Channel 3, reported the issue on the morning of December 2.
Supplier blamed
Sorayuth confirmed that the airline in question was Thai AirAsia and that the airline had clarified the matter with Channel 3. According to the airline, the financial loss was due to a problem with its application, AirAsia MOVE Thailand.
The airline explained that the app was operated by its supplier company, which had recognised the issue and was currently working to resolve it. Thai AirAsia maintained its innocence and urged the public to await an official announcement from the supplier.
Esor News addressed the matter again.
“Following the airline’s issue with multiple victims, clients attempted to claim their losses. However, they could only communicate with the airline’s artificial intelligence (AI), while their messages to the official Facebook page were ignored. The OCPB is aware of this but why are the officials remaining silent?”
The page administrator also challenged Thai AirAsia to take legal action if the information on the page was false. Some of the victims came forward in the comments to share their stories.
“What you said is true. I lost more than 100,000 baht and have been trying to recover my money for months but have received nothing. The airline directed me to the useless AI chatbot.”
“I lost money to the airline two years ago and never got it back. Recently, three months ago, I lost money to the airline again.”
“I’m terrified after what happened during the pandemic. It took me three years to get my money back.”
As of now, neither the airline nor the mentioned supplier company has issued an official statement.
