Not just baggage fees. Pricing for Nasi Lemak and other add-ons also fluctuates, AirAsia explains why

Recently it was discovered that AirAsia charges different fees for its checked baggage, which appears to be dependent on the device you’re using. This started interesting conversations online which speculated that AirAsia could be offering lower prices if you book with “less “premium” devices.

AirAsia has just responded to the issue with an official FAQ on their Dynamic Pricing for Add-ons. Turns out, checked baggage isn’t the only product that fluctuates as the dynamic pricing also affects other add-ons including preferred seats and even meals such as AirAsia’s signature Pak Nasser Nasi Lemak and Uncle Chin Chicken Rice.

AirAsia says Dynamic Pricing is a common practice worldwide

AirAsia’s Pak Nasser Nasi Lemak

According to the low-cost carrier, dynamic pricing is a mechanism where pricing fluctuates depending on the current demand of the market to provide the most optimal price worldwide. Similar to flight ticket fares, customers trying to purchase add-ons may see lower or higher fees depending on the ancillary demand for the particular flight. For flight tickets, it is common to see lower fares if there’s less demand for the flight and the pricing will increase closer to the travel date when there’s higher demand for fares and add-ons.

AirAsia said they have set different pricing tiers for ancillary products and the price is not exclusive to a certain platform or device. The airline said the price is subjective as it is influenced by a combination of factors such as current market situations and whether that flight has high ancillary demand.

Dynamic pricing will not exceed published rates

The airline added that its model is all about rewarding guests who book early, with lower prices and enjoy greater savings. This is practised by low-cost airlines worldwide and AirAsia says in most cases, the earlier you book, the more you can save.

In case you didn’t know, it is cheaper to purchase your checked baggage during your initial booking instead of adding it later after your flight booking is made.

Of course, there could be instances where the prices could get cheaper when you book later. According to AirAsia, various discounts are offered from time to time as part of their efforts to help stimulate demand for certain flights, products or services.

But what if you plan to make changes to your add-ons such as pre-booked meals and there’s a price difference? According to the FAQ, if the new meal is priced higher, you’ll have to pay the price difference before the changes can be made. If the new meal price is lower, the price difference will not be refunded.

Whatever pricing AirAsia offers for its add-ons, it will not exceed its published rate or fee as listed below:

AirAsia’s published rates for checked baggage as of January 2024

According to the published rates, 15kg checked luggage for AK flights is listed at RM61.60 when purchased during the initial booking and it will cost RM86.80 after the booking has been made. Over at the counter, it costs even more at RM90 for the first 15kg.

We saw four different fee amount on four different devices for the same flight departing at the same time!

When we recently compared the 15kg checked baggage add-on price across four different devices for a flight from KUL (Kuala Lumpur) to AOR (Alor Setar), we got RM27.20 on an Oppo smartphone, RM35.20 on a Windows laptop and RM42.24 on a Samsung Tablet and iPhone. The shown add-on prices are still well below the published rate of RM61.60 for 15kg.

So what does this tell us? Based on our booking experience, the pricing or amount of discount AirAsia is offering is very dynamic and it is hard to tell if you’re getting the best deal. You could spend more time using various platforms to compare prices but you could lose out on a cheaper discounted deal if you delay your booking. In short, if the price is right, perhaps it is better to book your flights and add-ons before it gets any higher.

You can learn more about AirAsia’s Dynamic Pricing for add-ons via their FAQ.