Saver Lite -V- Saver

[Deleted member 29185]

Upon a recent search, I see saver lites for circa $80 an savers for circa $180.

Apart from a piece of luggage, what's worth the extra hundred bucks? Yes I know fare buckets and all that, but I couldn't give a rats backside about VAs buckets, I just want to know as a flyer, what's so good about a saver that VA thinks it's worth $100 more!

 

[lobo76]

Upon a recent search, I see saver lites for circa $80 an savers for circa $180.

Apart from a piece of luggage, what's worth the extra hundred bucks? Yes I know fare buckets and all that, but I couldn't give a rats backside about VAs buckets, I just want to know as a flyer, what's so good about a saver that VA thinks it's worth $100 more!

That's an odd way of looking at it, surely? If the normal (pre-lite) price was around $180 then $80 is surely a loss leader or a limited bargain sale fare?

 

[medhead]

I really don't get the point of the lite. I'd say it is the concession to LCC pax. But don't they have to upgrade to Saver to get luggage? That would kinda defeat the purpose for LCC pax.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I really don't get the point of the lite. I'd say it is the concession to LCC pax. But don't they have to upgrade to Saver to get luggage? That would kinda defeat the purpose for LCC pax.

Err, I'd class me as an LCC pax and I'm almost plat! No luggage required usually but when it is I have status.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

That's an odd way of looking at it, surely? If the normal (pre-lite) price was around $180 then $80 is surely a loss leader or a limited bargain sale fare?

Not at all.

A very short time ago the $80 fares were indeed saver fares. Lite is simply a saver without luggage. The circa $80 is not a sale fare.

 

[medhead]

Err, I'd class me as an LCC pax and I'm almost plat! No luggage required usually but when it is I have status.

That's not what I mean, you are not the traditional LCC demographic. Neither am I but cost is most important for me. For example I would not fly with tiger and only fly jetstar when they give me free champers. LCC pax that I'm referring to wouldn't have those restrictions.

 

[moa999]

Slight difference in change and cancel fees as well, but not enough to make a difference.
As a Plat now, Saver Lites get my business.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

That's not what I mean, you are not the traditional LCC demographic.

Oh you say the nicest things. I might just blush!

Seriously though, to me, all I see is VA sliding in yet another HUGE fare hike. The cheap buckets are lites (and as you say, no luggage so not cheap at all to many) and saver now just seems to be the top buckets, which dare I say, should actually be called flexi-lite because they're damn near flexi price but without any of the bennies!

Shrewd Mr Borghetti.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Slight difference in change and cancel fees as well, but not enough to make a difference.

I can't recall back to the Go!Fare days but wasn't the difference between Go!Fare and the Blue saver much like Saver Lite and Saver? If so, I think the price difference between the former was $10 across the board!

 

[anat0l]

Upon a recent search, I see saver lites for circa $80 an savers for circa $180.

Apart from a piece of luggage, what's worth the extra hundred bucks? Yes I know fare buckets and all that, but I couldn't give a rats backside about VAs buckets, I just want to know as a flyer, what's so good about a saver that VA thinks it's worth $100 more!

Nothing - a piece of luggage and slightly different fees. The key restriction is that Saver Lite cannot pre-purchase extra luggage. So a non-status on Saver Lite is bound to travel with no checked baggage; status pax on Saver Lite fares are bound to travel with whatever they are allowed to according to the rules. Extra baggage on top of this must be facilitated either by:

• Paying for excess at the airport at the at-airport prices, or
• Upgrading (fare difference + fee I assume) to a Saver fare (which then gives an extra piece and the opportunity to pay pre-airport excess baggage rates)

As a Velocity Silver or higher, it almost means nothing, except an extra piece of baggage (e.g. as a Silver on a Saver Lite you get 1 x 23 kg; on a Saver you get 2 x 23 kg).

What kind of sector and time are you looking at? I would've expected Saver to be about $10 - $20 more than Saver Lite - not $100! Unless somehow the fare bucket availability has been skewed on the flights you were looking at (who would be buying up all Saver fares rather than Saver Lite - actually, that might be possible)?

The way I see it Saver Lite should be the sale fare - typically cheaper than QF - then the Saver should be the same or just above the QF Red e-Deal sale fare.

 

[777]

The lites are special bonus fares for those who get luggage allowances with their status.

 

[medhead]

Should say the only fares I've searched recently have been about $15-$30 different.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

What kind of sector and time are you looking at? I would've expected Saver to be about $10 - $20 more than Saver Lite - not $100! Unless somehow the fare bucket availability has been skewed

Yes it's definitely a fare bucket issue, because the saver fares do fluxuate over the course of the day between $101.03 for the cheapest, to $156.03, to $181.03 with the lites fluxuating between $87.03 and $111.03.

My point though for me, is where VA gets the notion a saver is worth $94.05 (exact figure) over a lite. I get the bit that they can sell them for as much as they like, but as a cost conscious pax, I like justification and I don't see that. I'll be purchasing the lite @ $87.03, but I was musing aloud as to why they "simplified" their fare structures by getting rid of the Go!Fare and now they've reinstated that but whacked in a hefty rise over the old structure. Just seems like they're taking advantage of all the great VA praise over the past year or so and jammed it in 'cause they can, but simultaneously they shoot themselves in the foot by rolling out a pig of a system to accompany the fare hikes. People aren't entire fools.

 

[Jousams]

the Go!Fare days

ah to a simpler time.
does anyone remember midweek mini's?

 

[Jama]

The lites are special bonus fares for those who get luggage allowances with their status.

That's what I was going to suggest. Lite is for status holders and saver for everyone else. (unless you happen to not need luggage, of course)

 

[Jama]

My point though for me, is where VA gets the notion a saver is worth $94.05 (exact figure) over a lite. I get the bit that they can sell them for as much as they like, but as a cost conscious pax, I like justification and I don't see that. I'll be purchasing the lite @ $87.03, but I was musing aloud as to why they "simplified" their fare structures by getting rid of the Go!Fare and now they've reinstated that but whacked in a hefty rise over the old structure. Just seems like they're taking advantage of all the great VA praise over the past year or so and jammed it in 'cause they can, but simultaneously they shoot themselves in the foot by rolling out a pig of a system to accompany the fare hikes. People aren't entire fools.

Paying an extra $100 for a bag reminds me of stepping up to a flexi and paying $200 more for a nasty wrap.

 

[oz_mark]

Err, I'd class me as an LCC pax and I'm almost plat! No luggage required usually but when it is I have status.

In your particular case, there would be no point in paying the extra $100. However, if someone wanted to take luggage, there's the option. You can take it or leave it.

 

[jneufeld]

In your particular case, there would be no point in paying the extra $100. However, if someone wanted to take luggage, there's the option. You can take it or leave it.

But if someone without status wanted to take luggage they could still book the Saver Lite and pay $40 for 1 excess bag at the airport and still be ahead in swanning_it's case of $100 difference between Saver and Saver Lite.

 

[straitman]

But if someone without status wanted to take luggage they could still book the Saver Lite and pay $40 for 1 excess bag at the airport and still be ahead in swanning_it's case of $100 difference between Saver and Saver Lite.

Most cases I've seen have been $25 between Saver and Saver Lite fares.