Flying on the cheap

Flying on the cheap

Budget flights now make up 30 per cent of Changi Airport's traffic and is likely to hit 40 per cent, said Mr Gary Ho, Temasek Polytechnic's senior lecturer in aviation management and services.

Budget carriers have also improved more than their full-service counterparts in the Singapore Management University's Customer Satisfaction Index of Singapore - satisfaction levels for the budget carriers for the second quarter of this year increased 7.8 per cent compared to the same period last year, while the increase was 3.3 per cent for their full-service counterparts.

The survey polled more than 11,000 people.

The number of budget airline complaints that consumer watchdog Consumers Association of Singapore received has also fallen.

Here are some complaints from passengers and how the airlines dealt with them:

Late change

Never mind the recent Bangkok riots. Mr Timothy Kua, 32, was looking forward to his holiday in the Thai capital.

The Dec 6 Jetstar flight he booked would leave at 7.10pm, giving him enough time to dash from the office to the airport.

But the week before departure, in late November, he received an e-mail from Jetstar. His flight had been cancelled "due to operational constraints".

The alternative: Flying a day earlier, on Dec 5.

No way, thought Mr Kua. "The whole point of getting the original (night) flight was so I won't have to take leave to travel."

The online finance website co-founder then spent up to 45 minutes on the phone with a customer service officer discussing options, such as a noon flight on Dec 6.

Recalling that there was another budget carrier offering his preferred departure time, Mr Kua asked for a refund of $702, the amount he had paid for two tickets. Sure, he was told, if he could produce a letter from the human resource department stating why he could not take the rescheduled option.

Mr Kua said: "The officer kept saying it was part of the procedure." But he was not the one who forced the change, Mr Kua argued. Why make things so difficult?

In the end, Mr Kua received the full refund and a $50 Jetstar voucher, which he called a "cookie cutter measure" for the inconvenience suffered.

His colleagues shared his experience online. Within two hours of posting, the report garnered more than 20,000 views, Mr Kua said.

Jetstar says

It had settled the matter with Mr Kua.

"All affected passengers have been contacted and moved to the next available flight or (given) the option of a fare refund," a spokesman told The New Paper.

"Jetstar apologises for any inconvenience caused to our passengers."

It also:

- Advises passengers or their travel agents about any changes via SMS or phone calls, time permitting.

- Leaves a message on voicemail if the passenger does not answer the call.

- Offers alternative transport to the destination, at no extra cost, if the flight is cancelled. (Usually on the next available flight before or after the booked trip).

- Has a customer guarantee to deliver competitive fares and customer satisfaction. See www.jetstar.com/sg/en/ what-we-offer/our-guarantees/customer- guarantee

Painful episode

When costume shop owner Kenneth Lee, 44, visits China and Macau every two or three months for work, he used to opt for Tiger Airways as he "liked the (night) timing".

But that goodwill nosedived on Sept 8. Mr Lee was sleeping on board the Guangzhou- bound flight which he had paid more than $300 for when he suddenly yelped in pain: A stewardess had rammed the food trolley into his right leg.

She apologised and hurried down the aisle. As the plane was landing, Mr Lee remained buckled in. He then sought medical attention and the captain reportedly assured him: "Yes, we'll arrange (aid) for you."

On disembarking, an airport terminal officer pushed him in a wheelchair to the medical centre, which was closed due to the late hour, Mr Lee claimed. He was then wheeled to the road outside the terminal, told to make his own way to hospital and advised to file a claim against the airline.

He recorded the exchange on his mobile phone before taking a taxi to a Guangzhou hospital to treat the bruises on his right leg. When Mr Lee returned to Singapore on Sept 11,he told Changi Airport staff about his experience. He also called Tigerair's office for an explanation Despite making three calls and sending two e-mails, Mr Lee said he has yet to get a reply: "I am very disappointed with their service."

Tigerair's reply

If a passenger on board was unwell, the crew would perform first aid or seek help from passengers with medical experience.

They would also ask ground handlers to take the passenger to the airport's medical team for further assistance.

A spokesman said: "We wish to apologise to Mr Lee for the inconvenience caused and will be in touch on his claim."

Extra cost

Lawyer Yasmeen J.M.'s maiden attempt to fly budget hit turbulence even before she took to the skies.

Thinking Scoot had a bargain, she told her son to book three round trips to Perth, Australia, on Boxing Day and a one-way ticket for her daughter's return leg. The tab: Almost $2,200, including travel insurance that cost more than $100.

The next day, friends in Perth asked her to visit earlier. So Ms Yasmeen, 50, tried to change the Dec 26 departure to Dec 23. Unable to make the changes online due to the insurance purchased, she went through the call centre and paid $100 for each person to get the preferred date. Upset at forfeiting the original insurance, being put on hold repeatedly and purportedly given piecemeal information, Ms Yasmeen said: "I spent close to an hour trying to get answers."

She also had a missed call after 3am and said: "I doubt I'll fly budget again... I'd rather pay more for peace of mind."

Scoot's reply

Mr Steven Greenway, Scoot's head of commercial, said:

- Ms Yasmeen and her son made four calls about booking changes. Staff made five follow-up calls to resolve the matter, including three unanswered attempts.

- The 3am call was due to Ms Yasmeen wanting an urgent response in her email, sent at 2am. "We are of the view that Ms Yasmeen's claims are unwarranted.

Our terms and conditions (T&C) are very clear... and options given for changes to be made.

"We don't make exceptions to our T&C simply on the basis that someone doesn't agree with them. This would be unfair to the 99.9 per cent who accept, abide by them and are perfectly happy with the Scoot experience."

Added communications and guest relations manager Dominique Loh:

- Passengers can recover a partial refund on their ticket through the website ChangeYourFlight. Issued as an electronic voucher, it can be used to buy a new Scoot flight at a discounted price.

- Those who booked a flight with Scoot can change their flight details within 12 hours of the initial booking without penalty.

- The call centre's $25 extra administrative fee imposed on Ms Yasmeen will be offset with a Scoot travel voucher.

Budget fare = Budget service

Going no-frills? Manage your expectations.

"You get what you pay for," said Mr Gary Ho, Temasek Polytechnic's senior lecturer in aviation management and services.

The mismatch - and complaints - usually happen when people pay budget and expect full-service perks, he said.

Making a personal observation, Mr Ho said: "Passengers who fly regularly have their expectations tempered.

(They're) usually more tolerant and less demanding than the new passengers or infrequent flyers...

"Probably because they know how much less they're paying and so set their expectations to the same level as the price they've paid."

Citing how a Singapore-Kuala Lumpur return flight that used to cost $450 a few years ago now costs $50, he said: "(That) is the price of the same journey by bus. Why (do passengers) have such high expectations for the airline, but not have such lofty expectations for the bus?"Fare sales

For those hoping to enjoy both a low price and full service, Mr Ho suggested that they take advantage of the fare sales that full-service carriers sometimes hold.

Ultimately, it is the customer who benefits as low-cost carriers try to stay a cut above the competition.

For example, Jetstar tries to woo passengers with value, Tiger with low fares, Air Asia with service and a fun attitude and Scoot by not competing in the short-haul sectors.

He said: "Budget carriers are here to stay. In the long term, everyone wins because prices get lower and more people get to fly."


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