Originally Posted by
sbm12
Right. And people often pay for this.
Just because you don't know of the carrier doesn't mean it is a problem. You're probably over-stating the value of all the research you've described. You say "twice as expensive" but it is not clear whether that is $100, $300, $500 or more. I'd pay $100 extra to not have a connection which adds 2+ hours to such a short trip.
Absolutely agree, which is why I recommended only that he do research on the carrier before buying (as I would do/have done).
I didn't think the exact dollar amounts were important to mention, but in this case:
- Hong Kong Express Airways: US$255
- MH (connecting in KL): US$282
- MH (non-stop): ~US$800
As for the research, it's something that I personally would do before selecting (or recommending) an unfamiliar carrier, but it doesn't concern me that not everyone takes that step.
In my specific case, I'd clearly pay the US$282 for the MH flight, because I'd save money, earn RDM/EQM and be able to use the lounge on the layover, but of course, none of this is relevant to my friend's reasoning.