HELP a fellow ozbargainer stuck in Shanghai getting home!!!

Okay long story short, airasia delayed their already late departure time (1.30am), and I dozed off, waking up in horror to find that I have missed my flight. Noone to blame here but me as its my responsibility. So im stuck in shanghai right now at 4am, with no place to stay and noone to help me and with no cash left. Im willing to sleep at the airport for a week if I have to…pretty desperate situation I have gotten myself into and pretty silly too.

Can any ozbargainers find me a cheap flight back home to australia? Dates are pretty flexible as I just need the cheapest ticket out of here. Preferrably to land in gold coast/brisbane but right now ill take anything.

Searched airasia for the cheapest of around $300 leaving in early august but maybe someone can do better.

Airasia flat out refused to help me with anything and certainly its within their right to do so but ive flown with china eastern and korean air who was able to help me in a similar situation before with absolutely no hassle. Certainly I dont feel as though im entitled to any help since it was my fault but some generous goodwill would have gone a long way for me to be grateful.

Anyway I would really appreciate some help from the power of ozbargain!

Thanks in advance

Tldr update
Ozb community came through thanks to tonka and Airasia rescheduled a flight for a small fee and thus I dont have to be a hobo at burger king in pudong airport!!! What an awesome community we have here and something im very proud of being a part of! Thanks everyone

Comments

    • only if he intends to come back in 30 days

  • +7

    Any update OP?

    It's not surprising you fell asleep with the flight being delayed past 1:30am. I would expect the airline to show just a little compassion.

    Were you in the boarding gate?? I would consider them partially negligent if boarding was closing and they just left you there sleeping within their view.

  • What's that Tom Hanks movie where he is stuck in the airport???

    Any construction work going on around the place??

    • +3

      Terminal. Great movie

  • can you please do the 'all by myself' parody ? maybe you'll get famous

    • +9

      learn to read, stop assuming, nowhere in the post has he asked anyone to buy him any tickets.

  • +12

    Im still waiting to hear back from airasia but fingers crossed and its actually better to have a glimmer of hope to keep me going as ive been in the airport for more than 24 hours now haha..

    I was near the boarding gate and ready to get on the plane and when I woke up, everyone was gone except the staff at the gate who checks the boarding pass before allowing them to get on the plane. I just couldnt believe I fell asleep so deep that I missed their boarding calls..but I woke up at 6am on that morning and havent slept so I guess I was just dead tired. Ah well, fingers crossed and thanks again everyone for the support! Im sure you guys have made this possible for me

    • +2

      To be honest I wouldn't pin any hopes on Air Asia. They are very likely to do the Little Britain "Computer says no" routine. If you don't fit their policies then its bad luck.

      Cut your losses and go with another carrier… only issue may be getting back to the checkin counters if you only had a single entry Chinese visa.

    • +2

      Good luck dude, let us know if/when it's sorted or make sure you tell us if you need us to ramp it up a little more.

      I'm amazed you are so calm , I would be totally freaked and screaming for help :-).

    • -8

      just a thought if your hungry try finding tomato sauce near the fast food area and some crackers and make a cracker and sauce sandwich oh and DO not take Malaysian airlines even if its the cheapest.

  • where is the facebook post?

  • +7

    Walk up to the airport security and say you need to be deported?

    Might cost you a few days jail, but hey - free flight.

    • +5

      easier to just punch the security staff or jokes about bombs

      • Possibly just tell immigration you are now vagrant and can't return home. They may not care until your visa is expired though.

      • +4

        Tell security the Senkakus belong to Japan. Sure fire way to get arrested.

        • Tell security Taiwan is not part of the PRC.

  • Good luck dude. I'll +1 for your safe return home. (Please link FB)

  • If you've checked in, and your originally booked flight has departed, does that mean that your luggage is in Brisbane?

    In any case, good luck.

    • +2

      I don't think that's the case. They'll get rid of the luggage before departing if the passenger doesn't show up

      • Wonder if the OP has already got their luggage back.

  • -1

    Have you watched the movie called the terminal?

  • Don't you have family members you can call to help you out?

    I have missed flights in the past due to traffic issues, yet I usually had to cough up the cash out of my own pocked.

    I hope you find a way home.

  • if you can't buy any food, perhaps go to Qantas Lounge and see if there is anyone symphathetic with your case ?

  • +1

    You would have had better luck if you posted on reddit. They like these things

    • +7

      If he posted this on Reddit, someone would have picked him up in their private jet by now and he'd be home.

    • +4

      I had a problem with AirAsia in the past and learnt my lesson for picking up a cheap flight, but hey as far as I'm concerned, he admitted his mistake and hopefully learn a lesson from it. What he needs now is a help, not a lecture.

  • Ouch ,$300 lesson learnt.. Be glad you're stranded at an airport and not in the middle of nowhere. Be smarter next time and have some safety/emergency funds on hand.

  • +1

    Good luck, OP.

    I'd give you a hug and a sandwich if I could.

  • +19

    Ah well…the airasia office has closed for today so have to wait until tomorrow. Another sleep at the burger king in pudong airport. Luckily noone has tried to kick me out for staying here for nearly 30 hours now, using their wifi and their electricity. I recommend people to come to the burger king at the pudong airport!

    Times are abit desperate but hopefully I can get some resolution by tomorrow. Thank you all for the positive comments! Im trying to keep a positive mind about it all and a hard lesson learnt. But im a student and an ozbargainer at heart..couldnt refuse their price when others are a good $300-500 more expensive at minimum. Ill work hard to fund up again for my next trip…but definitely prepare better this time.

    • +4

      i hope you get back safely soon.
      Tonka, good work on spreading the word. True good hearted person.

    • +4

      Out of curiosity, what are your plans if Air Asia doesn't come through by tomorrow?

      More importantly, aren't your family worried at all or offered to help? I can understand you want to keep your 'face' and don't want to let AA win this over you, but really… staying 30+ hours at an airport is ridiculous…

      Good luck though, hope you get what you were hoping for.

    • awesome comment. you should write a book when you return.

    • +3

      Give up on Air Asia - they won't help you. Just look for alternative flights (which there are a few on this thread) and cut your losses.

      • -1

        Agreed, I have travelled with numerous different airlines and have found Air Asia to be the most unhelpful.

  • Have you tried looking at return flights? Sometimes they are much cheaper than one way.

    • Actually never mind. Just looked and they're not cheap at all. Sorry I couldn't help you. I really hope you can find a way home.

      On another note, someone mentioned speaking to the Australian consulate/mission. There should be an liaison officer from Australian immigration there at Pudong airport, see if he or she could help you. Cos as far as I know, if an Australian citizen is facing destitution then the mission is obligated to help.

      But your real concern should be your Chinese visa too, if you have overstayed your visa then your next visa application to China may get rejected.

      • I don't know if the embassy is obligated to help, but it certainly doesn't hurt to try. At least ask if they can can ask AirAsia to rebook at a lower fee, as they might have more influence.

  • +4

    I had a neck injury from a really bad sleeping position on a flight into Hong Kong and it was too painful for me to go through that again, so I saw the Doctor at the Hong Kong airport, who gave me a medical certificate for that day. The airline rebooked me for free as it was a medical problem, but I needed to get another medical certificate to clear me to fly. The doctors could probably be claimed on travel insurance but the doctors isn't that expensive anyway.

    If I had flown with AirAsia at that time, I doubt whether they would have given a stuff about my medical condition. When I have flown with them, I have found them to be very non-negotiable and unaccomodating (obviously that is why they are low cost). Also, the aircraft was making strange mechanical noises when boarding while the engineers inspected it. They took off anyway, but then had to turn back. I don't really trust any airline from Malaysia at this point because they appear to take risky shortcuts to save cost.

  • +2

    Must be one of you guys :D

    "Please help, you left one of your Australian passengers behind in Shanghai? I just heard from a friend who is stuck in Shanghai airport with no way home. After their plane was delayed they fell asleep and the plane boarded and left without them. The Air Asia Shanghai staff aren't able to help." - Air Asia FB page

    • +4

      It was Tonka.

      *** 3 cheers ***

  • You can get cheap tickets from Malaysian Airlines :)

    • -1

      after all the stuff that happened over the last few weeks, could be really cheap

  • +6

    As per:-

    http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/services/help.html#can

    provide small emergency loans in genuine emergency situations. (Note: Any financial assistance we may provide will generally be in the form of a loan, which is made on the basis of a signed, legal undertaking to repay in full. You may also be required to surrender your passport and you may not be issued with a replacement until the debt is repaid.)

  • +5

    just posted on airasia's facebook page to bring you home mate.

  • You mentioned you have a CC?

    You should be able to do a cash advance on it at any ATM.

    Be prepared to pay 25% interest though if you don't pay it back quick smart.

  • +48

    I will give you the benefit of the doubt and assume this is real. Have liked the Facebook post but reluctant to help out more (posting to Air Asia FB using my name/loaning you money) unless my concerns are addressed below.

    I think OB would love to help but I suggest you be more proactive in responding to our queries. It seems like you have internet and nothing to do anyway, so why not check this site every 15min to respond? You have left questions like the following unanswered which does not help your cause

    1. Why can't you use your credit card to buy food, cash advance or another flight?

    2. Why can't you use ask your family/friends for a loan?

    3. Why havn't you called the Australian embassy for help? If you have called what was their response?

    4. Why havn't you called your bank for a loan? If you have called what was their response?

    If the above options which has been repeated many times does not work and you provide reasonable answers to them then I (and hopefully OB) would be glad to help by each giving loaning you small amounts of money which you will pay back upon return to Australia. We would also aim to have you back asap instead of staying in an airport for weeks!

    We will need to verify that you are not a scammer and you have Australian citizenship/temporary or permanent residency/student visa.

    Other Ozbargainers may have better ideas to verify this but I would suggest:
    1. Photo of your passport including number and photo, and Australian visa if it is not an Australian passport
    2. Photo of yourself holding up a paper with "Ozbargain" written on it (so we know you are not a scammer who stole someone's passport and didnt just rip off the victim's photo from facebook)
    3. Photo of your bank card with your name that matches the passport
    4. Post your mobile number so one of us can call you

    Then post up your Australian bank account details and OB can start loaning you money. We will expect to be paid back within 3 months of your return.

    I know this may not be ideal from a privacy perspective but I think this will address the skepticism of whether this is real or not. For security you could upload it to a site with password and then only PM people who have pledged to loan you money the password

    Best of luck!

    PS: Best to continually edit the initial post with answers these questions and status updates for new readers

    • +1

      Further to this, any extra money spent would surely be claimable back on your travel insurance. Unless you were one of those guys dumb enough to not take out travel insurance…..

      • I doubt it as I don't think oversleeping is an insurable event, although it is worth a try! in any case the time it takes to claim may be too long so this would be a post coming home event

    • well said!

    • I wish I could upvote you twice!

    • well said

    • +4
      1. He's not asking for money.
      2. Who is he going to send all this personal info to? I wouldn't send random people here my passport and bank card and hope that they don't get stolen, even if they say they'll lend me money. The only people I might trust are the admins, but I don't expect them to spend time and effort on this.
  • +1

    So you don't have money to fly home, but you can afford to to pay for takeaway food for weeks?

    Anyway who travels so that there down to there last dollar? Where are your parents, friends?

  • yeah, just wondering, why YOUR FAMILY didnt help you out? they can simply deposit the money into your bank account and you can use like eftpos there (visa debit?)

  • +3

    @tonka
    "AirAsia
    Hi Teetonka Stoneman, our Customer Care is unable to contact your friend, could you please share an alternative contact number so we can assist him/her further? Thank you."

  • +23

    Okay..I dont know why it has gone to the extent that I have to verify my details. I have not asked for any money nor will I ever ask for money from people on the internet before I ask for money from my friends/family. A couple of my mates have told me they will buy me a ticket to come home and I have flat out refused. Why? Because there is a means to get home. I have 2000 hkd cash that I can exhange if I need money desperately in shanghai. Im reluctant because the exchange rate is horrible at the airport.

    There is 1 restaurant that will take my mastercard at the airport so ive just been eating there 2 times a day for 26 rmb each time (~4.3 AUD). I come back to burger king afterwars because they are open 24 hours and I am able to access their wifi and electricity. I have a means to get home because I have $600 credit left on my card. If all else fails, I can wait until the 3rd of august when the flight to the gold coast will be $450. Flights sooner will be over $1k otherwise. That is the difference, im willing to just lay low around here spending roughly $10 a day. Its not ideal but I will do what I have to do to survive.

    I dont want to contact my family for matters that I feel as though I can handle (yes I admit im doing a really poor job :( ).

    Thats why im asking if people can support me through facebook so hopefully airasia can get me on a flight sooner. Im sorry if everything sounded dramatic or over the top. I do see an end point and im not going to die but staying at an airport for any longer than a day is not an ideal situation.

    I will never ask people here for their hard earned money. But I ask that peopl not question that im a troll or something as what do I really gain by posting a fake story?

    I wrote a whole bunch of other things but the internet cut out and I had to write this again..*doh

    Im not stranded enough that I have absolutely no way to get home. There is 1 way, on the 3rd of august. But I was just asking if people can help me out by other means and luckily the facebook post seemed to have done the trick which couldnt be done by me calling their call centres in 3 different countries. Im just waiting for their call.

    I cannot see the facebook post but when I get home, I will make a new thread to thank everyone who was able to bring me home!
    Thanks to you all

    • I know access to facebook is blocked in China… what details can we give Air Asia so they can get in touch with you?

      • I think I have a pm and im trying to work out how to access it. Then I can pm someone a chinese number which I can be contacted on.

        • Well we could only post the number on the airasia facebook page for you… so it will be posted publically

    • +29

      A true ozbargainer.
      Willing to live at the airport for days to save a few hundred dollars.
      Personally i'd lose my s#hit if i done that.

    • +17

      You need to grow up. There's a difference between saving for a bargain and simple immaturity. Staying at the airport until August… Can't take u seriously. Just saying, as a fellow student.

      U gonna not shower for 7+ days?

      • +6

        Pretty sure there are showers at airports; but I do agree with you. OP should just ask family for help instead of being so stubborn about it.

      • +17

        Like I said above I cannot afford flights earlier because they are all above what I can afford. They get exponentially cheaper in early august (3rd is $450, 6th is 380, 10th is $300) obviously I dont want to stay until the 10th. Its not about immaturity or a bargain. Plus I think we live far too comfortably these days. Its just 9 days which is not enough to kill me and we all have different priorities. Im not willing to ask people for money when im not in a life threatening situation. If I could go on a quicker flight, I would. And I think people on ozbargain has allowed me to get home quicker. I have fresh change of clothes and can wash my face and brush my teeth. Its enough for me, but I dont envy the person who has to sit next to me on the plane…I dont have too much BO so I think im safe

        • +2

          If you want to do things 'hard' there's more authentic ways, and interesting. When you get back, if you still feel the need of some hardship, try hitching around Aus - and keep us informed. :-)

        • @MarkB4:
          Absolutely correct. Free electricity, internet, access to bathrooms and $4 meals at burger king, not to mention the whole airport is airconed. This is not how you spell H.A.R.D.

      • +1

        As harsh as it sounds I would have to agree with ironjd, dude you just took the term tiedass to a new level.. you are gonna live at an airport for over 2 weeks because you wana save $500? :/
        if you think about it you can make that money back as soon as you get back to Australia working 2 to 3 days at any temporary job. so instead of wasting 12 extra days doing nothing but sitting at an airport, pay the extra fee and once your back here in aus work any job for 2 or 3 days than you will have your money back.

    • +6

      Is it really worth living in an airport for 12 days to save around $400-$500? You'll be saving $1.50/hr, but wasting 2 weeks of your life

      • +3

        I think he said he was living at the airport rather an ask people for money.

      • +3

        if he's a student, it's not that unreasonable. A lot of ppl like you may not do it, but as he correctly states, people have different priorities.

        i might wait 24 hours to save $480. For some $20p/h and one day of your life might not be worth it.

    • +6

      Wait…you said you keep going back to burger king.
      Dont they have unlimited drink refills?

      • not if you don't pay for the first drink. hes just using the wifi and power lol.

        • And Burger King probably don't accept mastercard… and thats all he has

        • Just ask for a cup of water with ice. There's your free cup.

    • +1

      You can buy a VPN for $3. http://vpnninja.net/ I used these guys and had access to everything for my entire time in China. If you're a student, your uni might also have a VPN you can use. My friend is in China and said he used a VPN supplied by the university.

  • I emailed them with my new number 3 times because they tried to call me on my australian mobile number which was what I used to book my ticket..which wasnt going to work.
    And hopefully they see the email and call me back on the right one..I emailed them last night so I cant see why they dont know about it..

    • +2

      It'd probably be best to give your number to the AirAsia fb page, since they're the ones that are actually doing something to help. Who knows how long it'll be until they see your email.

      • Facebook is blocked in China - hence he needs to post his number here so we can post it on Facebook for him.

        • +1

          Yeah. Just highlighting that emailing them will probably not yield results.
          Could just pm the number to their fb page if he wants to keep his number private.

  • +10

    Spend the cash and come home asap. Time is money and as you get older you will realize that more and more.

  • How can you have no cash left? Can you still book another flight with your credit card?

  • +3

    Hi Zarcady, they are asking for me to provide them with an alternative number. Maybe best to camp out at their checkin desk and I ask them to contact you there?

    • I'm guessing he can't get to the checkin desk… eg if he has passed passport control and only had a single entry Chinese visa, he won't be able to get back "landside" to the check-in desk as he doesn't have a visa.

      Plus their checkin desk will only be manned 2 hours before the flight, which means waiting until 11:25pm tonight.

    • +3

      Give me a few minutes please I will try to find a way to pm number. Thank you!!

      • +1

        just posted it here, it is your china number anyway, so once you fly back you dont use your number anymore. posted it here, so we can posted it to the facebook, facebook staff try to reach you but they cant

        • post*

    • +10

      tonka you da real MVP.

      • +3

        Hi tonka I think I cannot pm you since ozb does not let me pm if im outside australia. So ill put a chineae mobile number in good faith to everyone here
        Mod: Removed personal information as requested by commenter
        Thanks to everyone for their support!!

        • +2

          Thanks, I messaged it to them on Facebook.

          I don't think the email customer care centre is the way to go , not heard a thing from them.

      • Double post

  • +7

    I'm browsing around trying to get you some options.
    For around 500-600 you could catch a flight from Shanghai to honk kong today (24th)and Hong Kong to Darwin tomorrow (25th)
    What kind of budget are you running with, ill keep trying to look for you.

    If you are looking for other options and can get to Perth for cheap, I have a warm bed and home cooked meal if you need to stay.

    Sorry I can private message as I created an account to help you out.

    • Thank you xlitton! I will see what airasia can do for me and then look for other options. You are a champ for the offer!

  • +8

    I don't understand why you're staying at the airport?

    I know it's hard, but take everything as a good omen. Shanghai is a large and busy city with lots of things to see and places to visit. The flight on the 6th of August is $380. You have just under two weeks time. So instead of sitting around in an airport for 12 days, why don't you find yourself a place to stay, look up places to go and sights to see on Lonely Planet in Shanghai and enjoy 12 more days of holidays?

    Book yourself in early, relieve yourself of the stress and instead of wasting more time and money, enjoy yourself and have a nice time whilst you're there. I know you've wasted $380 on getting this extra flight, but you know what? Right now that $380 is $380 wasted. You're getting nothing more from it.

    But if you get out there and treat the next 12 days as a mini-holiday in Shanghai, it won't be too bad right? I'd pay $380 to have 12 days in Shanghai to roam around, explore and see things.

    So yeah, don't be such a downer about it. Find some place where you can exchange your HKD for a good rate, maybe a bank somewhere. Try and find a way to get money from your Australian bank account. I'm sure there are many different ways and enjoy the next 11 days. Get a good sleep on the 12th day and make sure you're well rested and ready for your flight home.

    No point sitting around wasting it all. Hope you get some positive vibes from this. All the best.

    • Maybe he doesn't have a visa to allow him access back into China?

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