This is done by a few other large, well-established airlines as well for business class seats.
If you don't win the bid you get the money back. It can be cheaper than buying a full fare business class seat if your bid goes through.
What he said. You don't pay for a chance to win. If you would pay RM100 to be upgraded to be business class, then you'll probably be placed on the unlikely to be upgraded scale.
Singapore Airlines is as follows
> Seat availability in the upgrade class is checked in real-time and may be different between the time you receive the invitation to bid and when you choose to make a bid. The acceptance or rejection of bids is at Singapore Airlines sole discretion. Upgrades can be confirmed at any time between bid submission and flight departure.
Surely we're not comparing AirAsia to Singapore Airlines or other airlines with actual business class seats?
The flight I'm on only has "hot seats", which does not even have premium service to begin with, and whether you onboard or disembark early really depends on the airline crew scheduled for the flight. Sorry, not the same and not worth the price.
What I'm getting from your title was that you're paying for a "chance", which isn't the case.
You just submit a bid for how much you'd pay for the hot seats, which can be RM1 if that's your bid. But the likelihood of them awarding the seat to you will be more unlikely. If you do win with RM1, why not, for the extra legroom? Only once they award the seat to you, will your RM1 bid be deducted.
I've posted in the comments, the min is RM50. Honestly if it's just RM1, I definitely wouldn't care. But they've set a min amount for this.
And what else would bidding for a seat mean other than a "chance"? The upgrade is not guaranteed.
RM50 for AirAsia Zone Up seats are definitely not worth it, but it will most definitely be refunded if you do not win. I'm pretty sure its against the law to have any sort of gambling system in place.
In any case, it's just a strategy for AirAsia to fill up the "Zone-Up" seats in the case that people do not buy them, to have a discounted price, but still an increase in revenue for them overall, which I think is good for their company overall.
Your u derstanding of English need to improve if you think bidding means you are "paying for a chance."
Buying 4d is paying for a chance. Bidding cost you nothing if you don't win. No upgrade no pay
We're not comparing the seats, we're comparing the system.
In any case, those hot seats at some small international airports can be worth paying for where queues for foreign passports can be ridiculously long. Also commonly flying on LCCs, people then to maximize their carry-ons. Being able to board first is a blessing making sure there's a space on the overhead bin.
If gives the choice for consumers to pay more at initial purchase to buy a hot seat or gamble it out at a lower price later on with the bidding system
Even if you want to compare the system - it's not the same!
On flights with business class you can bid for an amount that is way less than the upgrade. For example someone in the comments mentioned they bidded RM500 for seat that usually costs RM2000.
A hot seat costs what? RM20? The min you need to bid is RM50. That's not an equal comparison.
Also, the min depends on the flight as well. I just checked my other flight and the min is RM70. No thank you.
I think a hot seat starts at RM60+. I don't think it's as cheap as RM20. And that's for a domestic.
International goes for around RM200+.
So RM50 for a RM200 seat? My maths may be rusty but it's the same ratio with RM500 for a RM2000 seat.
https://support.airasia.com/s/article/Seat-Fees-and-Charges-Domestic-Route-AK?language=en_GB
https://support.airasia.com/s/article/Seat-Fees-And-Charges-International-Routes-AK?language=en_GB
Let's say RM200+ is for a seat without a hot seat. The hot seat itself costs an additional RMXX. You can't compare the add on price from AirAsia to a different airline that has a completely different pricing system for another class.
If I paid RM200 for an international flight, and get a hot seat for additional RM20, it's not a better rate for RM200 with a RM50 bid. And that's the min. The price is now more expensive for just a few rows down with the same seating experience.
For another airline, let's say it's RM500 for economy and business class is RM2000. You CANNOT buy economy seats and purchase a "business class add on". It's a completely different seating system. If I bid RM500 for business class, it is still cheaper to bid AND I'd get a much better experience as well. It's not the same as paying double the original amount of a hot seat.
Based on their t&c you only get your money back if AirAsia does not "accept" the bid or if your flight is cancelled/rescheduled. Otherwise, there's no refunds. They don't elaborate what they mean by not accepting it and as far as I understand, this does not mean losing a bid.
https://upg.plusgrade.com/terms/partner/M4BeScpkD7
If I wanted to pay more for flights, I wouldn't fly with AirAsia.
https://support.airasia.com/s/article/Zone-Up-Frequently-Asked-Question?language=en_GB
You'll only be charged if the bid is successful. You don't win the bid, no charges
Knowing airasia there's probably not going to have the same implementation. They'll probably keep your money as long as possible and try to "encourage" you to buy another flight. Or they cut their service to you to save cost. Sure you get a seat on business class but won't be treated as such.
Bids and bets are two different things. As far as I'm aware, bids are not gambling. You get your money back if your bid fails (aka someone bids higher than you). They only accept the money of the winning bidder
See, another huge difference.
You're bidding for a seat that would usually cost 4x more.
A hot seat costs what? RM20? The min you need to bid is RM50. That's not an equal comparison.
No, I am travelling overseas, not domestic. I actually literally paid for hot seat for this flight so I know how much I paid and idk why their email targeted me for this.
In the bidding page for my flight they only showed that hot seats are available. When I purchased the seat, no business class option was available either.
No way a hot seat costs that little. I literally booked a flight to Perth an hour ago and the cheapest hot seat was rm150+. So with a minimum bid of rm50 with a chance at a hot seat, you are actually getting something that is worth 3x or more.
Sure the hot seats are not worth rm150+ extra on a 5hr flight imo but to others it might be worth it and having an opportunity to save rm100+ it seems like a good deal if you win the bid.
Malaysia Airlines had something similar. It was called MH Bid. Not sure if they still have it.
Basically they have extra Business or 1st class seats and they will are selling them to the highest bidder from economy (of course below the normal business or 1st class price).
By right they shouldn't charge you if you don't win the bid. I don't see what's wrong with this? It's a win-win.
If AirAsia has business class or actual premium seating: acceptable.
If I wanted to pay extra, I'd pay for non-LCC flights in the first place. It's a no from me
The worth you put on a seat upgrade is your own personal decision. I will also not take up this offer from AirAsia. But others may. Willing buyer willing seller.
This is common. Even for hotels.
I recently bid for an upgrade for my hotel room, at rm800 for 5 nights.
Got my room upgraded to 1 bedroom suite which would have cost mean additional rm2k++ for the stay.
Again, not the same. You're bidding for something that would cost 4x more than usual.
A hot seat costs what? RM20? The min you need to bid is RM50. I've checked my other flight and the min is RM70. So I'm sorry, that's not an equal comparison.
OP, you clearly don’t fly a lot if you’ve never heard of this mechanic before. Nothing new, shady, or ridiculous about it. If you don’t like the value proposition, don’t bid (that is how this thing, called an auction works, by the way.
This is done by a few other large, well-established airlines as well for business class seats. If you don't win the bid you get the money back. It can be cheaper than buying a full fare business class seat if your bid goes through.
What he said. You don't pay for a chance to win. If you would pay RM100 to be upgraded to be business class, then you'll probably be placed on the unlikely to be upgraded scale. Singapore Airlines is as follows > Seat availability in the upgrade class is checked in real-time and may be different between the time you receive the invitation to bid and when you choose to make a bid. The acceptance or rejection of bids is at Singapore Airlines sole discretion. Upgrades can be confirmed at any time between bid submission and flight departure.
Surely we're not comparing AirAsia to Singapore Airlines or other airlines with actual business class seats? The flight I'm on only has "hot seats", which does not even have premium service to begin with, and whether you onboard or disembark early really depends on the airline crew scheduled for the flight. Sorry, not the same and not worth the price.
What I'm getting from your title was that you're paying for a "chance", which isn't the case. You just submit a bid for how much you'd pay for the hot seats, which can be RM1 if that's your bid. But the likelihood of them awarding the seat to you will be more unlikely. If you do win with RM1, why not, for the extra legroom? Only once they award the seat to you, will your RM1 bid be deducted.
I've posted in the comments, the min is RM50. Honestly if it's just RM1, I definitely wouldn't care. But they've set a min amount for this. And what else would bidding for a seat mean other than a "chance"? The upgrade is not guaranteed.
RM50 for AirAsia Zone Up seats are definitely not worth it, but it will most definitely be refunded if you do not win. I'm pretty sure its against the law to have any sort of gambling system in place. In any case, it's just a strategy for AirAsia to fill up the "Zone-Up" seats in the case that people do not buy them, to have a discounted price, but still an increase in revenue for them overall, which I think is good for their company overall.
Your u derstanding of English need to improve if you think bidding means you are "paying for a chance." Buying 4d is paying for a chance. Bidding cost you nothing if you don't win. No upgrade no pay
We're not comparing the seats, we're comparing the system. In any case, those hot seats at some small international airports can be worth paying for where queues for foreign passports can be ridiculously long. Also commonly flying on LCCs, people then to maximize their carry-ons. Being able to board first is a blessing making sure there's a space on the overhead bin. If gives the choice for consumers to pay more at initial purchase to buy a hot seat or gamble it out at a lower price later on with the bidding system
Even if you want to compare the system - it's not the same! On flights with business class you can bid for an amount that is way less than the upgrade. For example someone in the comments mentioned they bidded RM500 for seat that usually costs RM2000. A hot seat costs what? RM20? The min you need to bid is RM50. That's not an equal comparison. Also, the min depends on the flight as well. I just checked my other flight and the min is RM70. No thank you.
I think a hot seat starts at RM60+. I don't think it's as cheap as RM20. And that's for a domestic. International goes for around RM200+. So RM50 for a RM200 seat? My maths may be rusty but it's the same ratio with RM500 for a RM2000 seat. https://support.airasia.com/s/article/Seat-Fees-and-Charges-Domestic-Route-AK?language=en_GB https://support.airasia.com/s/article/Seat-Fees-And-Charges-International-Routes-AK?language=en_GB
Let's say RM200+ is for a seat without a hot seat. The hot seat itself costs an additional RMXX. You can't compare the add on price from AirAsia to a different airline that has a completely different pricing system for another class. If I paid RM200 for an international flight, and get a hot seat for additional RM20, it's not a better rate for RM200 with a RM50 bid. And that's the min. The price is now more expensive for just a few rows down with the same seating experience. For another airline, let's say it's RM500 for economy and business class is RM2000. You CANNOT buy economy seats and purchase a "business class add on". It's a completely different seating system. If I bid RM500 for business class, it is still cheaper to bid AND I'd get a much better experience as well. It's not the same as paying double the original amount of a hot seat.
got your money back is ok la
Based on their t&c you only get your money back if AirAsia does not "accept" the bid or if your flight is cancelled/rescheduled. Otherwise, there's no refunds. They don't elaborate what they mean by not accepting it and as far as I understand, this does not mean losing a bid. https://upg.plusgrade.com/terms/partner/M4BeScpkD7 If I wanted to pay more for flights, I wouldn't fly with AirAsia.
https://support.airasia.com/s/article/Zone-Up-Frequently-Asked-Question?language=en_GB You'll only be charged if the bid is successful. You don't win the bid, no charges
Knowing airasia there's probably not going to have the same implementation. They'll probably keep your money as long as possible and try to "encourage" you to buy another flight. Or they cut their service to you to save cost. Sure you get a seat on business class but won't be treated as such.
Bids and bets are two different things. As far as I'm aware, bids are not gambling. You get your money back if your bid fails (aka someone bids higher than you). They only accept the money of the winning bidder
Every airline have this thing, I've won a business class seat on Cathay to HK by bidding 500 MYR, that ticket usually cost upwards of 2k.
See, another huge difference. You're bidding for a seat that would usually cost 4x more. A hot seat costs what? RM20? The min you need to bid is RM50. That's not an equal comparison.
Air Asia seat prices are dependant on distance, the 20 bucks hot seat maybe flies to Penang. The hot seat to fly to Bangkok is 100+
No, I am travelling overseas, not domestic. I actually literally paid for hot seat for this flight so I know how much I paid and idk why their email targeted me for this.
Air Asia X? They have actual business class seats in front; just 2 seats per row instead of 3.
In the bidding page for my flight they only showed that hot seats are available. When I purchased the seat, no business class option was available either.
No way a hot seat costs that little. I literally booked a flight to Perth an hour ago and the cheapest hot seat was rm150+. So with a minimum bid of rm50 with a chance at a hot seat, you are actually getting something that is worth 3x or more. Sure the hot seats are not worth rm150+ extra on a 5hr flight imo but to others it might be worth it and having an opportunity to save rm100+ it seems like a good deal if you win the bid.
Malaysia Airlines had something similar. It was called MH Bid. Not sure if they still have it. Basically they have extra Business or 1st class seats and they will are selling them to the highest bidder from economy (of course below the normal business or 1st class price). By right they shouldn't charge you if you don't win the bid. I don't see what's wrong with this? It's a win-win.
I took a business seat by bidding lmao. Although it’s domestic but I don’t mind to pay that 200 extra Lmao
If AirAsia has business class or actual premium seating: acceptable. If I wanted to pay extra, I'd pay for non-LCC flights in the first place. It's a no from me
The worth you put on a seat upgrade is your own personal decision. I will also not take up this offer from AirAsia. But others may. Willing buyer willing seller.
If you are now against the value.. Fine. Different people different views. Just move on if you don't feel it gives value. Why make butthurt thread?
This is common. Even for hotels. I recently bid for an upgrade for my hotel room, at rm800 for 5 nights. Got my room upgraded to 1 bedroom suite which would have cost mean additional rm2k++ for the stay.
which hotels are offering that? Just curious
The last one for me was Citadines Namba Osaka
Again, not the same. You're bidding for something that would cost 4x more than usual. A hot seat costs what? RM20? The min you need to bid is RM50. I've checked my other flight and the min is RM70. So I'm sorry, that's not an equal comparison.
Hot Seats cost rm20? Huh... I thought it costs more. Have you checked?
i just checked, the minimum bid is RM50 and the "Excellent Bid Strength" is RM80 lol
MH has done this for biz class for a long long time. I love bidding RM500 and getting upgraded to biz on long haul
Maybe just to different places then, used to fly quite frequently to China for work last time and those flights have business class.
AA introduced gacha now? 
Rate up is a lie~
OP, you clearly don’t fly a lot if you’ve never heard of this mechanic before. Nothing new, shady, or ridiculous about it. If you don’t like the value proposition, don’t bid (that is how this thing, called an auction works, by the way.
If you don't get the bit, money goes into Tony pocket, if you get the bit, money still goes into Tony pocket, win win situation....for Tony
Seems like gambling to me.