Low cost carrier Jetstar Asia was jumping up and down at the recent Skytrax LCC awards, because it got two trophies: Best Low Cost Airline in Asia and Best Low Cost Airline in South East Asia. (Surely the second follows from the first, right?)
We're not so excited about the awards, but the special they're promoting in celebration is pretty neat. The airline is having a big fare sale with some tickets going from S$2 ($1.40) for travel until mid-November. The $2 fares are for the short hop from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, but longer flights aren't too bad either, as long as you like multiples of 11--fares are $11, $22, $33 and so on.
Buyer beware: Unlike the European airline industry where you'll always see taxes and charges loud and clear, the final bill on your Jetstar Asia could be a lot more than $11 or $22.
Air Asia offshoot Air Asia X is not the only airline worried about how heavy planes use more fuel--that's getting more expensive by the second. But they're certainly one of the few airlines who are even vaguely mentioning that heavier passengers might be cheating airlines out of money.
Reports are saying that Air Asia X is considering weighing passengers so they can calculate how much more weight the plane could carry, then filling it up with cargo that pays its way. Since Australians recently became the statistically fattest in the world, the airline has also suggested that charging larger passengers on Australasian routes could "help Aussies lose weight."
Maybe a deal between airlines and Weight Watchers will be the next step?
Not satisfied with promising punctuality or getting free advertising from Paris Hilton, low cost carrier AirAsia is giving us yet another reason to fly: a new menu.
AirAsia has had a limited menu of hot meals available for purchase for a while now, but they're expanding the menu to include a bunch of local Asian delicacies: chicken rice, satay sticks and yellow glutinous rice are among the additions. If you prebook your meal online, it works out cheaper.
But boss Tony Fernandes makes no secret of the real reason for the menu additions. He's quoted as saying "It's purely another revenue-generating initiative." Full marks for honesty, Tony, but until we see you eating yellow glutinous rice yourself we're not sure we're ordering.
Low cost carrier Jetstar Asia has always been the little sister of Australia-based Jetstar--itself the child of Qantas. But now Jetstar Asia is preparing to cut the apron strings and step out into the budget airline world a little more independently.
At the same time, Jetstar Asia is ramping up its offerings. First up will be a route between Singapore and the newly vertical Cambodian capital Phnom Penh. There'll be daily flights, some of them also heading to Siem Reap, the stop for sightseeing target Angkor Wat.
Seems right that the slightly rebel child will head off to such a typical backpackers' destination.
As of this week, if you fly with AirAsia, they sincerely promise that your flight will be punctual: Yep, they've been brave (or crazy) enough to launch an On Time Guarantee.
In the unlikely event that your plane is delayed--and only 11 percent of flights were in May--you'll be compensated. To be precise, if your flight is delayed by more than three hours and it's not due to bad weather, airport closures, air traffic control, strikes or acts of God, AirAsia will give you a RM200 ($60) voucher to use towards your next flight.
The whole deal isn't quite as exciting as we'd hoped with all those exceptions to the rule, but it's better than nothing. Thanks for trying, Air Asia!
Valuair is a Singapore-based low cost carrier that's slipped under our radar until now. It started out with big plans to practically conquer the Asian market--it was even the first LCC to start up in Singapore--but things didn't go quite according to plan. After a bit of a merger with Jetstar Asia, Valuair's routes are more limited.
The carrier's just added a few evening flights to the Singapore-Sumatra route, and the rest of its flights are also to Indonesia, especially to Jakarta and Denapasar (Bali).
Valuair tries to differentiate itself a bit from rival LCCs with hot meals and--get this--a free baggage allowance. We're quite taken with this Valuair lunchbox. Who can't love an airline that wishes you "Bon Airppetit"?
Though Cambodia's capital is known more for its wats and colonial architecture, work has started on three new mega-projects that will--their South Korean developers no doubt hope--transform the city. The latest is the International Finance Complex, a 52-story, multi-tower development that should be completed by 2012.
Also underway is Gold Tower 42, an accurately named skyscraper on Norodom Boulevard. It's also slated to be finished by 2012.
Meanwhile, a new suburb is being built from scratch three kilometers from downtown. Camko City, above, promises tree-lined canals, swimming pools, residential towers and leafy plazas. How long till "Desperate Housewives: Cambodia" comes out?
Aussie LCC Jetstar is talking up its new flights into Indonesia, after a week of complaints about its decision to switch its Japanese route to land in the Gold Coast instead of Brisbane.
Trying to put that controversy behind them, Jetstar is crowing about new routes running from Perth to Bali and Perth to Jakarta. The Western Australia to Indonesia route is a pretty busy one, and getting tickets at the discount fare of A$179 ($168, one way) is a pretty good deal.
But Jetstar does seem to be forgetting one thing. The LCC's parent company Qantas already said it would spin these routes to Jetstar as part of a cost-cutting drive. So flying into Bali is really just a consolation prize, right?
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by amandak
