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Counting the cost of a cheap flight: AirAsia, Tiger Airways & Valuair

Counting the cost of a cheap flight: AirAsia, Tiger Airways & Valuair

Old Oct 29, 2004, 8:47 pm
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Counting the cost of a cheap flight: AirAsia, Tiger Airways & Valuair

Source: Straits Times, Singapore 30 Oct 2004

Oct 30, 2004
Counting the cost of a cheap flight
No soap, used tissues on seats would be OK with some if the price is right
By Karamjit Kaur
Transport Correspondent

I'M NOT a fussy traveller but I do expect some basics when I fly, which is not very often - maybe two or three times a year.

For example, if I want some extra time for duty-free shopping, it's nice to know my confirmed seat will be waiting when I board the aircraft.

If I'm travelling with family and friends, I'd like to sit with them, thank you.

When I use the toilet in the air, there had better be enough soap, tissue and toilet paper.

And I really don't fancy having to clear up other people's used tissues and empty mineral water bottles just because someone didn't do a good job of cleaning the aircraft.

You see, for me, a holiday is something to look forward to and the experience starts the moment I get into a cab and head for the airport.

So, yes, I baulked when I was handed the assignment of testing out the service of each of the three budget airlines. The idea of having to fight for a seat alarmed me.

So I was ready to give extra points not just for 'cheap' but, especially, for 'good'.

I would cross off Thai Air Asia immediately, because of the discomfort from being wedged in a stuffy bus between terminal and aeroplane. The other two airlines, thankfully, use aerobridges.

Fussy? Hey, I wasn't the only uncomfortable passenger looking to breathe well for 15 minutes.

If the price is right, I guess I can tolerate some discomfort.

After paying for food - Valuair provides a free meal but the other two airlines make you pay - the cheapest was Tiger Airways . I paid S$140 (plus S$15 more for food) for a round trip to Bangkok, excluding airport taxes and surcharges.

On AirAsia, the fare was S$170 and food cost an additional S$10.

Valuair was the most expensive at S$220 for a round-trip fare - S$65 more than the cheapest deal, counting meals.

Still, I would pay the difference to fly Valuair because I think the extra S$65 - S$32.50 per flight I paid for better service, a cleaner aircraft and more leg room - was worth it.

The seat pitch for Valuair is 81.3cm, while the other two airlines pack in more passengers per aircraft, so there is less space - 73.6cm.

Cheap airlines which clean their own planes are unlikely to find a customer in me. A mid-level carrier like Valuair probably will.

When I tested the three airlines, I also found the Valuair girls friendlier and willing to go the extra mile for passengers.

On the flight to Bangkok, the chief stewardess offered to help me check with airport ground staff on excess baggage charges. The stewardess for another airline merely suggested that I check with ground staff after landing. To me, such intangibles matter in making the flight a more pleasant one.

Still, I don't have a money plant growing at home so there is a limit to how much more I would pay for the extra comfort.

If it cost me S$200 more to fly Valuair compared with the other airlines, then maybe I would put up with no soap in the toilets and used tissues on my seat cover.

After all, it's just a two-hour flight, right?

Bottom line is, every traveller is different. For some, cost is all that matters. Others want more.

It would be ideal of course if an airline could be both cheap and good, but from my experience, getting a combination of both is tough.

Clearly, airlines are not aspiring to be all things to all people either.

For Tiger Airways and Air- Asia, the mantra is low fares, low fares, low fares. They believe that for short flights of up to five hours, nothing else matters to the traveller.

So if aerobridges are too expensive, they'll put passengers on buses and get the cabin crew to clean aircraft. For a cheap ticket, passengers shouldn't be complaining that 'cleaners' miss a used tissue or two.

Valuair thinks differently. Singapore Airlines veteran Lim Chin Beng, who started the airline, is convinced that Asians especially, want more service and, in return, are willing to pay more.

He appears to be right.

AirAsia which has been around longer is more popular with Caucasians and its planes are full.

Having done all their market surveys and studies, the airlines are taking a gamble, hoping that they know the traveller best.

If more passengers were like me, then I guess we wouldn't mind paying a bit more for a bit more comfort. Just remember that, even as Asians enjoy a good flying experience, there's a limit to what we will pay for.

Last edited by hclee01; Oct 31, 2004 at 12:14 am
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Old Oct 30, 2004, 11:45 am
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Last edited by Scandalous; Nov 16, 2005 at 1:45 am Reason: Deleted by user due to uneasiness with flyertalk censorship policies.
 
Old Oct 31, 2004, 12:13 am
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Actually, in my personal opinion, paying for USD35 for each sector, totally around USD70 for a roundtrip is not a good deal, considering that the full service airlines are now charging cheap promotional tickets from SIN-BKK with meals, inflight service and assigned seats.

SAS: S$134
THAI Airways: S$145
Garada Indonesia: S$148

The only setback is that most promotional fare require 2 persons to travel together.
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Old Oct 31, 2004, 1:56 pm
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Old Oct 31, 2004, 7:27 pm
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Originally Posted by Scandalous
If that it a return fare, those are some great deals. If those deals are still available I would definitely go that way. Usually those airlines are almost twice that price. At normal prices I figure I save about $40US per flight for giving up my meal and assigned seat. $40US will buy you one hell of a dinner in Bangkok.
Oh yes, the promotional fares are still on till Nov 2004. If you are keen to purchase these tickets, you can visit the following websites for details at http://www.zuji.com.sg and http://www.airfares.com.sg.

I agree with you that these days the fares are at rock-bottom prices due to the stiff competition from the budget airlines. However, I think I have a weak heart to "run" from the boarding gate to the plane just to get the seats I want.... wow!
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Old Oct 31, 2004, 8:39 pm
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I was thrilled by Tiger Air, as reported in the SQ thread..
I would definitely fly them to TG or Garuda, despite the lost miles.
Value air is prety expensive for what they offer, so I give them a skip.
Air Asia - no, no.
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