Scoot

[Soya]

12 hr to Europe is usually split into 2 legs but yeah, the last times I went to Europe, I just skipped all the meals even tho it was full service (Lufthansa and finnair).

 

Entertainment can be resolved by downloading a couple of good books on my Kindle or I'll just sleep. Worse comes to worse watch Netflix movies on my phone.

 

Baggage - on biz trip usually just a carry on? Only need 1 check in if it is a family trip.

 

Assigned seating - unless family trip, where kids need to sit together, I don't see the need for assigned seating. For biz trip, our admin chooses the seat for me anyway, I don't have any preference.

Hahaha...on biz or long haul, I enjoy my satay onboard. Ownself download movie on iPad for what?

[Heartlander]

For me, the savings must be substantial to take budget airlines. I have taken Jetstar a few times and am generally happy with the leg room, which is even bigger than a few JAL/ANA flights I took recently.

 

Objectively the cost saving could be a lot, especially for big families that include grandparents. For example my recent Melbourne trip cost only about $375/pax after factoring the luggage allowance and meals, compare to full service airlines such as SQ which would cost upward of $800. Multiply the number by 10 and you will see the savings. But of course if only small family with a kid then no brainer as it is always better to splurge on a better flight to have better vacation. If money not an issue, I will also not keen to consider budget airlines haha.

[Wt_know]

$375/pax return Melbourne including luggage checkin and meal?

wow really ... that’s unbelievable. good for you.

Edited December 25, 2018 by Wt_know

[Jamesc]

Yeah if you have lots of money then don't bother with budget. 

 

[Boringchap]

I think budget airlines has really revolutionised air travel and made it much more accessible for the masses. This is a fact we cannot ignore.

 

My first budget trip was more than 20 years ago when I was studying in London.

 

It was winter and a group of us took a holiday to Dublin. We flew Ryanair from London Stansted to Dublin. The flight was £21 return!

[Volvobrick]

Just use Expedia or similar sites to compare prices and timings. Scoot may not be cheapest. Eg recently planning for Hokkaido, cheapest was China Eastern or Air Asia. I booked Scoot cos better timings and didn't want to take air Asia.

[Jamesc]

I heard can fly from London to an airport outside Paris for 11 pounds.

 

Our budget flights are hundreds of dollars.

 

And we don't pay our crew European salaries right?

 

So I think our budget flights are ripping us off.

 

That's why some "budget" flights can be close to premium airline prices.

 

[Wt_know]

I heard can fly from London to an airport outside Paris for 11 pounds.

 

Our budget flights are hundreds of dollars.

 

And we don't pay our crew European salaries right?

 

So I think our budget flights are ripping us off.

 

That's why some "budget" flights can be close to premium airline prices.

 

because airport tax is ripping us off Edited December 25, 2018 by Wt_know

[Boringchap]

I heard can fly from London to an airport outside Paris for 11 pounds.

 

Our budget flights are hundreds of dollars.

 

And we don't pay our crew European salaries right?

 

So I think our budget flights are ripping us off.

 

That's why some "budget" flights can be close to premium airline prices.

 

 

Yes, the budget carrier competition in Europe seems to be far more intense than compared to Asia, hence the lower prices.

 

Also I think one reason for the intensity is that the European budget carriers can fly to many secondary airports, and these budget carriers can really squeeze the airport in terms of overheads because of their bargaining power.  Ryanair is famous for that. Imagine if London only had Heathrow and Gatwick.  There was no way then that airlines like Ryanair can get any foothold.

 

So if and when you want to fly budget in Europe, got to look very carefully which airport the budget airline flies to and figure out how to get from the airport to wherever you want to go.

 

E.g. in London, UK, budget carrier Ryanair only flies from Stansted.  Most people would never have heard of Stansted airport, we only know London Heathrow and probably London Gatwick.  But London has several other airports serving it, including London Stansted (Ryanair's hub), London Luton (EasyJet hub), and London City Airport which is right at the Canary Wharf area.

 

London Stansted used to be a super small and ulu airport, but today it serves more than 25mil pax a year, primarily short-haul RyanAir European flights. London Stansted is not difficult to get to at all, because there is the Stansted Express which runs from London Liverpool station.  We have taken it a few times. 

 

Some videos if you are interested:

 

The Stansted Express Train starts at Liverpool station. We boarded at Tottenham Hale.

 

Today Stansted Airport serves more than 25mil pax a year with almost 200K aircraft movements a year.  

 

We were at Stansted to take a flight to Genoa, Italy. 

Can't remember how much we paid but I don't think it was very much.  The flight was 2h.

Edited December 25, 2018 by Boringchap

[Beanoyip]

Since we're on this topic..

 

Flight to London.

 

Would you rather pay $1400 for SQ direct and still pay for seat selection OR

 

Pay $1000 for Qatar but transit at Doha..

[Wt_know]

if 2pax no direct no talk la

if 10pax ... then will consider lo

transit plus layover add another 4-5hrs?

 

Since we're on this topic..

 

Flight to London.

 

Would you rather pay $1400 for SQ direct and still pay for seat selection OR

 

Pay $1000 for Qatar but transit at Doha..

Edited December 26, 2018 by Wt_know

[Heartlander]

$375/pax return Melbourne including luggage checkin and meal?

wow really ... that’s unbelievable. good for you.

I think many write off budget airlines without even bother to find out the savings.

 

Perhaps good for more to share to give these group of people some inklings of what they have been missing out?

 

To share more on my trip with JetStar to Melbourne during late November, it was booked during the May/June promotion, so not really need to book a year in advance lah. I find it worth it because the flight timings are quite normal, departure at 8pm and can sleep through the flights to reach at 6am, and return at 12pm from Tullamarine Airport, which is the main airport in Melbourne.

[Wt_know]

$375/pax return to melbourne with meal plus lugage checkin is really impresive

timing is perfect somemore ... awesome!

Edited December 26, 2018 by Wt_know

[Blueray]

Since we're on this topic..

 

Flight to London.

 

Would you rather pay $1400 for SQ direct and still pay for seat selection OR

 

Pay $1000 for Qatar but transit at Doha..

 

Interesting choice.

 

Not flown Qatar before but reviews I've come across are generally OK.

 

If the stopover were something like < 2 - 3 hours, I would pick Qatar; cost savings, mid-journey break and enjoy the Qatar service, make it part of the total trip experience.

[Voodooman]

I think many write off budget airlines without even bother to find out the savings.

 

Perhaps good for more to share to give these group of people some inklings of what they have been missing out?

 

To share more on my trip with JetStar to Melbourne during late November, it was booked during the May/June promotion, so not really need to book a year in advance lah. I find it worth it because the flight timings are quite normal, departure at 8pm and can sleep through the flights to reach at 6am, and return at 12pm from Tullamarine Airport, which is the main airport in Melbourne.

6 months is early booking dude.

 

And the last i checked. The difference between Scoot and SQ fare to the same Australian destination was just $50 per pax, after paying for 20kg luggage allowance. This was booked 1 month in advance. $50 saving but no meal, no drinks and $10kg less of luggage allowance for a more than 5 hours flight is really no savings. You even have to pay for a blanket if you are feeling cold.

 

When i was residing in the States, their budget is real budget. Out of SG, our budget is budget service but not so budget pricing. Think only Air Asia is truly budget, maybe Lion Air but I dare not take.

Since we're on this topic..

 

Flight to London.

 

Would you rather pay $1400 for SQ direct and still pay for seat selection OR

 

Pay $1000 for Qatar but transit at Doha..

I will fly direct if alone It is much less stressful. With 4 hours transit, you will end up spending some money at Doha. Edited December 26, 2018 by Voodooman

[Heartlander]

6 months is early booking dude.

 

And the last i checked. The difference between Scoot and SQ fare to the same Australian destination was just $50 per pax, after paying for 20kg luggage allowance. This was booked 1 month in advance. $50 saving but no meal, no drinks and $10kg less of luggage allowance for a more than 5 hours flight is really no savings. You even have to pay for a blanket if you are feeling cold.

 

I am not trying to pick a fight but i do not think 6 months in advance is that early to plan for a family holiday. Budget airline must buy tickets during its sales period then can enjoy the savings. If you book with Jetstar during non-promotion periods, their ticket prices are actually only just slightly cheaper than ful-service ones. So in a way this approach is not suitable for you if you are the type that last minute go airport mani-mini-mo randomly select a destination and go type of people.

 

And my example is with Jetstar, not Scoot lah. Real example, not pluck from thin air example.

[Heartlander]

$375/pax return to melbourne with meal plus lugage checkin is really impresive

timing is perfect somemore ... awesome!

I not sure i sense some sarcasm here.

 

But anyway i have already done it twice, last year and this. Last year i booked connecting domestic flight, also Jetstar, from Melbourne to Tasmania. That was even more saving compare to Singapore to Tasmania full service flights, which actually uses the same flights from Melbourne to Tasmania.

[Wt_know]

hi bro, no sarcasm at all

i checked out scoot and jetsar all the time

i cannot find any deal with substantial savings

especially after adding meal + luggage + select seats

i truly feel your deal is impressive

i will look harder next time while exploring scoot and jetsar

Edited December 26, 2018 by Wt_know