WE REFER to the article, Budget No More (Life!, June 10) and would like to address some issues pertaining to the way budget fares are perceived and offer readers a more balanced view of budget airlines.

Perhaps the point of the article was to illustrate the narrowing price gap between full service airlines and budget airlines but we feel that the article presented a skewed picture.

In the article, SIA's promotional fares were compared with Jetstar's JetFlex fares. But our JetFlex fares are not classified as promotional fares but are targeted at travellers who require more flexibility such as change of travelling dates and refunds.

On the other hand, SIA's promotional fares are not "flexi" as they do not offer rebooking, name change or refunds for cancellations, whereas these are offered by our Jet- Flex fares (a small fee may apply in some cases).

A closer and more rational comparison would be between full service airlines' promotional fares with budget airlines' promotional fares.

Taking an example mentioned in the article, if customers compare our JetSaver fare for Bangkok ($530 for two) with SIA's promotional fare ($656 for two), they will notice that a pair of Jetstar Asia passengers will stand to enjoy savings of $126. Furthermore, our JetSaver fares are available to single travellers, unlike the SIA promotional fares which are strictly "two to go".

The article said that JetSaver fares are non-refundable and flight schedules are non-changeable. This is not entirely correct as passengers travelling on JetSaver fares may change their flights up to 24 hours prior to departure with a change fee of S$33 per passenger per flight change (any fare difference to re-book will apply).

The article failed to highlight that the same applies to full service carriers' promotional fares. For SIA's promotional fare to Bangkok, no refund will be given once tickets are issued.

Taxes and surcharges for any unused tickets will be refunded, subject to no-show fee of S$150 if any, and a refund administrative fee of S$75 is also applicable. Rebooking of flight or date for travel out of and into Singapore is not permitted.

Other than not being served free drinks and food on board, passengers on Jetstar Asia flights do enjoy the same benefits as passengers of full service carriers, such as free 20kg baggage allowance and check-in and out at Changi Airport Terminal 1.

Tan Khai Hua (Ms)
Public Relations Manager
Jetstar Asia/Valuair

This article was first published in The Straits Times on June 14, 2008.