Revolution in the air

[Flashback]

http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=8&ContentID=131805

A new era in budget travel has dawned with the first low-cost long-haul flight connecting South-East Asia to Europe.

AirAsia X founder Tony Fernandes’ dream to take passengers halfway across the world for half the price of other airlines was realised when his no-frills carrier’s first flight from Kuala Lumpur to London touched down at Stansted airport, Essex, on March 11.

At a press conference shortly after flight D7 2006, carrying 286 passengers, landed at 2.35pm, 25 minutes ahead of schedule, Mr Fernandes declared: “Everyone said we were crazy. No one said this could be done.”

Interesting article.... also interesting to see they note the price as being approx. $1,000 return from Perth ... but those fares are quite rare.

 

[JohnK]

Interesting story on Tony Fernandes.

For me, the deciding factors on whether or not I would fly with AirAsia X again are the affiliated airports and the luggage allowance.

I can see how some people on very tight budgets may be attracted to LCCs with supposedly lower airfares but for me there are a lot more things to consider and at the end of the day the airfare may not be that cheap anyway

• Limited departure airports in Australia and the need to spend money on airfares and possibly accommodation to get there
• Destination airport and their promximity to the centre of town
• Lounge access
• Frequent flyer program
• Less luggage allowance
• On-board entertainment
• Meals and beverages
• Narrower seats and leg room
• Interlining agreements, funny that no interlining exists between Aus-Kul flights and Kul-London flights

 

[ANstar]

There is a trip report on A.net - worht the read. Air AsiaX certainly doens't look all that bad!

Now Everyone Can Fly Xtra Long! Air Asia X KUL-PER — Trip Reports Forum | Airliners.net

Limited departure airports in Australia and the need to spend money on airfares and possibly accommodation to get there

To be honest, it is not a big deal. They fly to PER/MEL/OOL. So the only major city to miss out is SYD/ADL.

Destination airport and their promximity to the centre of town

They fly to major airports in AUS and their is no alternative to KL in Malaysia and STN in London is not that bad depending on where you ant to go in ie East/West South... The train takes about 40 mins to get to Liverpool St station.

On-board entertainment

It looks quite good to me!

Meals and beverages

• Narrower seats and leg room

They look like they have more legroom than QF!

 

[NM]

To be honest, it is not a big deal. They fly to PER/MEL/OOL. So the only major city to miss out is SYD/ADL.

Umm, what about BNE? And no, OOL is not an alternate to BNE for most people in Brisbane.

 

[ANstar]

Umm, what about BNE? And no, OOL is not an alternate to BNE for most people in Brisbane.

It's certainly closer than MEL or PER!

If you want the cheap fares, then you may have to spend an extra hour or so in the car.

 

[JohnK]

To be honest, it is not a big deal. They fly to PER/MEL/OOL. So the only major city to miss out is SYD/ADL.

I think they miss out on SYD, BNE, ADL and CBR. Sure it is not a big deal but for someone travelling to/from SYD would require an overnight in OOL in one direction.

They fly to major airports in AUS and their is no alternative to KL in Malaysia and STN in London is not that bad depending on where you ant to go in ie East/West South... The train takes about 40 mins to get to Liverpool St station.

But if London was not your final destination it is a hassle to get from STN to LHR especially for a family with children and luggage.

I think Air Asia X will appeal to some travellers but personally I would pay extra money to travel on mainline carriers that provide a little more assurance than a LCC....

 

[serfty]

Umm, what about BNE? And no, OOL is not an alternate to BNE for most people in Brisbane.

Actually, until late last century, QFF effectively considered OOL a "Co-terminal" for BNE. (For that matter, so was MCY)

 

[NM]

Actually, until late last century, QFF effectively considered OOL a "Co-terminal" for BNE. (For that matter, so was MCY)

And they used to operate Dash-8 flights BNE-OOL. But no more.

 

[drron]

And they used to operate Dash-8 flights BNE-OOL. But no more.

And my first RTW on QF in the early nineties started off with a similiar MCY-BNE sector.

 

[Travel Guru]

And they used to operate Dash-8 flights BNE-OOL. But no more.

I recently flew BNE-OOL on a connecting flight returning from NAN on FJ...was hardly worth getting my magazine out, no sooner were we up than we descended into OOL.

Was fun to tick it off my list and have kept the boarding pass, can't see myself getting another BNE-OOL BP anytime soon.

Great thing was I got as many SC's on the BNE-OOL sector as I would flying BNE-SYD!!

TG

 

[serfty]

And they used to operate Dash-8 flights BNE-OOL. But no more.

And my first RTW on QF in the early nineties started off with a similiar MCY-BNE sector.

Lets not forget the BNE/MCY SH6's.

 

[futaris]

But if London was not your final destination it is a hassle to get from STN to LHR especially for a family with children and luggage.

If you're flying on AirAsia X, I would assume that the next leg would also be on a LCC. And funnily enough, STN is where Air Berlin, EasyJet, RyanAir, etc fly from.

Anyhow, if more people fly regularly fly LCCs longhaul, then the full-service airlines will do one or all of the following:

• reduce capacity on full-service airlines
• reduce prices
• leave more seats empty (letting you lie down in economy across 3/4 seats. )

Competition is a good thing, even if it is not in the same "class".

 

[drron]

If you're flying on AirAsia X, I would assume that the next leg would also be on a LCC. And funnily enough, STN is where Air Berlin, EasyJet, RyanAir, etc fly from.

Anyhow, if more people fly regularly fly LCCs longhaul, then the full-service airlines will do one or all of the following:

• reduce capacity on full-service airlines
• reduce prices
• leave more seats empty (letting you lie down in economy across 3/4 seats. )

Competition is a good thing, even if it is not in the same "class".

Or reduce service quality to reduce costs.
Or worst case scenario go out of business leaving everyone on LCCs and I can bet you the first change then will be the L.
If you dont believe in the last option you are not old enough to remember what service used to be like-EG the old corner grocer-I remember ringing through the order and it would be delivered 2 hours later.Then along came the LCSCs.Put the small grocers out of business and ever since prices have been rising.

 

[NM]

Lets not forget the BNE/MCY SH6's.

Ahh, the flying coffins :shock:

 

[drron]

As long as LCCs dont go this far-
Aero-News Network: The Aviation and Aerospace World's Daily/Real-Time News and Information Service&
:shock:

 

[Flashback]

So sick of this April Fool's rubbish.. :evil:

 

[futaris]

Here's another short trip report on KUL-STN.