Best Budget Airline

[Captain Chaos]

I have always resisted flying on budget airlines - too cramped, too basic, too old planes and too much chance of a delay ...

... but Singapore Airlines now want nearly 700 Sing dollars for an economy return - that's a lot for 2 and a half hours and given that I go for a couple of weekends a month, it adds up ...

I have flown Swiss quite often and it is a good service, Star Alliance member, at a price not much more than the budget carriers (for SIN-BKK-SIN leg)

But Swiss only have one flight a day, late at night, and sometimes I would prefer to go up to BKK v. early on the saturday morning instead - so my question is which budget carrier would people recommend? Only a couple of hours flying time so comfort & meals ain't a huge issue but on time performance definitely is!

Thanks

CC

[bkkjames]

I have always resisted flying on budget airlines - too cramped, too basic, too old planes and too much chance of a delay ...

... but Singapore Airlines now want nearly 700 Sing dollars for an economy return - that's a lot for 2 and a half hours and given that I go for a couple of weekends a month, it adds up ...

I have flown Swiss quite often and it is a good service, Star Alliance member, at a price not much more than the budget carriers (for SIN-BKK-SIN leg)

But Swiss only have one flight a day, late at night, and sometimes I would prefer to go up to BKK v. early on the saturday morning instead - so my question is which budget carrier would people recommend? Only a couple of hours flying time so comfort & meals ain't a huge issue but on time performance definitely is!

Thanks

CC

Tiger Airways has an early flight, as does TG, SQ.

[dekka007]

Thai Air Asia has the most flights per day.

[nohave]

I have always resisted flying on budget airlines - too cramped, too basic, too old planes and too much chance of a delay ...

... but Singapore Airlines now want nearly 700 Sing dollars for an economy return - that's a lot for 2 and a half hours and given that I go for a couple of weekends a month, it adds up ...

I have flown Swiss quite often and it is a good service, Star Alliance member, at a price not much more than the budget carriers (for SIN-BKK-SIN leg)

But Swiss only have one flight a day, late at night, and sometimes I would prefer to go up to BKK v. early on the saturday morning instead - so my question is which budget carrier would people recommend? Only a couple of hours flying time so comfort & meals ain't a huge issue but on time performance definitely is!

Thanks

CC

Same here, until the day I decided to give them a try. First with Jetstar. Good experience, great coffee and great leather seats with lots of leg room. Then I tried Tiger Airways. Good experience too. Coffee a little less tasty than Jetstar's but who cares. Seats not bad either. Leg room alright. No complaints. Next I tried out Air Aisia. Unlike jetstar and Tiger there is no system where seats are allocated during check in but that wasn't a problem either. I made sure that I stood right next to the boarding gate with my running shoes on and once the doors open I ran. Seats not so great. Aircraft very old. But I chose an exit row seat so lots of legroom. Other seats seemed to have a lot less legroom. So when flying with Ari Asia make sure your running shoes are on and once the gate opens: run.

Jetstar number 1 imo but more expensive

Tiger number 2 imo and less expensive than Jetstar

Air Aia number 3 and less expensive in comparison to the other 2 if you book early. They advertsie new aircraft. But from my experience the aircraft they used for the BKK-Sing-BKK leg was at least 25 years old. A boing 737. I think it's all about aircraft maintenance and I think Air Asia does have a good record for safety in that department.

Extremely fast check in with the 3 mentioned airlines above. Especially with Air Asia- SUPER fast.

I flew Air Asia last August from Bangkok to Singapore return. Bought my ticket 7 months in advance online for only 3,140 Baht including all taxes.

Edited October 29, 2008 by nohave

[Captain Chaos]

Nohave - that's very useful info, many thanks - but what about punctuality? Air Asia used to get a thumbs down for that but their website is claiming 96% on time performance for September...

CC

Edited October 29, 2008 by Captain Chaos

[dekka007]

Ive used thai air asia on the sinbkk run a lot over the last couple of years (3 or 4 times per month) as well as TG and SQ. I have had more delays on TG than i have on Air Asia.

For me the times are similar to the TG flight I usually take and the savings are welcome until TG get back to reality and put their fares back into the 9k return range...

[Captain Chaos]

Ive used thai air asia on the sinbkk run a lot over the last couple of years (3 or 4 times per month) as well as TG and SQ. I have had more delays on TG than i have on Air Asia.

For me the times are similar to the TG flight I usually take and the savings are welcome until TG get back to reality and put their fares back into the 9k return range...

Sounds promising - will try one of them on my next trip.

Thanks.

[waveydavey]

Air Asia currently have a promotion on Singapore flights if you book your seats within the next few days

[nohave]

Nohave - that's very useful info, many thanks - but what about punctuality? Air Asia used to get a thumbs down for that but their website is claiming 96% on time performance for September...

CC

In my only 1 time experience I flew Air Asia, very puctual.

[asanee]

Nohave - that's very useful info, many thanks - but what about punctuality? Air Asia used to get a thumbs down for that but their website is claiming 96% on time performance for September...

CC

Re this AirDELaysia fenomenon:

there are 3 AirAsia's: Thai, the original=Malay and Indonesian. Their malay-branch website shows it all now. Only Thai flies SIN-BKK. Since the move of domestic to old Don Muang and a shake-up, Thai A-A is mostly on time. For domestic Thai currently its more of a prob they often cancel-at last notice (likely not enough seats sold-they cannot afford too many losses)-and reobook you on next flite or competition. Does not seem to affect SIN-flites.

My last A-A SIN-BKK actually was in BKk 20 mins EARLY-guess what: as they do bus-transfers-no landbridges-we then had to wait 15 mins for the bus to appear!

[fishhooks]

If you are an Aussie and want to go to SIN for a fling, check the latest exchange rate, if you reckon the A$ has fallen badly against some currencies, it has been murdered by the Singapore $.

Much less than 1S$ for 1A$ a few days back!

[Captain Chaos]

If you are an Aussie and want to go to SIN for a fling, check the latest exchange rate, if you reckon the A$ has fallen badly against some currencies, it has been murdered by the Singapore $.

Much less than 1S$ for 1A$ a few days back!

Yep, S$'s been on the move up all year against Aussie, Pound, even US$ (until recently at least) - SG govt has let it rise because 'imported' inflation was becoming a problem - inflation hit as high as 7% which is unheard of here in recent years - but the appreciating Sing Dollar has dampened export growth so most predictions are that the govt will probably try to push it back down again now commodity prices have dropped and the global recession is biting...

What's that got to do with my budget flights from SIN to BKK anyway?

CC

[nonthaburial]

Is there any such animal as a true budget carrier, what with fuel surcharges and taxes etc plus Air asias fee for check in baggage !!

Ok for a heavy travel schedule these LCC may have the advantage but for me I still prefer the scheduled airlines

[LTGTR]

Air Asia has a 0 (zero) fare through today for BKK-SIN.I booked for just over 3100b w/express boarding both directions.