KUALA LUMPUR: Indonesia AirAsia X, an affiliate of budget carrier AirAsia, could be probed by Australian authorities for canceling its flights from Melbourne to Bali last December, amidst claims that it did have approval to fly the route.
Australian news outlet the Herald-Sun reported that the long haul budget carrier had sold travellers tickets on the new route that was supposed to start flying on Boxing Day last year.
However, it claimed that the airline did not get approval from Indonesian and Australian aviation authorities and that the flights were cancelled at short notice.
Angry passengers had to fork out extra for return flights with different airlines because the discount carrier had yet to get approval for its Melbourne to Bali route.
According to Daily Mail Australia, Choice – an Australian consumer group – had written to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission urging it to investigate Indonesia AirAsia X.
Choice head of media Tom Godfrey said travelers were only notified on Christmas Day that the direct flights from Melbourne to Bali would be cancelled.
“The airline offered travelers a 13-hour journey flying via Malaysia instead of the six-hour direct flight as advertised by the airline.
“The fact is consumers purchased direct flights to Bali but they ended up being flown around the houses coming in via Malaysia.
“AirAsia sold one thing and delivered something different and in the process it misled consumers,” Godfrey was quoted as saying.
Godfrey said, under consumer law, passengers should be compensated by the airline for their out-of-pocket expenses.
Meanwhile, the Daily Mail UK reported that weddings and travel plans went out the window when the commuters were informed they would have to stop over at Kuala Lumpur, meaning many travellers would arrive a day later than they had planned.
“Thank you for wrecking our family Christmas and my daughters wedding! My daughter is due to be married on the 28th Dec 2014 in Bali and my daughter-in-law is a bridesmaid and my son is walking her down the aisle.
“This was until you changed my daughter-in-law’s and son’s direct flight from the 27th Dec 2014 to leave on the 28th Dec with a stopover in Kuala Lumpur, in which they will miss the whole wedding,” wrote Julie Chumbley.
The Daily Mail Australia also reported that an An AirAsia X spokesman confirmed that an unforeseen delay in the approval process for necessary documentation was the reason for the delay.
“Indonesia AirAsia X is working closely with all relevant authorities including the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and CASA (Civil Aviation Safety Authority) to ensure that the administration process can be completed as soon as possible. Indonesia AirAsia X will commence the direct return flight from Denpasar to Melbourne as scheduled as soon as this process has been completed,” said the spokesman.
-NST
