Now, it's much easier to fly with family and friends

I love shopping online at Amazon as it’s such a hassle-free process, from search to the completion of the order. As a regular customer all my personal details, from my address to my credit card, are stored with Amazon. All I have to do is click a few times and my purchases are confirmed with date of delivery stated.

Amazon’s best feature, to me at least, is its “1-Click” option. Literally, with just one click on this option I am able purchase the product I want without having to fill in any of my personal details, which can prove tiresome if you are shopping on an online site regularly and have to fill in online forms every time you want to buy something.

So I was pleasantly surprised last week when AirAsia introduced the “1-Click Card” as one of its two new booking features, the other being “‘Family & Friends List’ (available since May 13).

I find the “1-Click Card” extremely useful as, even though I am an AirAsia member, I still have to fill in my credit card details for every online booking, a process I find most inconvenient. This new feature now saves my credit card details securely and I can speed up my booking process by just clicking on this option.

Just as great is the “Family & Friends List”. Now every AirAsia member can store up to 10 guests information accounts. No more the hassle to fill in the details of kin or friend when making a booking for them. (But note you have to be an AirAsia member to use these 2 new features.)

Filling in the details for the features is easy. After signing in I just go to my “Profile” and the two new features are on the left side of the page. For a friend who is already an AirAsia member I just need to fill in her email address or member number. For a kin, who is not a member, I have to fill in all her personal information just once. No more calling them for their personal details when I next plan to travel with them and want to make bookings on their behalf.

While welcoming these new features I would like to see the airline open more “Drop Baggage” counters at the Low Cost Carrier Terminal in Sepang, Kuala Lumpur. Recently the airline implemented a new procedure for check-in, which some may not be aware of, that saw the removal of check-in counters at the Low Cost Carrier Teriminal in Sepang for flights to Singapore and most domestic destinations within Malaysia. We have to check in either online via AirAsia’s website, on the mobile site or at check-in kiosks at the airport.

This move is “noble” in that is meant to save labour on part of AirAsia and time on our part as we just need to drop our baggage at the “Drop Baggage” counter. The problem is there are not enough counters to meet the large number of passengers waiting to drop their luggage. The result – long queues of passengers, which defeats the purpose of saving time for passengers with the introduction of web and mobile check-ins.

AirAsia has always been in the forefront in pushing new technology on to its website and mobile site with features that are way ahead of other airlines in the region – web/mobile check-in and online management of bookings, as well as pre-book meals and a host of other online services.

While lauding the airline in its ongoing quest to improve online services it is also worthwhile for the airline to spend some time on the ground to see some of the inconveniences brought on by the adoption of technology – the long queues at the “Drop Baggage” counters.

Now, if AirAsia could remedy this situation at the LCCT with more counters its passengers would definitely be happier and it would be truly a great airline to fly with.