AirAsia: Difference between revisions
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| | {{CompanyCargo | ||
|Description= | |||
| Founded = 1993 | |Founded=1993 | ||
| Industry = Airline | |Industry=Airline | ||
| | |Logo=AirAsia logo.svg | ||
|ParentCompany= | |||
|Type=Public | |||
|Website=https://airasia.com/ | |||
}} | }} | ||
{{Cleanup}} | |||
'''{{Wplink|AirAsia}}''' is a budget airline based in Malaysia. In 2007, ''The New York Times'' described AirAsia as a pioneer of low-cost travel in Asia.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kurlantzick |first=Joshua |title=Does Low Cost Mean High Risk? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/23/travel/23prac.html |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20221126030433/https://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/23/travel/23prac.html |archive-date=26 Nov 2022|access-date=16 Aug 2025 |website=The New York Times}}</ref> As of November 2025, they serve Asia, the Middle East, and Australia. | |||
== | ==Consumer impact summary== | ||
AirAsia secretly and forcefully subscribes any user who creates or links an account with them to 23 different types of {{Wplink|Spamming|spam}} ("AirAsia communications").<!-- We're gonna need a source that isn't just images. Did any site | {{Ph-C-CIS}} | ||
==Incidents== | |||
This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]]. | |||
===Signs up users for AirAsia promotionals and marketing without consent=== | |||
AirAsia secretly and forcefully subscribes any user who creates or links an account with them to 23 different types of {{Wplink|Spamming|spam}} ("AirAsia communications").<!-- We're gonna need a source that isn't just images. Did any site ever publish a piece about this? --> | |||
#Users are neither made aware of this fact nor presented with the option to opt out.{{Citation needed}} | #Users are neither made aware of this fact nor presented with the option to opt out.{{Citation needed}} | ||
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===Forced enrollment in marketing spam=== | ===Forced enrollment in marketing spam=== | ||
[[File: | [[File:AirAsia signup page 1.png|thumb|AirAsia sign up dialog that pops up after you select a flight to book. Multiple sign up/easy sign in options are pushed with large, colored icons while the no sign up option is presented as "Continue as guest" in small plain text at the bottom.]] | ||
[[File: | [[File:AirAsia signup page.png|thumb|AirAsia sign up page with no notification to users that they will be automatically opted in to receiving "informational" and marketing emails from 23 different AirAsia sources with no ability for users to opt out directly at sign up.]] | ||
[[File: | [[File:AirAsia spam unsubscribe step 2.PNG.png|thumb|AirAsia Notification Preferences page showing 23 different sources of promotional emails that every user is automatically opted into upon creation of an AirAsia account.]] | ||
[[File: | [[File:AirAsia_spam_unsubscribe_step_1.png|thumb|Clicking on an unsubscribe link in an email brings users to this page. AirAsia forces users to log in before they can unsubscribe.]] | ||
AirAsia secretly and automatically forces users to enroll into 23 different types of promotional and marketing emails (referred to as "communications") when they create or link an account. | AirAsia secretly and automatically forces users to enroll into 23 different types of promotional and marketing emails (referred to as "communications") when they create or link an account. | ||
#When booking a flight with AirAsia, a popup dialog appears that pushes users to sign in, or create or link an account. The sign-up and and sign-in options are pushed with large font sizes and prominent, colored icons. | #When booking a flight with AirAsia, a popup dialog appears that pushes users to sign in, or create or link an account. The sign-up and and sign-in options are pushed with large font sizes and prominent, colored icons. | ||
#The option to book a flight is presented as a small, plain-text link "Continue as guest" at the bottom of the popup dialog. (SEE IMAGE 1) | #The option to book a flight is presented as a small, plain-text link "Continue as guest" at the bottom of the popup dialog. (SEE IMAGE 1) | ||
#During sign-up or log-in, users | #During sign-up or log-in, users consent to the collection and use of Personal Information by Air Asia unless and until users inform Air Asia of the contrary. <ref>{{Cite web |date=Mar 2023 |title=AirAsia's Privacy Statement Your Consent |url=https://www.airasia.com/aa/about-us/en/gb/privacy-statement.html#consent |url-status=live |access-date=2026-02-19 |website=AirAsia's Privacy Statement|archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260222101457/https://www.airasia.com/aa/about-us/en/gb/privacy-statement.html |archive-date=22 Feb 2026}}</ref> | ||
#The privacy statement states that Personal Information will be shared within the AirAsia Group of Companies and Authorized Third Parties for promotions, offers, products and services which may or may not belong to AirAsia; the exact volume of communications is not specified. | |||
"Information collection" section:<ref name=":0" /> | "Information collection" section:<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=AirAsia's Privacy Statement |url=https://www.airasia.com/aa/about-us/en/gb/privacy-statement.html |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260128171517/https://www.airasia.com/aa/about-us/en/gb/privacy-statement.html |archive-date=28 Jan 2026}}</ref> | ||
<blockquote>The information may be used to provide you with location-based services such as search results and marketing content.</blockquote> | <blockquote>The information may be used to provide you with location-based services such as search results and marketing content.</blockquote> | ||
"Use of information collected" section:<ref name=":0" /> | "Use of information collected" section:<ref name=":0" /> | ||
<blockquote>AirAsia and AirAsia Group of Companies who have access to this Personal Information with our permission and who need to know or have access to this Personal Information in order to: perform the service requested by you (including to make, administer, and manage reservations or handle payments, "single sign-on," and customer service); analyze how you use this Website and other websites belonging to AirAsia or AirAsia Group of Companies, improve and provide new and personalized offers, products and services, and marketing, for purposes of research, analytics, to develop and improve any existing and future products or services offered by us, to explore further potential initiatives, to optimise research, improve our forecasting abilities, and for other business purposes of AirAsia or AirAsia Group of Companies; detect, prevent, and investigate fraudulent transactions and/or activities, other illegal activities, and data breaches; internal (audit/compliance) investigations; or as otherwise required or permitted by applicable law.</blockquote> | <blockquote>AirAsia and AirAsia Group of Companies who have access to this Personal Information with our permission and who need to know or have access to this Personal Information in order to: perform the service requested by you (including to make, administer, and manage reservations or handle payments, "single sign-on," and customer service); analyze how you use this Website and other websites belonging to AirAsia or AirAsia Group of Companies, improve and provide new and personalized offers, products and services, and marketing, for purposes of research, analytics, to develop and improve any existing and future products or services offered by us, to explore further potential initiatives, to optimise research, improve our forecasting abilities, and for other business purposes of AirAsia or AirAsia Group of Companies; detect, prevent, and investigate fraudulent transactions and/or activities, other illegal activities, and data breaches; internal (audit/compliance) investigations; or as otherwise required or permitted by applicable law.</blockquote> | ||
"Sharing of Information Collected" section:<ref name=":0" /> | "Sharing of Information Collected" section:<ref name=":0" /> | ||
<blockquote>We may share your Personal Information to: data analytics, marketing agency, third party suppliers of products and services, business partners or service providers, parties which have business or contractual dealings with AirAsia and the AirAsia Group of Companies, and other third party who is able to demonstrate that you have explicitly consented to the disclosure of your Personal Information by us to such third party.</blockquote>The same Privacy Statement does provide steps to "Manage your marketing communications,"<ref name=":0" /> which is a 3-step process assuming the user does this after creating their account and/or booking their flight. The steps highlighted on that page are: | <blockquote>We may share your Personal Information to: data analytics, marketing agency, third party suppliers of products and services, business partners or service providers, parties which have business or contractual dealings with AirAsia and the AirAsia Group of Companies, and other third party who is able to demonstrate that you have explicitly consented to the disclosure of your Personal Information by us to such third party.</blockquote> | ||
The same Privacy Statement does provide steps to "Manage your marketing communications,"<ref name=":0" /> which is a 3-step process assuming the user does this after creating their account and/or booking their flight. The steps highlighted on that page are: | |||
#Click on Account (your name with the user icon in the upper right side of the page) | #Click on Account (your name with the user icon in the upper right side of the page) | ||
#Click on My Account | #Click on My Account | ||
#Click on Notifications Preferences | #Click on Notifications Preferences | ||
Users may not expect a high volume of emails from AirAsia, and might not review their account to manage their marketing preferences until after they begin receiving emails. At this time users will engage in the unsubscribe process. | |||
===Multi-step friction to unsubscribe from AirAsia marketing spam=== | ===Multi-step friction to unsubscribe from AirAsia marketing spam=== | ||
The unsubscribe process is an 8-step process that takes eight clicks and user login, instead of the three suggested by AirAsia's Privacy Statement page: | |||
#User clicks on unsubscribe button at bottom of AirAsia promotional email. | #User clicks on unsubscribe button at bottom of AirAsia promotional email. | ||
#Instead of directly unsubscribing the user or bringing them to an unsubscribe confirmation page, users are instead linked to their account "Notification Preferences" page where they have to log in. | #Instead of directly unsubscribing the user or bringing them to an unsubscribe confirmation page, users are instead linked to their account "Notification Preferences" page where they have to log in. | ||
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##Click continue | ##Click continue | ||
#User is now on their Notification Preferences page where they get to see the 23 different types of AirAsia spam they never knew they opted into. Assuming they never wanted and don't want to continue receiving any of these spam emails, they would click on "Pause all emails". | #User is now on their Notification Preferences page where they get to see the 23 different types of AirAsia spam they never knew they opted into. Assuming they never wanted and don't want to continue receiving any of these spam emails, they would click on "Pause all emails". | ||
#User also has to click on "Pause all communications" if they wanted to stop spam from coming in through push notifications and WhatsApp. | #User also has to click on "Pause all communications" if they wanted to stop spam from coming in through push notifications and [[WhatsApp]]. | ||
#*Another [[dark pattern]] here from AirAsia is "Pause all communications," which implies the user would stop receiving any communications whatsoever. Users would typically want their booking emails, travel itinerary, etc., so they would not think of selecting this option. | #*Another [[dark pattern]] here from AirAsia is "Pause all communications," which implies the user would stop receiving any communications whatsoever. Users would typically want their booking emails, travel itinerary, etc., so they would not think of selecting this option. | ||
#*The fine print above this button says, "Your account activities, transactional updates, payment updates, booking and delivery information are compulsory," meaning such emails will be delivered in any case and "communications" in "Pause all communications" really refers to promotional and marketing spam. | #*The fine print above this button says, "Your account activities, transactional updates, payment updates, booking and delivery information are compulsory," meaning such emails will be delivered in any case and "communications" in "Pause all communications" really refers to promotional and marketing spam. | ||
==Products== | |||
{{Ph-C-P}} | |||
==See also== | |||
{{Ph-C-SA}} | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
{{ | {{Reflist}} | ||
[[Category:AirAsia]] | [[Category:AirAsia]] | ||