Last call for Tiger Airways? Photo: fox2mike (Flickr)

As a sometime customer of Tiger Airways and someone who has been affected by the prolonged grounding of the budget carrier’s fleet (I have a booking on 15 July), I could well consider myself entitled to write a hot-headed rant about risking passenger lives, the slow pace of refunds, or whatever catcall is fashionable while we await real news on the airline’s fate. But instead, I’d like to take the even tone of eulogist for a moment – for even if this recent safety fiasco blows over, the one thing that will eventually do them in is a total disregard for their customers.

Some voices in the media have penned customer care as being an obvious first casualty in a low cost carrier’s attempts to cut costs. After flying with profitable LCCs like AirAsia and Cebu Pacific in the highly-competitive East Asian market, I absolutely disagree that this is the case. On my journeys with both these carriers, I’ve had nothing but attentive service, even when the proverbial has hit the fan. In one instance involving a flight retime, I even received an email form the office of Tony Fernandes, AirAsia’s CEO, which promptly rectified what could have escalated into a tricky situation.

Many may regard AirAsia as a wonder child in this regard – not only are they profitable, but their front line – spread across airports, email newsletters, social media properties – actually seems to care. Why Australian customers can’t expect the same from domestic airlines is simply a matter of complacency. After all, Tiger Airways is in a strong position to not only learn from Singapore Airways’ experience in delivering courtesy, but benefit from their big pockets when making it real.

In retrospect, one could say that as the beneficiary of many non-critical $29 flights between Sydney and Melbourne and relatively few delays in the process, I’ve had a pretty good run with the flying tiger. However, there have been moments when the mindless culture that has undoubtedly resulted in the recent safety breaches, has also manifested itself in shonky customer policies. Policies that seem almost intentionally designed to upset and belittle customers, delivered by contractors instead of accountable employees of the airline.

I can source an example from less than a year ago, when the check-in policy changed from being, ‘yes, you can get in queue and check-in at the airport’, to, ‘no, you must check-in via the web a considerable amount of time before your flight, otherwise we ping you $25 for a boarding pass at the airport’. Sadly for all involved, this was not explained clearly via email or even SMS, so by the time our fate dawned on us at the airport, it was too late to check-in via our smartphones. There was no point arguing over the fee with the check-in staffer – she was an employee of a 3rd party services company, who agreed that it was silly that she could print boarding passes free-of-charge for checked-in customers, however had to charge $50 in total for ‘rule breakers’ like my husband and I (not her words). She was genuine and sympathetic. Unfortunately, the airline that she was beholden to is not.

Policies like this make a lot of sense from an accountant’s point of view. Discouraging the use of check-in counters means reduced staffing costs and potentially, faster turnarounds at the airport as customers attend to their arrangements online. However when not communicated properly, or worse, applied to ‘penalise’ travellers (as if we had paid to take part in some martial system), they generate anger, bad press and kill off repeat business.

I believe that most leisure travellers have moved beyond simply wanting the cheapest fare. If you look at how consumers spend their discretionary income (let it be on branded gadgets, dinners out or holiday travel), in many cases price point takes second place to experience, function or reputation. For this reason, I can understand why they have only captured 5% of domestic air travel market share after almost 4 years of operation, despite offering hands-down the cheapest airfares. If Tiger had tethered their business on providing on-time service, pleasant customer relations, or, heaven forbid, putting the glamour back into air travel, they could have comfortably charged an additional 20% without complaint.

The message here is relevant to all industries. If a company’s sole selling point is low prices, it is doomed to fail. A race to the bottom is one that cannot be won – either the cash will run out, corners will get cut, customers will feel alienated and vote with their feet, or in Tiger’s case, all of the above. Even if CASA’s grounding isn’t the final call for the ailing airline, their attitude has certainly put them on their last leg.

Jetstar's 7th birthday: Fly a friend for free!

Jetstar have finally sprung their 7th annual birthday sale upon us, releasing ‘fly a friend for free’ sale fares for many routes across their network. Both domestic and international fares are in the fray, spanning a variety of travel dates between mid-October 2011 and the end of March, 2012.

To be honest, I’m finding it a little hard to get hysterically excited about this one. Across the board, the fares presented deliver rather conservative discounts to the discriminating buyer, but certainly don’t echo the staggering generosity of sales past. For example, the 2 for 1 fares between international routes only apply to the outbound trip out of Australia. So for 2 people to travel from Melbourne to Singapore, the fare per person comes to (369×3)/2, or $553.50.  Only last week, the same route was being offered for $503 return per person. Better value fares can be found on domestic routes, but again, the price tags aren’t as kind as we’ve previously witnessed.

At 8pm EST today, the Jetstar website was having serious troubles handling the demand for this sale. Searches have been near-impossible to complete. With this in mind, be patient and try to book later at night/early in the morning.

Good luck – now go get yourself some great fares on Jetstar’s sale page!

Update (10pm): Website is much better now. Some international fares have the ‘fly a friend for free’ promotion applied in both directions – Sydney to Manila for $410 per person return, not bad!

Emirates: Fares to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore for $700 return

Ok, so this is not some $508 Jetstar deal, for for a full-service airline, Emirates‘ rates are just great. For the travel period of 28 June – 30 November 2011, fares from Melbourne to Kuala Lumpur are on sale for $695 return and to Singapore for $701 return, including tax. On other booking websites, these fares are available until 30 June.

There are loads of fares available on Emirates’ website and thankfully, their booking system is one of the better ones for finding a bargain fare. So if Melbournites weren’t already spoilt for choice with fares, then scoot over to Emirates’ website – they sure are now.

Hainan Airlines: Low fares between Sydney - Shenzhen from $618 return

Many moons ago, this blog used to wax lyrical about an amazingly cheap airline, the now-defunct Viva Macau. Back in 2009, it seemed like every other day I was making mention of their rock-bottom fares between Sydney and Southern China – rock-bottom fares which consequently drove them out of business (alongside reports of crap service and antique aircraft).

When they folded, I assumed the era of the cheap Chinese carrier was dead.

Then this morning at the airport, I came across a banner for Hainan Airlines. Their claim to be ‘China’s 5-Star Airline’, combined with the fact that I had never heard of them had my curiosity aroused. So I did a couple of searches and immediately, memories of Viva Macau came flooding back. To cut a long story short, they offer wonderfully cheap flights between Sydney and Shenzhen, China. From here, they fly on to Europe and Canada, but lets keep this matter simple for now.

So, on to the good stuff: between 1 September and 31 October, 2011, fares for direct flights between Sydney and Shenzhen start from $618 return (inc. tax, see above). These fares are plentiful and appear to include weekends and holiday periods, including the Labour Day long weekend in October. Sure, that their booking system is a little slow, a little wonky and won’t return any logical fares beyond December, 2011. But play by the rules and you’re bound to get a cheap flight – book now on Hainan Airlines’ website. Hainan also accepts Paypal.

If you’re wondering what my fascination is with this southern Chinese industrial city is, let me get this straight – it’s Hong Kong, baby, Hong Kong. From Shenzhen, this shopping and cultural mecca is a bit over an hour away by train. Then once you’re ready to move on, Hong Kong is an excellent launch pad to the rest of Asia. Note that you will require a Chinese visa prior to departure.

Finally, I’d like to end the comparisons between Hainan and Viva Macau, except when it comes to price. Based on SKYTRAX passenger reviews, Hainan Airlines rates an 8.9/10 – an exceptional score, even outshining Qantas (who scored 8/10 at the time of writing). Unlike Viva Macau, folks genuinely seem to like flying with Hainan Airlines. So lets hope they enjoy greater prosperity than their low cost, low service cousin.

Have you booked tickets, or flown with Hainan Airlines? I’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments below.

Southern Alps, New Zealand. Photo: GothPhil

If the smell of fresh snow from across the Tasman has become too much to bear, then take heart. A full-on fare war has begun amongst Jetstar, Virgin Blue and Air New Zealand over the hotly-contested east coast – Christchurch routes, resulting in some of the most competitive peak ski season fares I’ve seen in a long time.

All three airlines are offering promo fares during August, with additional travel dates spanning late-October to mid-December, 2011. Here are the cheapest return fares available at present between Sydney – Christchurch during the August period:

• Jetstar: $199.36 (New Zealand sale)
• Virgin Australia: $222.93
• Air New Zealand: $229.06 (using discount code ‘NZ150′, valid until 2 June)

All airfares include tax and don’t include optional extras like check-in baggage.

Yes, there are direct flights between Australia’s east coast cities and Queenstown, New Zealand’s ski mecca. However, unless you’re short on time, it’s always far more economical to travel via Christchurch, then drive, bus or fly Jetstar down to the snow. With fares starting around the $30 one way mark for the Christchurch to Queenstown leg, you get my drift.

Heading to New Zealand’s ski fields really is exceptional value. Unless you are unlucky enough to encounter a very warm season, you will find that everything from snow quality, to accommodation absolutely eclipses what’s on offer in Australia. So, pull on your boots – if you’re planning to hit the white stuff this season, this is the time to get planning. Happy flight hunting and first tracks!

Melbourne to Singapore on Jetstar, from $508 return

If you’re planning an Asian escape, there’s not many places quite like Singapore to use as a launchpad into the rest of the region. As the hub for Tiger Airways and a key destination for discount airlines like Air Asia and Cebu Pacific, it’s exceptionally well connected – not to mention, simply a pleasant place to visit for a few days.

To celebrate the upping of their frequency between Melbourne (Tullamarine) and Singapore to daily via their A330 fleet, Jetstar have quietly released bargain fares for the travel period of 19 July – 31 August, 2011. Starting at $508 return including tax (even during peak times, ie. weekends), it’s a real steal, only comparable to Air Asia’s ‘big sale’ fares to Kuala Lumpur.

As someone who finds Sydney’s winter to be a little too chilly for comfort, I’m personally very tempted to skip south to Melbourne, then north in pursuit of a strong Singapore Sling (or two). The good news is that if you’re like me and reside outside of  Melbourne, it is possible in some instances to book fares from your nearest airport, to Singapore in a single booking (and presumably have your luggage transited between connecting flights). However, if you’re travelling light and have time to burn, it’s well worth shopping around flights spanning the Sydney (or wherever you are) – Melbourne legs separately, as you may be able to save money by either selecting different flight times, or going with another carrier.

See you in SG!

'Big Sale', tiny fares to Asia and beyond.

If you’re Asia-bound between 6 February – 20 June next year, then you can’t afford to miss Air Asia’s ‘Big Sale’. With tickets to Kuala Lumpur starting from $150 ex Perth and $200 for Gold Coast/Melbourne it really does pay to plan your travel ahead of time.

For those going further afield, there are fares from Perth to London for less than $400 one way (inc. tax) and Australia’s east coast to the same for $100 more. I’ll post further updates this evening, but until then, it’s time for you to get your bargain on! Take a look at AirAsia’s ‘Big Sale’ promo page for fares and conditions.

Note: AirAsia have a ‘waiting room’ system in place to deal with demand – you will be put in a queue for a minimum of 15 seconds before the site will search for fares.

Akaroa, New Zealand. Photo: math89 (flickr)

As the weekend very quickly comes to a close, my mind is in hazard-avoidance mode, trying to distract itself from the prospect of 5 days ahead sans a lengthy sleep-in and breakfast at midday. So, it’s time to look towards the next holiday – and if you’re a long-time reader of this poorly-kept blog (thank you!), well, you may reason that I’ve got a lot of things to think about, really.

This upcoming Queens Birthday long weekend (11-13 June) is a brief pleasure – it’s long enough to pack the bags for, but not quite long enough for anyone to really go troppo. However, if you’re keen to capitalise on the high Australian dollar and want to really feel like you’re overseas (instead of over the street), my tip is to give New Zealand a thought.

I’ve been tracking fares between Australia’s east coast and New Zealand over the last few weeks and without a doubt, we’re approaching the end of my ‘good value’ window*. Flights from Sydney to Christchurch begin at a tempting $263 return (inc. tax) with Virgin Blue over the break period, if you’re happy to tack on an extra day at the end. Combine that with accommodation and travel expenses that are considerably below Australian rates and you’ve got your sights on a tour that even the Queen would envy.

Now, I’m not going to skirt around the fact that New Zealand has had its share of troubles lately. Much of Christchurch’s CBD is still off-limits after the February earthquake and the odd tremor is a part of life for many South Islanders. However, as the locals have stressed repeatedly, outside of central Christchurch it’s business as usual – and boy, do they need the business. For a relaxed, earthquake-free weekend away, you can either rent a car or catch a shuttle to the French-influenced town of Akaroa. Just over an hour’s drive south of Christchurch, its main draw is an expansive harbour that is home to endangered (and very cute) Hector’s dolphins. Two hours of swimming with these little guys is a bargain $104 via Viator and the tour operator is keen to stress that warm wetsuits and warmer post-swim showers are provided!

If that sounds a little too energetic, there are also wine tours in the Waipara region, or even sneaky day trips to Mt Hutt to taste the beginning of New Zealand’s snow season. While we’re on the topic of snow, I’ve seen Jetstar NZ offering fares between Christchurch and Queenstown for roughly $30 each way. If you ask me, there are certainly advantages to swapping over 5 hours of sketchy driving, for 45 lazy minutes in the air en route to your massif of choice

If you’ve been to New Zealand before, then this excursion across the pond will seem like a bargain no-brainer. However, if you haven’t, then this is a good time to become a fan of New Zealand’s hospitality, winter-warming food and Jemaine from Flight of the Conchords. Even if you miss the latter, it will still be a truly amazing trip.

* A fortnight prior, fares for the same route were $202 return. The price increase since is most probably due to increasing holiday demand, but I’m also keeping an eye on whether the recent Virgin Blue brand and price restructure has had an impact on ‘everyday’ prices.

These sale fares should have you hanging out for Macau. Photo Credit: Henrik Berger Jørgensen

Viva Macau may not be the most classy airline, but it sure does offer the punters a cheap fare to China. For the next 3 days, they’re offering direct flights between Sydney and Macau for $700 return, including tax! Direct flights also depart Melbourne for about $20 less each way.

Sale is on now until 14 January, for travel between 1 March – 24 October, 2010. Take a look at Viva Macau’s promo newsletter for details.

When Winter starts to set in, take off with Jetstar! Photo Credit: Flickr user Christopher Bearman

Jetstar have dropped their fares between Australian cities and a number of international destinations including Osaka, Tokyo, Phuket, Bangkok, Christchurch and Auckland, for departures during April – June, 2010. My favorite – flights to Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City) are now only $427 return including tax ex. Sydney. Perfect for avoiding the blues as Winter approaches!

Other return fares ex. Sydney include:

• Christchurch from $264
• Bangkok from $587
• Tokyo from $617
• Phuket from $635

This doesn’t seem to be an advertised price drop, so get in quick for cheap fares. Naturally, visit Adioso to find select dates and fares for your destination of choice.

I anticipate we will see more price drops  like this between now and Feb, however don’t let the opportunity pass if you genuinely want to visit these destinations. On a related note, it is not known if the detainment of two Qantas/Jetstar Pacific employees over a dispute regarding jet fuel futures will affect future Jetstar operations into HCM City. For the interim, I’d say it’s totally safe to purchase away. Happy travels!