Flighthacker » Airfare Advice

Tiger Airways: Is it the right airline for you?

roshodgekiss — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 13:15:45 +0000

Tiger Airways - The verdict is out.

Recently I had the pleasure of flying Tiger Airways between Sydney and Melbourne, on my own coin, of course. Prior to the flights, I had been inundated with both positive and negative stories regarding Tiger flights, ranging from, “Oh, you have to walk on the tarmac, ooooh!”, to “Well, it’s $28 a pop”, not to mention exposure to Channel 7’s controversial show, ‘Airways’. Combining these tales with my own experience, I realised that, for all its merits, perhaps Tiger Airways isn’t really for everyone. The following is my breakdown of what to expect on a Tiger flight; hopefully it will help you decide whether Tiger should be your carrier of choice, or if you should invest that extra few dollars to avoid the mobile stairs.

On the Ground

Most of the criticism towards Tiger Airways’ operations have been directed at activities on the ground, such as check-in procedures and crowded boarding areas. I collaborate with these points, as it can’t be denied that Tiger Airways’ check-in queues appear to be consistently long (one of the results of having no web- or self service- check in facilities) and while in queue, the thought persists that you may not make it for their ‘45-minutes prior to departure’ cut-off. On the flight to Melbourne (departing Sydney’s domestic airport), there were two check-in agents who were working diligently enough, however one seemed to be engaged for over ten minutes in processing a five-man metal band and their shabby assortment of guitar cases. Fifteen minutes into the wait, people in queue were starting to shift their weight uneasily, looking at watches, perhaps anticipating that an ‘Airways’ cameraman would turn up any moment now…

Which leads me to the return leg, via the legendary Melbourne (Tullamarine) Terminal 4 corral. This time, the ‘Airways’ crew were already standing in wait, like bored vultures with boom mikes. Yes, we had been warned – a placard on the door declared that we were to be filmed – but the fact that the crew were making themselves so obvious, so close to check-in cutoff and in such an enclosed space made for a very uncomfortable atmosphere. Were they really waiting out for the cutoff so they could pounce upon the hysterics of some suburban mum, all in the name of ‘good television’? I willed the queue to hurry – it wasn’t my intention to personally kick-off ‘Airways’ Season 2.

Security screening at Sydney and Melbourne was stock-standard, as security should be. The gates at each respective terminal, however, were miles apart in terms of comfort to passengers. So, lets talk about terminals. Sydney domestic T2 is shared with all the other domestic carriers – Qantas, Virgin Blue, Rex, Jetstar – meaning that you enjoy facilities of a standard befitting premium-fare passengers. This is not the case with Melbourne’s Tiger-exclusive Tullamarine Terminal 4, which resembles, well, a busy weekend at Bunnings Warehouse. Look, I won’t knock it too hard – it keeps out the weather and is of the same construction as the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal in Kuala Lumpur (LCCT). But that said, it is a budget commission – the plastic seats are hard, there aren’t enough of them (especially when people sleep across four abreast), people crouch/lie/pray on the dense carpet and the arcade machines have come to die (if they haven’t already).

People sit so closely in Terminal 4 – back to back – that you can catch snippets of low-cost conversation:

“I spent nine years in boarding school… Think of all that family time I missed… nine years…”

“Ya couldn’t have said it any louder, luv!”

A girl sits in the shadow of her Henleys-jock boyfriend, so blue it makes her spray-tan look a less than complimentary grey. A ground staffer announces delays to Tiger flights bound for Sydney and Canberra. He wavers, sounds uncertain.

Moving onto boarding the aircraft, it’ll break it to you gently – boarding is via the front and rear stairs. If you have a problem with climbing stairs for reasons other than age or disability, then honestly, discount travel is not for you. In fact, I recommend staying in bed.

That said, mobile stairs do pose an interesting problem in Melbourne, which is as famous for its volatile weather as it is for its Chapel St ragtrade. Both on arrival and departure, we were met on the naked tarmac with bone-chilling gusts of wind. I pulled my coat around me in a stranglehold.

Melbourne’s T4 baggage carousel is sheltered, but not from the wind. I met a cockatoo once, who lived in a similar enclosure.

In the Sky

Well, this is what you pay for – the romance of flying, skirting the elements for the price of a DVD. And at this task, Tiger Airways is perfectly adept. However, in the spirit of discount, there are a few caveats – snacks have to be paid for, the seat pitch is not for basketballers and when the seat in front of you reclines, it momentarily seems like you’re going to be cradling the seatback in your lap. But for an hour of cheaply-priced flight (or in my case, 47c per minute), it’s completely acceptable.

I picked up a well-worn copy of Tiger Tales, their inflight magazine. It’s one of Ink Publishing’s better in-flight magazines. I wanted to tear out the destination guides and an interesting article on Mt Kinabalu. Someone had already beaten me to a third of the cover, after all.

The flight attendants are all amiable and confident. They all looked full of Spring, unlike the Jetstar insomniacs I had met when trans-Tasman last month. One gives a fellow a stern, but fair rap for using his phone while the plane is refuelling. I’d want that FA on my raft if we were ever to ditch into Lake Burley Griffin.

On the Phone

Important Note (29/09/09): Tiger Airways’ call centre is based in the Philippines. Due to the recent catastrophic events following Typhoon Ondoy, telecommunications’ services have been thrown out of whack, as well as the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. If you are trying to contact Tiger Airways, visit their Call Centre Update page for details.

I love talking to the Tiger Airways’ call centre staff. I don’t really like waiting 10-15 minutes for the pleasure of it. And I wish they could do something more for me. But there’s one rule on a $28 fare and that’s that it will cost you another $28 to book a new ticket. Want to change your flight time/date/name on ticket? Too bad – that will cost you $50 per person, per sector. A new ticket will generally cost you less than that. And that’s what the call centre will tell you – more politely, of course.

In Conclusion…

I may really like to knock around what is a very competitive new airline on the Australian travel scene, but Tiger Airways met my optimistic expectations. Yes, Melbourne’s Terminal 4 is a bit droll and having the ‘Airways’ film crew on the wings sure makes one reach for the antiperspirant, but in the air, they’re fine. So, here’s the wrap:

Why you should fly Tiger Airways:

Flights are consistently cheap, starting from $28 between Sydney and Melbourne;
They have a great in-flight magazine (hah!);
They fly to Tullamarine, not Avalon;
They fly. As in, they stay in the air. Singapore Airlines’ 49% stake ensures this.

Why you shouldn’t fly Tiger Airways:

No web- or self service- check-in; queues can be long and worrisome;
Boarding and disembarking involves walking on stairs and tarmac (potentially into Melbourne weather);
You have agoraphobia – Melbourne (Tullamarine) Terminal 4 can get pretty crowded;
You’re a tall person and the seat-pitch is saying, ‘no’.

Make sure you share your Tiger Airways’ experiences – good and bad – on this blog, as I’d love to hear from you. Happy flying!

Tour Down Under: See Lance Armstrong… On the cheap!

roshodgekiss — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 13:20:17 +0000

Race to Adelaide with Lance! Photo Credit: Anita Ritenour

Now that Lance Armstrong has confirmed that he’s racing in the Tour Down Under, I’ve started seriously thinking about attending the first leg of the world’s greatest cycling series, the UCI ProTour, in Adelaide, South Australia. If you’re planning to cheer on the world’s greatest cyclists at the tour during 17 – 24 January, 2010, here are some tips on how to get there and stay like a fan should… On a bike-chain budget!

Flying to Adelaide

Adelaide is more accessible than ever, as it is serviced by all of Australia’s major low-cost carriers (Jetstar, Tiger Airways and Virgin Blue) at very affordable fares. For example, Tiger Airways flies Sydney to Adelaide twice-daily for $49 and Melbourne to Adelaide for $39 each way for the duration of the Tour. For international guests, Adelaide also entertains discount flights from a handful of Asian and Pacific cities.

As of August, Adioso has not indexed fares to Adelaide, however if you’re planning to book a ticket closer to the date, do check Adioso for details.

Staying in Adelaide

View Larger Map

The great news – Adelaide’s CBD is relatively compact, so staying in the city will keep you near all the action during the first (Tour Down Under Classic, Rymill Park) and final stages of the tour. The bad news – affordable accommodation currently seems to be in short supply, so here’s a shortlist of hotels that won’t break the budget:

Hostel 109 – 109 Carrington St, Adelaide – from $25 (dorm)
Majestic Minima – 146 Melbourne Street, North Adelaide - from $99
Breakfree Directors Studio – 259 Gouger Street, Adelaide - from $118
Quest Mansions Apartments – 21 Pulteney Street, Adelaide - from $145

Make sure you also check TripAdvisor for hotel reviews before you book. Enjoy the Tour before Le Tour!

For more information:

Tour Down Under Official Website – http://www.tourdownunder.com.au/
South Australia Official Website – http://www.southaustralia.com/
Lance Armstrong on Twitter – http://twitter.com/lancearmstronG

Jetstar: JetMail subscribers – book a return flight and receive a $100 flight voucher

roshodgekiss — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 13:46:43 +0000

Jetstar have been emailing a number of their JetMail email subscribers, offering $100 flight vouchers if they book a return flight by 16 August, for travel prior to 15 September. This is great if you’re a JetMail subscriber and are planning to fly Jetstar in the coming weeks, anyway.

From the email:

1. Book a return flight at Jetstar.com by 16 August 2009, where the return date for your trip is on or before 15 September 2009.

2. Make sure you use the email address that you have used to register for JetMail (ie. the email address we have used to mail this email to you) in the booking process.

3. We’ll email you a $100 Jetstar flight voucher within 28 days to put towards your next flight with us.

Please note that I cannot verify if this still works for subscribers who have not personally received this email (such as myself). If you do get a voucher out of this, do kindly share your experiences, as I’d love to hear from you! Check out the Jetstar voucher email for further details. Good luck!

Flight Sales and Discount Airfares: When to book, where and how to get that deal in Australia

roshodgekiss — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 10:33:22 +0000

Buy your tickets with low-cost carriers at the right time and save money. Photo Credit: Martin Gommel

Everyone will tell you – Earlybird specials are dead. So when exactly is the best time to book that budget holiday and how? Here are some lessons I’ve learnt from tracking sales and booking fares, so don’t let anyone bully you into buying an airfare 10 months in advance!

When to buy a bargain airfare (and the travel dates to target)

Here are some tips on when to book that Holy Grail cheap flight:

Book 1-4 months ahead. As a rule of thumb, discount airlines seem to release their choice sale fares 1-4 months prior to their travel period. For example, you should start looking in July if you plan on travelling in August to November. The exception to this rule are discount airlines like AirAsia, who often sell sale fares for travel periods up to 10 months ahead. Balance the risks against the price – you may end up paying roughly $50 – $100 more for a sale fare between Melbourne and Kuala Lumpur by skipping the first or second sale that comes around, however at least you will have a greater sense of security by booking closer to your intended travel date.

Stick to ’shoulder periods’ and avoid holidays. When booking fares in Australia, the travel periods to avoid are from 15 November – 31 January (Christmas), 27 March – 31 April (Easter) and Australian school and public holidays (depending on where you’re travelling to, of course). Conversely, I have also found that awesome sales and fares seem to appear just after major holidays (eg. Christmas), as if to compensate for that post-holiday dip. February – March and July – early November seem to be blessed with an abundance of sale fares, so as per tip #1, start shopping around from July onwards for sale fares in November, or even as far afield as February and March.

That said… If you’re after a particularly popular, yet non-holiday period such as the Winter ski months in Queenstown, New Zealand, the rules can go out the window. For example, Jetstar’s notorious $160 return fares to Christchurch in July/August, 2009 went on sale at the beginning of December, 2008 (Note: this was also the launch of the new SYD – CHC route, there were sales in the following months, too). If you’re into seasonal activities like skiing, look into what an “average” fare is like and use discretion, not rules, to decide when it’s the right time to buy.

Look for Tuesday and Wednesday (mid-week) airfares. Commonsense will dictate that the most popular time to fly are weekends. Be flexible and look for mid-week fares – airfares for Tuesdays are almost consistently cheaper than weekend flights and even opting to fly back on a Monday morning instead of a Sunday night can save you a considerable amount of money. An exception to this rule is Tiger Airways, who commonly release sale fares on Saturdays, however you will have to book fast to get them!

Buy your web fares in the morning, or late at night. Unless the sale is blink-and-you’ll-miss-it, you’re best booking online when the least amount of people are hitting the airline’s website as well. To save yourself the stress of a potentially slow online booking process, check and select fares first thing in the morning, or well into the evening. Lunch and dinner are times to avoid. Get the jump on Asian sales as well – if an AirAsia sale starts at midnight (Malaysian time), just get up early the following morning – you will be at least 2 hours ahead of the rush (unless you’re in Perth… Sorry, fellas).

Where to find and book a discount fare

In so much as purchasing fares online is all the rage, don’t forget your friendly travel agent – they’re still in business for a reason!

Book one-way and short/medium haul trips online, long-haul, complex and round the world tickets with your travel agent. If you’re planning a quick trip from Sydney to Melbourne, the days of coughing up the big bling to your travel agent are well over. Do the research and shop around online for flights to domestic and short to mid-distance international destinations, too. A great site to check is Adioso, an airfare comparison site for discount carriers, both here and abroad. Also check this site (Flighthacker) regularly… It’s my serious hobby, after all!

That said, once you add multiple hops to your itinerary, or travel beyond Asia and the Pacific, the value in purchasing multiple point-to-point fares with discount carriers diminishes considerably. Shop around online and compare fares with your travel agent. Some will even match fares available via Australian-registered online businesses (eg. Webjet, Zuji.com.au), so you can be secure in knowing you have found a good deal and have the personal service of an agent to match.

Finally, consider your travel needs – if you need a ticket with flexible dates, have specific requests or simply need creature comforts during a long flight, book a full-fare airline ticket with your travel agent. If all you need is the equivalent of a bus ride, then buy a discount fare online. You get what you pay for.

How to find out about cheap fares and sales

Subscribe to airline email newsletters, follow airlines on Twitter, or… Check this blog, of course! I’m already subscribed to a whole bunch of newsletters and follow multiple airlines on Twitter, so you don’t need to do the legwork. However, if you’re particularly interested in that cheap flight to Malaysia, subscribe to AirAsia’s email newsletter. Check AirNinja for carriers that fly to your desired destination and make sure you sign up for your favourite airlines’ sales and offers.

Check out alternative routes. Is Sydney to Hong Kong too expensive? Check out fares from Sydney to Macau, then transit to Hong Kong. You may be very surprised at the price differences. Also, target nearby holiday destinations or alternate airports. In Asia, it is often cheaper to fly into a tourist-town like Phuket, then transfer to a low-cost flight to reach your final destination. Particularly in Europe, many discount airlines fly into “alternate” airports that service a particular city, so research what other options are available with AirNinja and Adioso.

Visit Australian online forums and bargain sites. Established sites like the Australian Frequent Flyer Community can provide oodles of insider advice. OzBargain commonly features sales just as they break. Find a community you like and subscribe to their email newsletters, RSS or follow them on Twitter.

Ask around. Talk to your travel agent, friends/family and send me a Tweet. It may sound obvious, but often the best tips are home-grown!

Finally…

None of this is a hard and fast, so send me your top tips and I’ll update this article accordingly. Now, make your friends jealous and buy that dirt-cheap airfare!

Checking-in your Ski Equipment on Discount Airlines

roshodgekiss — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:08:54 +0000

Photo Credit: P J Partridge

To celebrate the launch of CherryPow.com yesterday, I’ve decided to write on a topic that has many ski-bunnies quaking in their boots, being how to carry your prized ski equipment on a low-cost flight in Australia and New Zealand.

Now, many of you will be saying, “Well, I’m paying thousands for a holiday to the snow, why skimp on the airfare?”, however with the glut of cheap Winter fares to New Zealand in recent months, it’s inevitable that many people, perhaps including yourself, would have purchased a cheapie fare and worried about the consequences later.

The good news first – it is possible. The bad news – you may have to pay for it. Here is a breakdown of how each discount carrier handles ski equipment.

Jetstar

Checked-in Baggage Allowance: 0kg (JetSaver Light), 20kg (JetSaver & JetFlex fares) or 30kg (StarClass)

Excess Baggage Fee: $20 AUD / $20 NZD per kg

Jetstar was the cheap ski-season fares culprit for 2009 and justly, I’ll tackle them first. Jetstar can check-in your ski equipment, on the following conditions:

Your skis and gear are carefully packed into a bag that is less than 1.9m long
You check in at least 2 hours prior to the scheduled departure time for flights departing from a domestic terminal and 3 hours prior to the scheduled departure time for flights departing from an international terminal
No bag should weigh more than 23kg

Once you weigh your ski clothes, boots, stocks etc together, you may find yourself pushing the 20kg limit. Keep an eye on those excess kilos, as they can soon erase the savings on your bargain fare and Jetstar is entitled to refuse flying your gear should you not comply with their baggage policy. Note that you are also entitled to 10kg of cabin baggage (being a cabin bag and a smaller bag), so distribute your cargo carefully and check-in early to save yourself (and the ground staff) any undue stress. Read Jetstar’s baggage policy here.

VirginBlue

Checked-in Baggage Allowance: 0kg/23kg (’Go’ or Blue Saver fares, $8 per sector for 23kg allowance), 23kg (Flexible Fare) or 32kg (Corporate Plus or Premium Economy fare)

Excess Baggage Fee: $8 AUD / $8 NZD per kg

VirginBlue have a more flexible policy towards checked-in equipment and their excess baggage fees are considerably cheaper. As snow skis are categorised as sporting equipment, the following rules apply:

If you check in skis, you are entitled to an additional 5kg of baggage allowance on top of your existing allowance (see above). For example, if you have purchased a baggage allowance of 23kg, and are travelling with skis, you will be eligible for a total checked baggage allowance of 28kg
All ski gear must be properly packaged and cannot exceed 3m in length
You check must in at least 2 hours prior to the scheduled departure time
No bag should weigh more than 23kg

Nice, an additional 5kg on your allowance. VirginBlue are certainly more flexible with ski gear and their excess baggage fees don’t hurt anywhere as much. Plus you have an on-board allowance of 7kg (across two bags), so again, consider how you pack. View VirginBlue’s sporting equipment policy here.

Tiger Airways

Checked-in Baggage Allowance: 0kg/15kg/20kg/25kg/30kg (Free/$10AUD/$20AUD/$35AUD/$70AUD, with advanced booking), $30 flat fee for ski equipment (Sporting Equipment)

Excess Baggage Fee: $15 AUD per kg

Tiger Airways categorises ski gear as ’sporting equipment’ and charges a flat-fee of $30 AUD per item, per sector, irrespective of weight! Well, up to 30kg per item, anyway. However, this is followed by the ominous caveat:

Tiger Airways is prepared to carry such items on a ‘limited release’ (i.e. entirely ‘at your own risk’ for damage or delay) basis. You may therefore wish to ensure that you have suitable private insurance cover in force for such items. If the fee is not paid on your outbound journey it will still be imposed on your return journey.

That said, common sense applies – if you’re going to bring your pricey gear, you sure as heck should insure it!

Other rules are:

You must check in at least 2 hours prior to the scheduled departure time
No bag should weigh more than 30kg

Good one, Tiger! Cabin allowance is 7kg. View Tiger’s checked luggage policy here.

AirAsia

Checked-in Baggage Allowance: 0kg/15kg/20kg/25kg (Free/$10AUD/$28AUD/$53AUD, with advanced booking)

Excess Baggage Fee: $30 AUD (up to 15kg), $10 AUD per kg thereafter

Finally, for our Asian guests, ski equipment is not categorised as sporting equipment and therefore must be checked in as part of your baggage allowance. Note that even when baggage allowance is pre-booked, AirAsia’s fee schedule is not very forgiving, so weigh your gear and pre-purchase your baggage allowance accordingly. A kilo over your pre-ordained allowance and bam! $30 worth of excess baggage fees!

More fine print:

You must check in at least 1 hour prior to the scheduled departure time
No bag should weigh more than 32 kg and have combined dimensions of more than 81cm height, 119cm wide and 119cm depth

That said, AirAsia is a great ride, but hang on to your pennies, folks! Cabin allowance is 7kg. AirAsia’s carriage conditions can be viewed here.

Anyway, that’s the skinny of it! Amongst the discount airlines, VirginBlue and Tiger Airways appear to have the most skiier-friendly baggage policy, however it pays to read the fine-print and check with your airline if you have any questions. Enjoy the powder!

RTW Fare-Off: Full-Fare vs. Discount Airlines

roshodgekiss — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 12:04:16 +0000

Photo Credit: Jon Keegan

After reader Mark threw down the gauntlet regarding my recent ‘Round the World on Discount Airlines‘ article, I made it my imperative to sum up how much it would cost to actually travel Round The World solely on discount airlines. Based on my “RTW #1: 24-hour Party People (ex. Sydney)” itinerary, I totaled up the trip cost as follows (based on travel dates in Oct/Nov):

Sydney, NSW, AU to Honolulu, HI, USA – Jetstar – $463
Honolulu, HI, USA to Vancouver, BC, CA – Westjet – $186
Vancouver, BC, CA to Las Vegas, NV, USA – Westjet – $172
Las Vegas, NV, USA to New York, NY, USA (JFK) – JetBlue – $207
New York, NY, USA (JFK) to Ibiza, ES – Air Berlin – $413
Ibiza, ES to Berlin (Tegel), DE – Air Berlin – $204
Berlin (Tegel), DE to Phuket, TH – Air Berlin – $774
Phuket, TH to Sydney, NSW, AU – Jetstar – $390

Discount Airline Total: $2809 (inc tax).
Mark’s Full-Fare RTW ticket: < $2700.
The winner is… Batty travel. And Mark. Game and match!

In conclusion, discount fares seem to be at their best value when used for short- to medium- haul flights, however the savings are much diminished once longer flights or many hops are introduced to your itinerary. Also, due to the inflexibility of most low-cost fare rules, I would not recommend packing in a handful of such discount airfares if there is any chance that your travel plans may change. Often the only way to change details such as departure dates is to either pay a hefty fee, or purchase a new ticket.

Many thanks to Mark at RoundAbout Travel for being a good sport; if you would like to have your discount airline questions answered, please feel free to shoot me your travel questions via this blog, or on Twitter. Bon voyage!

How to Fly Round the World via Discount Airlines

roshodgekiss — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 14:57:11 +0000

Photo Credit: Gemma (3fold)

Foremost, I’ve read a handful of articles proudly proclaiming that “you can now fly around the world using discount airlines alone!”, but sadly, no-one has told their fair readers how this can be done. Secondly, I’ve read countless round-the-world (RTW) itineraries and they all share one thing in common – they’re all the sort of trips that your mum would put you on. So let me hit two birds with one stone, friends. Not only am I going to show you how to travel RTW solely on low-cost carriers, but provide you with two itineraries that not only showcase the variety of airlines that can get you there on the cheap, but will provide trips to remember. For all the wrong reasons.

First of all…

The initial disclaimer – flying around the world solely with discount airlines may not be the cheapest or most efficient option. If you’re serious about shopping around for a RTW fare, make sure you check with your favoured travel agent as well. Also, this method requires you to book each leg of your itinerary separately. When I did a circle trip of Asia in March, this meant that I was carrying around a plastic folder stuffed full of print-outs of my air tickets and boarding passes. So if you’re comfortable with this (or just darn curious), read on…

How to get from A to B on the cheap… Or die trying.

For this exercise, you will need two websites:

Google Maps – An interactive world map. For plotting your route, or alternate destinations

AirNinja – A directory of low cost-carriers and routes. For finding the airlines to get you there

Fire up AirNinja and select and in the area labelled “Step 1: Enter trip details”, click “Use drop-down list”. In the “From:” section, enter your country and city of departure. In the “To:” section, select your destination (or closest airport to it). The “Step 2: Check low-cost airlines” section of the page will automatically update with the airlines that fly the route you have selected. For details and to book, simply click on the name of the airline you wish to fly with.

Please note that you may not be able to get to your desired destination directly, so either a) choose the nearest airport, or b) enter your intended destination into the “From:” section and work backwards from there. Also, not all airlines listed are of equally good value. For example, whereas Air Berlin, JetBlue or EasyJet seem to have consistently cut-price fares, Aer Lingus, S7, Philippine Airlines and others that are listed tend to provide comparatively pricey flights, so if you are stuck with one of them, you may want to see if you can split the journey into two legs by flying via a stopover with a better-value carrier(s).

Sample Itineraries

So now you know what it’s all about, here are two sample itineraries that will hopefully, inspire you to plan your own nutty low-cost RTW adventures. Without any further ado:
View Round the World via Discount Airlines (ex. Sydney) in a larger map

RTW #1: 24-hour Party People (ex. Sydney)

Sydney – Waikiki – Vancouver – Las Vegas – New York – Ibiza – Berlin – Phuket – Sydney

This is for people that save their money so they can book high-end hotels, yet inevitably end up sleeping on beaches, beer bucket still in hand. Or don’t see sunlight for three days straight while being holed up in a Berlin warehouse party with “aspiring” models. If this sounds like you, don’t forget to pack a pillow, as the only sleep you’re going to get is on the long-haul flights…

Sydney, NSW, AU to Honolulu, HI, USA – Jetstar
Honolulu, HI, USA to Vancouver, BC, CA – Westjet
Vancouver, BC, CA to Las Vegas, NV, USA – Westjet
Las Vegas, NV, USA to New York, NY, USA (JFK) – JetBlue
New York, NY, USA (JFK) to Ibiza, ES – Air Berlin
Ibiza, ES to Berlin (Tegel), DE – Air Berlin
Berlin (Tegel), DE to Phuket, TH – Air Berlin
Phuket, TH to Sydney, NSW, AU – Jetstar

RTW #2: Bad Habits (ex. Sydney)

Sydney – Macau – Bangkok – Paris (and Monaco) – Las Vegas – Los Angeles – Sydney

Your parents are always telling you not to end up like the kind of people that book trips like this one. Meaning, the kind of people who suddenly clear the till one evening and skip the country, because of a bad habit. If these bad habits are indeed your own, then the fares had better come cheap – roulette, girls and cigarettes aren’t free, you know.

Sydney, NSW, AU to Macau, CN – Viva Macau
Macau, CN to Bangkok, TH – AirAsia
Bangkok, TH to Paris, FR – Air Berlin (need Monaco? Book a side-trip to Nice, FR)
Paris, FR to Las Vegas, NV, USA – Condor
Las Vegas, NV, USA to Los Angeles, LA, USA – JetBlue
Los Angeles, LA, USA to Sydney, NSW, AU – V Australia

Download these Itineraries

Both these routes can be downloaded as a .kml file (requires Google Earth to view). Good luck!

The trouble with discount air travel…

roshodgekiss — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 08:48:18 +0000

Photo Credit: Justin Henry

Reading the recent press regarding Jetstar’s embattled launch into New Zealand is very much reminiscent of the press that came in the days following Jetstar’s Australian debut in 2004. The truth is, they have made some mistakes, as they did in Sydney, with reports of extensive flight delays and heaven forbid, passengers missing out on an All Blacks game due to a flight being overbooked. In fact, even I should have a reason to be disgruntled – soon after purchasing Qantas tickets at full rate for Christchurch to Queenstown return, the handover of Qantas services to Jetstar took place, meaning that I paid over 30% more than the Jetstar regular fare for, well, not much. But I digress.

In the spirit of forgiveness, I’ll say that you really can’t win as a discount airline. Your fares can be one New Zealand dollar a pop, yet I guarantee there will be someone who will complain about having to pay for a can of Coke. Or that pillows and blankets aren’t free. It seems that a lot of the frilly expectations that have developed around the premium carriers have carried over to their spendthrift, discount cousins, while omitting that premium carriers are just as prone to terrible mistakes, too. For example, once, a to-be-unnamed carrier dropped my partner’s family at Amsterdam’s Schipol Airport in the deep of Winter, sans luggage. Coats, fuzzy leg-warmers, all gone. Imagine if a plane-load of New Zealanders were dropped off in Queenstown, only lined with the Conchords t-shirts they waltzed onto the plane with. It would be simply curtains.

One would assume that there would be the occasional fan of discount air travel, expecially considering Qantas’ and Air New Zealand’s prices pre-competition, however it seems that every person with 15 seconds of airtime is hell-bent on resisting the allure of cheap fares. Oh yes, these $39 fares from Sydney to Melbourne completely suck! I really loved driving 13 hours in the dark, because there’s nothing like adjusting the internal heating every 10 minutes so you don’t lull yourself into wrapping around a tree. Bloody so-and-so discount airline!

What’s worse is that the older generation seems to link discount travel with something being structurally wrong with the aircraft. A few months ago, I was trying to tell my own mother about how much she would save if she flew an international route via a discount carrier. The response – “Is the plane safe? Can they afford to keep it flying?”. It struck me after years of flying a similar route for twice the price, it just didn’t seem possible that some upstart airline could fly that cheaply. To her credit (of which she deserves plenty), she flew Jetstar this year to Tokyo and is now a convert. I told her to bring a small pillow, blanket, some nibbles and her best friend and off she went, as genki as Harajuku.

And that’s what it’s all about – managing expectations. Foremost – most airlines put a premium on safety and all make mistakes. Across the board, extensive delays and missing All Blacks games is inexcusable (unless it’s in the interests of passenger safety), however this can happen on any carrier. Secondly, some airlines charge $100 return and will throw in salted peanuts, others charge $39 and make you walk across the tarmac. What you pay for is what you get.

Flying to Macau and Hong Kong on the cheap

roshodgekiss — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 09:17:27 +0000

Photo Credit: Andy Yip

Whether it be for a casino quick-break or a shopping blitzkrieg down Nathan Road, Macau and Hong Kong are two Asian destinations that have perpetually drawn travellers with their 24-hour energy, promise of good food and of course, shopping. Not only can a trip to either Macau and Hong Kong make for a satisfying holiday in its own right, but both cities serve as an easy gateway into China, thanks to a combination of English signage and tourist-savvy locals.

Now, the reason why I am discussing Macau and Hong Kong in the same breath is because you may know how expensive it can be to fly directly into HKIA and MIA from Australia. The weird thing about these destinations is that despite being a short ferry-ride apart, airfares between them can be substantially different, thus in order to get to one, it may be worth researching to see if its cheaper to travel via the other. With premium carriers asking for a base price of $970 and $1,600 upwards to Hong Kong and Macau respectively, it’s worth knowing how to use the discount carriers to get you there, with money to spare for your excess baggage bill on the return leg. Here’s a run-down of the “Gambling tigers, hidden dragons” of Southern China:

Viva Macau – Second to their affordable fares from Sydney to Macau, what alarms me about this airline is that absolutely no-one seems to know about them. In fact, I only discovered them when I came across their near-missable stand at a Chinese New Year event in Sydney. However, where they stoop in the marketing stakes, they triumph with low, everyday fares, even extending into holiday periods. A return, non-holiday fare from Sydney to Macau is pegged at $670 including tax and this does not seem to fluctuate much from day-to-day. The caveat – there have been reports of old plane interiors and second-rate passengers to match, so should this occur, have the iPod ready and keep in mind that it’s a discount ride.
Jetstar – Little needs to be said to introduce our discount Australian flagship, however what few people may know is that they fly from Perth to Hong Kong and Macau, via Singapore. Flights from Perth to Hong Kong start from $480 return including tax, however due to limitations with Jetstar’s booking system, the return leg from Macau to Perth needs to be booked separately from the trip there.
Tiger Airways – Also plying the Perth to Macau via Singapore route is Singapore Airlines-backed Tiger Airways, who bank their advertising on Macau being not only a fun place to visit, but their nearest base to Hong Kong. They have a valid point – with fares starting around $500 return including tax, one could well discover travel to Hong Kong via Macau to be the cheapest option, especially during peak periods. Keep and eye on Tiger’s increasingly frequent “5c” and “tax-only” sales and you will be putting your money on a winner.

So… How do I travel between Macau and Hong Kong?

High-speed ferries sail very frequently between Macau and Hong Kong, information can be found here. Journey time is 60 – 75 minutes and from memory, the journey is quite pleasant (in good weather, that is).

Finally, keep me posted on your experiences as its been quite a while since I’ve visited either destination and would love to hear your traveller tales. See you at the night markets!

Flying from Australia to the US on the cheap

roshodgekiss — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 01:58:30 +0000

Photo Credit: Christopher Seufert

Given the myriad of airlines to choose from when flying between Australia and the United States at the present, airfares on these routes are not only becoming more plentiful, but cheaper, as the competing airlines engage in an increasingly vocal price war.

So far the press has given all the airtime to the premium carriers – Delta, United Airlines, Qantas and V Australia – however Jetstar has been flying Sydney to Hawaii for years now, often slashing their prices well before the economic downturn was even a byline in the papers. Of course, flying to US “mainland” (Hawaiians don’t like this turn of phrase) destinations via Hawaii is not the most practical option if you’re short on time, however if your travel plans are as chilled as a Blue Hawaii on ice, there are some very obvious advantages to this, including:

Price. Well, yes. Yesterday’s Fare Friday pegged Sydney to Hawaii fares at $330 a pop (or $381 today on Adioso); assuming similar conditions on the return leg, fares to the US west-coast via Hawaii come out cheaper, or at least the same as the premium carrier sale fares floating around at present. You may want to think of it as a bonus stopover.
Price #2. The Hawaiian tourism industry is presently taking a major hit as Americans spend more conservatively and prioritise holding onto their jobs over going for a tropical break. Armed with a combination of a strengthening Australian dollar and Hawaiian hotels slashing prices to counter the waning demand, Waikiki accommodation is more affordable and plentiful than ever before. I recommend Priceline.com for booking accommodation in the US.
Immigration procedures. I’ll have to be straight with you, US Homeland Security and Customer Service are mutually exclusive entities. In fact, their entry requirements have been labelled the worst in the world, a problem compounded at the larger gateways such as Los Angeles and New York. My personal experience is that insomuch as there is still a strict security procedure for international passengers when passing through Honolulu, the queues are definitely shorter, the airport is more compact and the staff don’t have the same gruff edge that must come with processing tens of thousands more people each day, ala LAX. In fact, I found them friendly when I was last there in 2007.
Adult- and Kid-friendly activities. Waikiki, Hawaii is a great place to decompress after the 10-hour flight from Sydney, with an impressive array of great shopping, eating and sun-loving options to keep everyone amused, all in reach of cocktails and funnily enough, really great Japanese diners. Plus there’s the infectious Hawaiian spirit that has you dropping the tempo the moment you step out of the terminal. Hang five, braddah!
Connections to other US destinations. A handful of airlines can take you on to your final destination in the United States, including Hawaiian Airlines, Aloha Airlines, Continental Airlines, American West Airlines, American Airlines, American Trans Air, Delta Airlines, and United Airlines. Shop around, especially in the current economic climate, as discounts abound. Flight time from Honolulu to LAX is approximately 5 hours.

No doubt prices among the premium carriers will rise again (remembering that previously a return fare between Sydney and New York hovered around the $1,600 mark), which will make this leg a more viable option for those either looking for a bargain fare into the US, or wanting to break up the long-haul with a blissful stopover. A hui hou (See you soon)!

Find out more about Jetstar’s Hawaii service via the Jetstar website