AirAsia passengers still waiting on refund
It could take another two months for passengers hit by the cancellation of AirAsia flights between Melbourne and Bali to be refunded.
The budget airline’s Indonesia AirAsia X subsidiary was due to begin flying the holiday route from Boxing Day, but failed to secure an an air operator’s certificate from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.
It has now received the all clear from CASA and will start flying on March 18, but passengers affected by the cancellation have been frustrated in their attempts to secure a refund.
AirAsia chief executive Tony Fernandes said the company has spent $2 million on a software upgrade to speed up the refunds process, but it will still take up to two months to clear the backlog.
“We are going to accelerate it and get it done within 30 days but just to be on the safe side we are saying within 60 days,” he told reporters.
“Most of that (delay) is caused by the bank, we can clear them in two days.”
Affected passengers will also get $50 credit to spend with the airline.
Mr Fernandes said AirAsia had done nothing wrong in taking bookings before receiving the regulatory approval.
“We were really unlucky, What we’ve done is no different to any other airline, we’ve done it before,” he said.
But he said he understood the anger of passengers who’d booked on cancelled flights.
“If I was in that position I’d be mad.”
CASA’s decision to withhold the operator’s certificate came during a turbulent period for AirAsia, which is still reeling from the crash of flight QZ8501 between Indonesia and Singapore in December.
Mr Fernandes also said AirAsia was keen to launch flights between Australia and New Zealand in 2015.
Direct flights from Asia to New Zealand have not worked, and the best service could include a stopover in Australia, he said.
“It’s very real and I hope it will be done this year.”
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
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