Boarding Tiger in MEL

[Yada Yada]

I took the following photo yesterday from the window of MEL T3 opposite gate 11 while waiting to board DJ857.

I quite like doing the tarmac walk when boarding VB flights although I hadn't realised just how far pax have to walk out in the open to board Tiger flights. I've used the zoom which has cut off some of the path (front left of the frame) so it actually looks shorter here than it really is.

At the time I took this yesterday afternoon (approx 3:30pm) the temp was hovering around 40° C, so quite an unpleasant walk. I guess on a wet winter's day it wouldn't be much fun either. :-|

Note: I've reduced resolution heaps in the photo above for bandwidth purposes. A higher res shot (412Kb) is available here and the full res shot (3.2Mb) is available here. If you open the full res shot and zoom it out to full size in your browser you can pick up quite a bit of detail (aircraft rego, ground crew, pax etc).

 

[SeaWolf]

Ok, so airbridges are good in bad weather, but there's something kinda fun about walking across the tarmac to the waiting jet and being surrounded by the noise, buzz and activity on the asphalt. Stepping off the plane at the other end out of the air conditioned cool and into whatever the weather at your destination has brought you.

 

[FL360]

I always thought that the walk to the plane and up the stairs was sponsored by Fitness First....


Anyway, I flew SIN=>DRW last week and the flight was delayed by 18 hours because of cyclone activity in DRW, Tiger shout us to a 4 str hotel in SIN and with buffet dinner, that's totally unexpected treatment from a LCC, and I doubt Jet* will do the same :-|

I will fly with them again, with savings goes to my LCD TV !

 

[straitman]

Ok, so airbridges are good in bad weather, but there's something kinda fun about walking across the tarmac to the waiting jet and being surrounded by the noise, buzz and activity on the asphalt. Stepping off the plane at the other end out of the air conditioned cool and into whatever the weather at your destination has brought you.

SeaWolf,

Whilst I don't disagree with you the noise part is the bit I object to. Frequently there are nearby aircraft running and/or APU's running and this puts the levels above the allowable 85db level. My hearing is already damaged from turbine noise exposure and I simply don't need this any more and there is no need to expose people to the high levels these days.

(... by line is that the 85db limit my be reduced to 80db in the not too distant future which will have a significant impact upon these situations.)

 

[StevePER]

I will fly with them again, with savings goes to my LCD TV !

That's not a bad loyalty program!

 

[jpk]

I do like the look of the TT aircraft, very nicely and distinctively turned out IMO.
And yeah, I quite like walking out across the tarmac too. If you go to PER regularly you get used to it

 

[Paul_PER]

I flew Tiger yesterday from Melbourne so this may as well be my first post and a trip report.

TT7709 PER to MEL scheduled Monday 7 Jan 2008 departing 00:25 arriving 05:50.

Arrived at Perth Airport to join a longish queue. Tiger only had two check in staff, using the shared terminal with Virgin Blue, Skywest, etc. Boarded the aircraft via stairs. It's a short walk - basically the same one as when flying Skywest (Fokker 50's and 100's). VH-VNF I think is brand new - certainly seems to be on the inside. Flight left on time and after a little white pill I slept through to landing. Of the four cabin attendants, three appeared to be from Singapore.

Landing at Melbourne it is quite a walk to the "arrivals hall". I don't mind the exercise but at 6 in the morning it was quite cold. Even worse the luggage pick up area is basically a chook shed / cage which is open to the elements on three sides. Baggage didn't take long but I wouldn't want to have to spend time here during a Melbourne winter morning. The "cage" doesn't permit people in - just to leave so if you have loved ones meeting you they have to wait outside and talk to you through the bars.

TT7708 MEL to PER scheduled Thursday 10 Jan 2008 departing 21:50 arriving 23:55.

Arrived at Melbourne Airport very early. Terminal 4 is a reasonable walk from the Skybus drop off point if you're carrying luggage. Check in opened 2 hours before departure but there were already quite a few passengers waiting and very little seating at check in (So quite a few people were sitting on the floor). Again only 2 check in staff. I managed to be about the third or fourth person checked in - the piece of floor I sat down on turned out to be where to queue started.

Dumped my luggage and then wondered Terminals 1,2,3 for an hour or so. Bought the standard Krispy Kreams. Got worried about the size of the box so the nice shop assistant gave me two 6 packs instead of one large box.

The security / waiting area for Tiger in MEL is one-way. Once in you can't leave and there's only a coffee shop and a combined newsagent / knick-knack shop.

Boarding started on time and it is a longish walk to the aircraft. It would not be pleasant in a winter storm. VH-VNF again. The flight left on time and the crew were efficient. They did a fast service and within an hour or so turned off the cabin lights and disappeared forward. Four hours is a long flight with no movie so take a laptop or a DVD player or a very good book.

Landed on time however luggage took at least 35-45 minutes and in the meantime a DJ flight arrived and they got the carousels mixed up. Mayhem as 300 passengers picked up their hand luggage and swapped carousels.

Conclusion - As a QFF I wasn't expecting much from a LCC. The trip was $260 return including $50 for exit row seating. Being over 6 foot I wouldn't fly Tiger if I couldn't get into row 12 or 13 (Pick of the seats being A,C, D, F). Wouldn't recommend paying the "seat selector" premium to fly Row 1 as there is a bulhead / partition in front of these seats down to the floor so you can't stretch out forward) Overall not bad (but not great either!). The crew were efficient and the plane was clean. I wouldn't travel on them for business but they may get a lot a long weekenders going PER-MEL for AFL, etc. It's a 15 kilo luggage allowance which may not be enough for those going to Melbourne on a shopping expedition!

And yes Melbourne was hot yesterday but the walk to the aircraft wasn't bad compared to walking the length of Smith Street and Brunswick Street.

 

[Yada Yada]

I flew Tiger yesterday from Melbourne so this may as well be my first post and a trip report.

Hi Paul_PER and welcome to AFF!

Thanks for posting your trip report. That was good reading and very helpful info about the terminal in MEL.

Cheers.

 

[jpk]

Welcome Paul-PER and a nice informative read.

 

[Arthur Hodgson]

I took the following photo yesterday from the window of MEL T3 opposite gate 11 while waiting to board DJ857.I quite like doing the tarmac walk when boarding VB flights although I hadn't realised just how far pax have to walk out in the open to board Tiger flights. I've used the zoom which has cut off some of the path (front left of the frame) so it actually looks shorter here than it really is.

Looks just like the "Budget" (ie TR) terminal at SIN.

Interesting to note that the other LCC's at SIN have opted not to use the "Budget" terminal. Very wise, in my view.

 

[Yada Yada]

Looks just like the "Budget" (ie TR) terminal at SIN.

Yes, although I think they use a bus to get pax from the building to the aircraft there.

In fact TT may have to do this in MEL when the weather is poor, given the distance. I think they'd have to.

 

[SeaWolf]

No bus at the budget terminal in SIN when I went through there, the aircraft are able to park quite closely, so it's only a short walk. The terminal is actually fairly nice, other than the lack of airline lounges and airbridges I'd say it's much the same standard as the international terminal at PER. Maybe even a bit better.

 

[oz_mark]

No bus at the budget terminal in SIN when I went through there, the aircraft are able to park quite closely, so it's only a short walk. The terminal is actually fairly nice, other than the lack of airline lounges and airbridges I'd say it's much the same standard as the international terminal at PER. Maybe even a bit better.

Not exactly saying much...

 

[Petch]

Not exactly saying much...

What it is saying though, is CONSISTENCY... Changi, Melbourne, Gold Coast (and Manila?) a Tiger sameness/ease of expectation. Consistency in check-in time = 45minutes (no differences for International or Domestic) Consistency in waiting areas, once you're in, there's no out (although, if required, I plan to call 000 if I am "held hostage" to a domestic [MEL/OOL] one-way security policy, and need out) again, Domestic the same as International terminals.

 

[Commuter]

I always thought that the walk to the plane and up the stairs was sponsored by Fitness First....

Or walking to some of the boarding gates at LHR - can't remember which terminal but I remember walking some silly distance to get to the gate for LHR-CDG. I thought it was a conspiracy to make pax lose weight

 

[opusman]

Or walking to some of the boarding gates at LHR - can't remember which terminal but I remember walking some silly distance to get to the gate for LHR-CDG. I thought it was a conspiracy to make pax lose weight

Transiting at Gatwick last time involved at least a 15 minute walk including one door that was locked - plus a phone to use to call someone to come and open it for us

 

[Paul_PER]

What it is saying though, is CONSISTENCY... Changi, Melbourne, Gold Coast (and Manila?) a Tiger sameness/ease of expectation. Consistency in check-in time = 45minutes (no differences for International or Domestic) Consistency in waiting areas, once you're in, there's no out (although, if required, I plan to call 000 if I am "held hostage" to a domestic [MEL/OOL] one-way security policy, and need out) again, Domestic the same as International terminals.

Tiger @ Perth Domestic isn't consistent as they are in the common user waiting area so I'm pretty sure you can go in and out. Not that there is much outside - a Dome Cafe - with the Qantas Terminal two doors down.

Forgot to mention in my trip report - the telephone service number per the ticket - 03 9335 3033 - was almost always engaged or just not answered. (Part of the LCC experience I suppose!!)