Airlines > Asia Airlines

Advantages: Low cost flying
Disadvantages: Possible delays & last minute cancellations

Air Asia is the far eastern equivalent of Ryanair in Europe and South West Airlines in the US. It is a budget point to point airline. It operates much like a bus in that it doesnt necessarily turn up on time and is sometimes rescheduled. It was set up in 2001 in Malaysia after the owner saw the potential for low cost flights in the UK & the US. From operating on a small route schedule it now has over one hundred different routes covering Malaysia, ...
...In case you are wondering, Air Asia don't do this for the British market but for Asia as the Premiership takes huge tv audiences every weekend. There are many "fans" who support a English team like Man Utd, Liverpool etc and that's why you see so many Asian brands advertising where they don't actually sell a product. Like many other low cost airlines it operates on an eticket basis. No paper ticket is issued, you print off the booking confirmation ... Read review

Advantages: Western run and managed; new planes; most people make an effort
Disadvantages: inexperienced; same infratructures

AIR ASTANA Air Astana is a new airline in Kazakhstan which started operating in Spring 2002, a joint venture between the Kazakhstan government and BAe Systems. It is named after the capital of the country, Astana. Air Astana was set up to be a high quality airline operating to western standards. Their fleet consists of three, brand new Boeing 737 jets and most of the senior management is British or European, formerly with leading western airlines. ...
...from the former national carrier, Air Kazakstan, and currently fly from Almaty to Moscow, Dubai and Beijing. This winter they plan to start flights to Western Kazakhstan’s oil cities and from there on to Europe, as well as to Bangkok and Germany. I’ve flown with them seven or eight times in the past nine months, between Almaty and Moscow and Dubai, most recently in May 2003. CHECK IN AT ALMATY The airport terminal was destroyed by a fire about ... Read review

Advantages: safety, price, food, punctuality
Disadvantages: service of milages, less free luggage

I've travelled several times with Air China, both international and internal. With the same service Air China is much cheaper than most air companies of other countries. I would prefer to take Air China, not only because of it's low price, but also because Air China has an exellent record of safety. Thanks God, the time is over, in which the flight steward fighted with the Hijackers. ;) The food is certainly not an unforgettable culinary enjoyment, ... Read review

Advantages: An amazing experience for anyone interested in travel. India has it all and more.
Disadvantages: The visa is only valid for 6 months. Otherwise I would have stayed for 12.

...service. The second was with Air India Express, and it was dire. The staff, as hard as they were trying were having a very hard time of it, as anyone who has been some time in India will testify. Indians are as well as being lovely people, are noisy, impatient, ill-disciplined and can be down right hard work to deal with......... Makes me laugh!!! First we had a security scare whereby someone was refused permission to fly and had to have bags removed. ...
...same company, and on a jolly to Bkk) began to argue over each others' right to sit in their various seats. Then a couple of bright sparks amongst them, decided to threaten to sue everyone but me on the plane for taking their seats. It was incredible. All this construed to make us an hour late in taking off, by which time the man who started the arguments said the man who was originally in his seat could return to it as he was not worried about sitting ... Read review

Advantages: Business class quite comfortable, useful network in Kazakhstan, some new planes
Disadvantages: Cabin security, most of the crew, economy food, other passengers!

...Cosmonauts = Bond girls = Air Kazakstan? Er… no. Not even after a dozen Kazakh vodkas could I jump along this train of thought. Well, it was a tenuous link but I tried… HISTORY After independence, the local branch of Aeroflot was reorganised into Kazakhstan Airlines. A few years on, the airline collapsed amid financial chaos and from the ashes emerged Air Kazakstan, using mainly the same aircraft repainted and many of the same people. In 2002 ...
...had their licences revoked, giving Air Kazakstan a near monopoly on most of the routes they fly. However this has been challenged recently by a new western-run airline, Air Astana, operating brand new western aircraft. Air Astana are still small but are starting to take over Air Kazakstan’s main routes and are slated to replace them as flag carrier once they have expanded. However for now Air Kazakstan survive, are determinedly talking of new routes ... Read review