Low-Cost Carriers

[NanLaew]

There's several low-cost carriers operating in the region but apart from AirAsia's regular appearances in the piss and moan posts, it would be nice to see some information and comparisons between the others. I think we can categorize information into four categories of online or phone booking, inflight service, airport (ground) service and customer service.

For example, I think most AA complaints are with their online booking service. Their terms and conditions are all there but most booking errors seem to be related to dodgy internet service, time-outs and the like. I have flown them several times on Thai domestic routes and never had much of a problem with the service.

So, I will start with AirAsia and in my experience their online booking is prone to bottlenecks that can be discouraging. My advice if you are getting time-outs and errors is do NOT proceed with the booking and payment OR try another browser.

AirAsia: In-flight in Thailand has been good with mininal delays and note the newer aircraft being used.

AirAsia: Airport check-in can be fraught with delays mostly due to people suddenly realising they need to pay for their bags! Domestic Thailand baggage claim used to take ages but recently much improved. I have never needed to contact their customer service.

Now, how about Jetstar, Tiger, Cebu Pacific and any others that readers use frequently? And experiences at other airports served such as Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Saigon, etc..

Edited April 3, 2011 by NanLaew

[Nisa]

If you are traveling with a companion (pay for assigned seats to sit together) and intend to have luggage (pay more) and/or have more than one "light" carry-on bag (unlike other carriers there is no allowance for laptop bag or purse) then I find AA is not all that cheap compared to others. Beyond the nickel and diming I don;t have a problem with them in terms of service or website.

[pgthompson]

If you are traveling with a companion (pay for assigned seats to sit together) and intend to have luggage (pay more) and/or have more than one "light" carry-on bag (unlike other carriers there is no allowance for laptop bag or purse) then I find AA is not all that cheap compared to others. Beyond the nickel and diming I don;t have a problem with them in terms of service or website.

Air Asia dosen't seem to support Google Chrome, every time I get to the payment page it seems to crash. I now use IE just to book flights with Air Asia.

I agree that they are not as cheap as they once were, cheeses me off that there is a fee for using most credit/debit cards and travelling with a partner you do need to pay for assigned seats. I've flown with them a couple of times with my partner and the seats were no where near each other, asked for seats next to each other at check in and was told that it was not possible, fortunately there were empty seats on the flight and therefore moved ourselves.

Never been questioned about taking my laptop with me as well as carry on bag.

I booked a return flight from Chiang Mai to Bangkok when they had a promotion, the fare was 1380 baht, with luggage and debit card charges the final cost was 2236 Baht! Still cheap but not the bargain that was advertised.

[Nisa]

If you are traveling with a companion (pay for assigned seats to sit together) and intend to have luggage (pay more) and/or have more than one "light" carry-on bag (unlike other carriers there is no allowance for laptop bag or purse) then I find AA is not all that cheap compared to others. Beyond the nickel and diming I don;t have a problem with them in terms of service or website.

Air Asia dosen't seem to support Google Chrome, every time I get to the payment page it seems to crash. I now use IE just to book flights with Air Asia.

I agree that they are not as cheap as they once were, cheeses me off that there is a fee for using most credit/debit cards and travelling with a partner you do need to pay for assigned seats. I've flown with them a couple of times with my partner and the seats were no where near each other, asked for seats next to each other at check in and was told that it was not possible, fortunately there were empty seats on the flight and therefore moved ourselves.

Never been questioned about taking my laptop with me as well as carry on bag.

I booked a return flight from Chiang Mai to Bangkok when they had a promotion, the fare was 1380 baht, with luggage and debit card charges the final cost was 2236 Baht! Still cheap but not the bargain that was advertised.

OMG, yes I forgot about the credit card surcharge too.

As for Chrome, I am almost sure I used it last time I booked a couple months ago (BKK to Nahkon in the south). But now I am having some memories of running into some problem on the website and having to go back and enter all my info a couple times.

I didn't pay extra for anything (except CC) and it still was a cheap airfare and was just a few hundred baht more than what a 12-hour bus ride would have cost. But I was shocked there were open seats next to both me and my wife but they still assigned the seats randomly which meant we were not together. On the way down we simply moved and the flight attendant said no problem. But on the way back they made an announcement that nobody could change seats.

I actually started a thread a while back about the carry-on thing because I didn't fully understand the policy and it turns out that they will only screen some flights in terms of carry-on luggage but if you do get caught in one of these "stings" you will pay a ton more than had you booked the extra bag or weight when you bought the tickets.

[KhunDave]

I think Air Asia have made a strategic mistake with the increases they recently made to all the "add ons" - baggage, seating, convenience fee etc. If travelling with a checked bag they are now usually a couple of hundred Baht more than Bangkok Airways on the BKK-CNX route. The difference is small, but obviously Bangkok Airways are full service with assigned seats, meals and even lounge access. I can't see any reason to use Air Asia now in this regard.

[shepsel]

I have found that Air Asia's special services requests have been a major disappointment. I requested special seating as I was partially disabled (needing wheelchair assistance) due to surgery, and low and behold with the special request noted they assigned me a seat in the very back of the plane. Even at check in they would not rectify the problem, and I was told either to take the seat or forfeit the cost of the ticket. The problem is that there is nobody to complain to!

[pgthompson]

I think Air Asia have made a strategic mistake with the increases they recently made to all the "add ons" - baggage, seating, convenience fee etc. If travelling with a checked bag they are now usually a couple of hundred Baht more than Bangkok Airways on the BKK-CNX route. The difference is small, but obviously Bangkok Airways are full service with assigned seats, meals and even lounge access. I can't see any reason to use Air Asia now in this regard.

I agree with you entirely. Just looking at a single ticket from CNX to BKK in July and Air Asia's promotion price is 1590 then all fees and luggage on top means Bangkok Airways price of 1955 is cheaper and includes 30Kg luggage and refreshments.

I ONLY use Air Asia when there is a substantial saving to Bangkok Airways.

[Daewoo]

If this isn't restricted to travel within Thailand -

I travelled SYD-HKT with Jetstar -

By the time you added food, and Entertainment Package the fare was about $100 MORE than BA or QF to BKK. I took it because I was travelling with two kids and didn't want the hassle of an extra two hours flight time, plus a transfer in BKK. So they aren't really a low-cost carrier on routes where there is no real competition (unless you grab a sale fare, but even then, often a BA/QF Sale Fare to BKK is about the same).

The food was average, and the 'Entertainment' was a hand held personal video player with an extremely limited selection of movies (relative to in-seat entertainment units on normal long haul flights).

The online booking service was pain free, although I ended up needing to call them to ask a question about the booking (The Bride and Kids were on return tickets, mine was one way as I was returning ex-BKK) and it took about 90minutes to get through. No a big problem from a work phone that you can just leave on speaker and let it go, but still not ideal.

In flight service was pretty good - aside from all the Trolly Dollys being Aussie (i.e. a bit big across the rear end for my liking ). It was helped by the flight only being about 75% full.

Most of my flights are with Qantas and BA for business reasons, and I would probably rate the in flight service from Jetstar better.

Because one of our group is a worrier, we checked in in Sydney very early, so there was no real wait or hassles. At the HKT end there were extensive queues as they hand searched everyones luggage, which I believe was mostly to slow down the queue getting to the check-in counter...

Cheers,

Daewoo

[HaiSoh]

Hello,

Flown with Airasia 2 times recently, once to Singapore and once to Penang.

Both times the online booking has been a hassle, for the last trip ended up calling them to book a check in bagage.

To Singapore, only me and the Mrs. Booked hot seats but apart from the check in priority nothing special about that (as this was our first trip with Air Asia I just had to give it a go)

did the web check in, arrival at airport, Bag drop off and the rest - no problems.

I even find the prices for food and drinks very acceptable, compared to e.g. Ryanair !

To Penang, even worse online booking trouble. Ended by sending them an email asking why it is not possible to book your seat, add luggage and order meals, all in one transaction, never got an answer.

This trip we were 4.

For both trips we also used airasia.go, flight AND hotel offers. For the future we will book flights and hotels seperately as we did in the past.

Penang, booked a well known hotel, altough booked for 4 persons, on arrival got a room for 2 persons, 2 single beds in the room. no other room seemed available,

so ended up putting 2 single beds together and pay for an extra bed in the room. Air Asia doesn't take any responsibility or action in case you have trouble with the booked accomodation.

Love to read from other Low Cost carrier for domestic Thai and international flights in the south east asia region, next trips planned are Hong Kong and Australia.

Cheers !!

[geriatrickid]

Sometimes Air Asia makes sense. I paid 1/2 the TG airfare from SIN to HKT and had the benefit of a direct flight. On the other hand I won't fly Air Asia on the HKT-BKK route unless it's a day trip. If I have luggage and have connections requiring luggage transfer, TG is worth the price difference, even if I am flying in Business. Air Asia's desk service is horrible and their call centre is pathetic. Anytime I have had to change a TG ticket, no problems and the service is good. Also there are no long lines for domestic checkin at BKK. For HKT with the madness that occurs at holiday time, like Songkran, business class gets one around the long lines and lounge access. Only TG has business class and the extra 1500-2500 baht is worth it. Bangkok Airways isn't an option for me unless the TG flights are booked. Air Asia is only good if its a short flight and you have no luggage otherwise, the additional charges can make it more expensive than a discounted TG fare.

Edited April 4, 2011 by geriatrickid

[PattayaParent]

Never had a problem with Air Asia's online booking service except seat selection sometimes.

Never had a problem with their check in or baggage allowances either, despite being overweight on a few occassions.

Once on the 'plane it's just like any other airline I've flown, and better than some (Syrian Arab, Yugoslav, BA).

Even the one time I've experienced a delayed flight they provided food and drink free of charge which I wouldn't think they are obliged to do as you have to pay on the 'plane.

I did prefer Nok Air to Air Asia when they used to fly international but I've never used any carrier internally.

I don't hesitate to book Air Asia any time they are the cheapest option.

[hagler]

I am on planes intra Asia and to and from Australia about 10 times a month. 95% of the time it is on "low cost" carriers. The usual suspects; Air Asia, Tiger, Jetstar and Cebu Pacific.

All are great for carry on only luggage travel. (which I am doing as I am usually only overnighting or 2 nights max). Air Asia is the most forgiving when it comes to having an "extra" cabin bag, Jestar is the most stringent.

I always fly in one of the exit row aisle seats and can say that levels of comfort are (best first) 1. Cebu Pacific 2. Jetstar 3. Air Asia 4. Tiger

On board service and food, drinks and trolley dollies would be 1. Air Asia 2. Cebu Pacific ( food pretty average though) and a very distant... 3. Tiger and 4. Jetstar

website booking would be 1. Air Asia 2. Cebu Pacific 3. Jetstar 4. Tiger

All the flights I take have been on time, early or late by no later than 30 minutes except for one Cebu Pacific flight from Dumaguette to Manila that was delayed for 8 hours and we spent the day in the terminal waiting for the engine to be fixed. but they give us 2 pieces of KFC and a bottle of water while we waited...lol

All in all I am very happy flying the low cost guys. Last financial alone I saved nearly $25 000 USD on flight costs as compared to my costs when I used to have to fly full service brands.

However for flights longer than 5 hours I do fly full service airline up in the pointy end.

[el jefe]

I've flown Air Asia about 25 times and I have a ticket for CNX-BKK in two weeks that I paid 599 baht for (and at the time of purchase a 75 baht convenience fee). I'll buy suprsize luggage (30 kilos) before I get to the airport and pay a reasonable fee. Try checking 30 kilos on Bangkok Air or Thai Air on a domestic flight and see what that costs you! I've also carried on 2 bags weighing close to 15 kilos several times and never had a problem. I've flown with my spouse on most of those flights and only once were we seated apart. Too bad. She can live without me for a couple of hours.

I've already booked flights for CNX-Kuching via KL for next winter for under 3000 baht RT for all 4 flights.

Of course, if I need to book a flight on short notice, I'll usually choose Bangkok Airways. But if you understand how to work with Air Asia's system, they can't be beat.

YMMV.

[pgthompson]

I've flown Air Asia about 25 times and I have a ticket for CNX-BKK in two weeks that I paid 599 baht for (and at the time of purchase a 75 baht convenience fee). I'll buy suprsize luggage (30 kilos) before I get to the airport and pay a reasonable fee. Try checking 30 kilos on Bangkok Air or Thai Air on a domestic flight and see what that costs you! I've also carried on 2 bags weighing close to 15 kilos several times and never had a problem. I've flown with my spouse on most of those flights and only once were we seated apart. Too bad. She can live without me for a couple of hours.

I've already booked flights for CNX-Kuching via KL for next winter for under 3000 baht RT for all 4 flights.

Of course, if I need to book a flight on short notice, I'll usually choose Bangkok Airways. But if you understand how to work with Air Asia's system, they can't be beat.

YMMV.

No problem and no charge for 30Kg luggage on Bangkok Airways, just join their frequent flyer scheme, you also get to use the lounge.

Bear in mind that Air Asia charge 535 Baht for 30Kg providing you book in advance, or 5765 Baht !!! if you don't.

[PattayaParent]

el jefe, convenience fee is now 90 Baht per person per sector when I booked last weekend

So for 3 people return that's 6 convenience fees for using just one credit card!!!

[Crushdepth]

Fake pilots: Nose-first landing unravels full-blown scandal.

[Nisa]

Fake pilots: Nose-first landing unravels full-blown scandal.

A pilot needs to have completed a minimum 200 hours of flying to get a licence. Several of the pilots from there had only completed 50-60 hours," Umesh Mishra, from Rajasthan's anti-corruption bureau, said.

OMG, I hope they are not talking about a license to transport passengers on a commercial jet but have to assume they are given the story. In the US they need 2,000+ hours.

[Crushdepth]

It was Air India, amongst others.

[el jefe]

I've flown Air Asia about 25 times and I have a ticket for CNX-BKK in two weeks that I paid 599 baht for (and at the time of purchase a 75 baht convenience fee). I'll buy suprsize luggage (30 kilos) before I get to the airport and pay a reasonable fee. Try checking 30 kilos on Bangkok Air or Thai Air on a domestic flight and see what that costs you! I've also carried on 2 bags weighing close to 15 kilos several times and never had a problem. I've flown with my spouse on most of those flights and only once were we seated apart. Too bad. She can live without me for a couple of hours.

I've already booked flights for CNX-Kuching via KL for next winter for under 3000 baht RT for all 4 flights.

Of course, if I need to book a flight on short notice, I'll usually choose Bangkok Airways. But if you understand how to work with Air Asia's system, they can't be beat.

YMMV.

No problem and no charge for 30Kg luggage on Bangkok Airways, just join their frequent flyer scheme, you also get to use the lounge.

Bear in mind that Air Asia charge 535 Baht for 30Kg providing you book in advance, or 5765 Baht !!! if you don't.

Thanks. That's exactly my point. My total fare with 30 kilos of baggage on Air Asia will be 1209 (599 + 535 + 75). Bangkok Air is 1755 at best. I can buy a lot of coffee and snacks with the savings of 546 baht (31%). Usually I fly with just carry-on baggage so the savings are even more substantial. As I said previously, if I fly on short notice I usually fly Bangkok Air so I'm already a member of their FF plan. How much is their lounge usage with ordinary snacks and poor coffee worth to you?

[el jefe]

el jefe, convenience fee is now 90 Baht per person per sector when I booked last weekend

So for 3 people return that's 6 convenience fees for using just one credit card!!!

As I wrote above, "a ticket for CNX-BKK in two weeks that I paid 599 baht for (and at the time of purchase a 75 baht convenience fee)." So the fee went up by 15 baht in the 4 or 5 months since I bought my ticket? My total fare with 30 kilos of baggage on Air Asia will be 1209 baht (599 + 535 + 75). Now it will be 1224 baht with the 15 baht increase. Please tell me where you can get a better deal. And since I usually travel this route with no baggage, can you even get the bus for 689 baht?!

[PattayaParent]

el jefe, convenience fee is now 90 Baht per person per sector when I booked last weekend

So for 3 people return that's 6 convenience fees for using just one credit card!!!

As I wrote above, "a ticket for CNX-BKK in two weeks that I paid 599 baht for (and at the time of purchase a 75 baht convenience fee)." So the fee went up by 15 baht in the 4 or 5 months since I bought my ticket? My total fare with 30 kilos of baggage on Air Asia will be 1209 baht (599 + 535 + 75). Now it will be 1224 baht with the 15 baht increase. Please tell me where you can get a better deal. And since I usually travel this route with no baggage, can you even get the bus for 689 baht?!

I wasn't challenging your post el jefe, just providing updated information.

I don't see why the convenience fee isn't charged per transaction though rather than per person per sector, I still only get 1 computer generated email from them and they only have to process 1 application to the CC company. Maybe next time I'll make 6 separate bookings to make them earn their money.

[KED]

I agree that the add-ons with Air Asia is a pain - and whenever there is another alternate airline with a similar fare, I will not book Air Asia. However, I often find that Air Asia runs substantially lower fares than mainline airlines like Thai. I just did a search from Bangkok to Bali 5 months from now in October, off season. Air Asia came up with a USD 235.00 fare (before baggage, seats, food, convenience fee) and Malaysia was USD 551 and Thai USD 659. I don't understand why Thai and Malaysian aren't even trying to be competitive - until they do - I will book Air Asia.

Edited April 6, 2011 by KED

[geriatrickid]

Fake pilots: Nose-first landing unravels full-blown scandal.

A pilot needs to have completed a minimum 200 hours of flying to get a licence. Several of the pilots from there had only completed 50-60 hours," Umesh Mishra, from Rajasthan's anti-corruption bureau, said.

OMG, I hope they are not talking about a license to transport passengers on a commercial jet but have to assume they are given the story. In the US they need 2,000+ hours.

That didn't apply to Colgan Air when it fell out of the sky did it? The USA LCC industry is one catastrophic crash away from bring as bad as India. Look at the low cost feeder airlines.

[NanLaew]

First time flyer on Jetstar from SIN to BKK; red-eye special.

Booked online and paid the extra for 25kg checked baggage. Arrived at Changi T1 at 5.30 for the 7.15 departure. They had a lady asking your destination and directing pax to one of two fast-moving check in lines. Check-in was very quick with about 10 check-in desks open. I was 0.7kg over but they didn't mention it. Checked in, through immigration and (only person) in lounge before 6.00. Excellent! Gate was very close to lounge... even better. Security check was polite and quick.

Departed 15 minutes late at 7.30. Slept the whole way (I was knackered after the convention) and arrived 15 minutes early at 8.30. Plane was middle-aged A320 with full pax load but had an empty seat next to me. I had grabbed a front-row seat and woke up freezing my arse off! Longish walk from G gate. Thai Immigration west hall was mobbed... long lines despite every second desk being staffed; looked like Air Lanka had just disgorged! About 9am, some more staff opened up more lines and once on a line served by 2 officers, it went a helluva lot faster. Bag was on the carousel when I got there around 9.15 (last bag warning on display) so all in all, a pretty good experience.

AoT Limo tried to get me into a Benz which I objected to... so they misunderstood and offered the 7-series Beemer! Must have been the Oscar De La Renta suit that threw them! Asked for Camry... no have but offered Teana. Good driver who managed to show me a new way to avoid the morning Sukhumvit-East exit bottleneck and get onto Soi 4 via the South Ploenchit route (cost him an extra 20 baht to pass through the Raja Hotel parking lot). Tipped him well as he got me to the hotel before 10am despite a dipsh!t farang wedging his pickup the wrong way in the hotel driveway!

Edited April 8, 2011 by NanLaew

[ding]

Nok Air sent an SMS saying flight was delayed 2-3 hours. We were there 1 hour before the 2 hour delay and it had left already.

They would not even let us buy another seat "flights full sorry".

We were late to our wedding! Got there after buying a Thai Air full fare ticket - great service, worth every Baht.

[Patong Bob]

I can't believe that any long haul, low cost airline could be worse than Jetstar (or Jetscum, as I affectionally call them}.

[NanLaew]

I can't believe that any long haul, low cost airline could be worse than Jetstar (or Jetscum, as I affectionally call them}.

Come on Bob.... can we have your reasons for this opinion? I just posted on an excellent first-time experience with Jetstar on a regional international flight. If you have something to validate your statement, please share. That's the purpose of this thread, not just name calling. We can all do that.

[Patong Bob]

Couldn't do the quote thing, no expert on the internet, but generally I didn't like the lack of service or the unfriendly staff.

Specifically I came off a motor bike and broke some ribs and a crack in my skull. I tried to get back to Australia and our wonderful Medicare system but Jetstar wouldn't let me change the date of my ticketto Australia but offered me a oneway ticket for over 30,000 baht. So I was here for a month unable to walk along the beach, hit the bars or do anything much except sit at a table in my mate's restaurant reading and being bored. When I got to Sydney they had lost my walking stick (how can you lose a walking stick on a plane ?) so they wheeled me to the terminal and left me there. Fortuna

tely someone from Qantas rescued me and somehow found a walking stick from their lost property. Vowed then and there I'd never fly Jetscum again

[bubba]

Just my two cents about AirAsia:

Yes, if you book far enough in advance, you can get some good fares, but you do get what you pay for. I particularly dislike all the added fees that they slip in AFTER you see their amazing fare quote. One devious one is the travel insurance, which they have cleverly set as a default when you are booking and sort of reversed the buttons around so that you end up buying it whether you wanted to or not if you aren't careful. Then there is the fee for all checked bags. And their euphemistically titled "convenience fee" for using a credit card to purchase your ticket. Recently, there have been indications that they will actually begin to start charging for counter checkin as well, and they have in Malaysia:

http://blog.thestar.com.my/permalink.asp?id=32645

The one that particularly peeved me was the "hot seat" thing. Of course there is an additional charge for this as well. Having taken AirAsia before and had my knees crammed against the seat in front of me and my face nearly pushed into the seat back in front of me when that seat was reclined, I thought maybe the hot seat would make the flight more endurable. Air Asia doesn't say much about these in detail, except that they are at better locations and give you a better experience. A seat map was presented to me when I was looking at information, and it clearly showed a bit more space between the "hot seats". Wrong. Space between seats and seat pitch is exactly the same, which I found out after paying for it. Very tricky, AirAsia. Fees, fees, and more fees. Just try to find a listing of all the added fees on the Air Asia site before you get into the actual booking process.

When all the charges were summed up, I could have taken a "real" airline for about the same price, and I wish I had. In many cases, it's cheaper, as other posters have noted about Bangkok Airways, which is truly a quality airline. Personally, with all the little tricks AirAsia have to tack on charges, coupled with their "service", I've sworn them off for good after my last experience, if for nothing else but out of principle due to their business practices.

Edited April 10, 2011 by bubba

[NanLaew]

Couldn't do the quote thing, no expert on the internet, but generally I didn't like the lack of service or the unfriendly staff.

Specifically I came off a motor bike and broke some ribs and a crack in my skull. I tried to get back to Australia and our wonderful Medicare system but Jetstar wouldn't let me change the date of my ticketto Australia but offered me a oneway ticket for over 30,000 baht. So I was here for a month unable to walk along the beach, hit the bars or do anything much except sit at a table in my mate's restaurant reading and being bored. When I got to Sydney they had lost my walking stick (how can you lose a walking stick on a plane ?) so they wheeled me to the terminal and left me there. Fortunately someone from Qantas rescued me and somehow found a walking stick from their lost property. Vowed then and there I'd never fly Jetscum again

Exceptional circumstances noted. Hope you are all mended again.