SGN->SYD For 17 Jan 08 - $780+ One Way!

[ethernet]

What is the most affordable option for coming back?
Having scored a 2 for 1 Jetstar deal from going over, now is the time to start thinking of booking the return leg (one way).

However J* at the AUD $780 - one way smacks of gourging. Is there a cheaper way of getting home? Indirect routes from Tiger and Asia Air at that time are not attractive. I was hoping a sale would come up, but no such luck.

One line of thought is to just turn up in KL or SIN and buy a ticket off the street - told reverse deals are snickhouse in .au, as a LCC jump is around USD90. The converse is that if you turn up in the last week, they *may* try to extort $1500 or so (as was the Singapore Airlines phone quote for same today).

The question is pay bogstar - or chance it on the streets in the so called high season. If I can find a decent website in .sg or .my, to play with that would be useful too.

Beats me why the requlars are still gourging for one way fares.

 

[openseat]

Expert Flyer shows up a whole heap of Jetstar fares as the cheapies. The lowest non-Jetstar fare is EK at around AUD465, fare code LOWVN6, seems to be a shared fare with Air Vietnam.

FLIGHT APPLICATION FOR -VN6 TYPE FARES THE FARE COMPONENT MUST NOT BE ON ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING VN FLIGHTS 1000 THROUGH 1999 EK FLIGHTS 6000 THROUGH 6999. AND THE FARE COMPONENT MUST BE ON ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING ANY VN FLIGHT OPERATED BY PR ANY VN FLIGHT OPERATED BY VN ANY EK FLIGHT OPERATED BY EK.

While the VN flight to BKK looks ok, the whole EK flight is shown as being sold out in every class BKK to SYD, which seems strange and may be a problem in the system.

MH comes in at AUD608 which coded YOWSVNU. It has plenty of availability and a three hour connection in KUL. I've heard MH service is pretty good.
There is also a cheap business class fare for AUD620, DOWSVN, which I'm sure would be a good use of $12!! You could put miles to VS Flying Club for the flight. There is availability in the D code.

You might want to try ZUJI to see what it throws up as potential options

Hope this helps

 

[StevePER]

VN/QF via HKG for $699 all-in on expedia.com.au?

 

[ethernet]

Thanks Openseat!
I do not subscribe to expertflyer, but it seems to have the goods. I will toss the results to some travel agents or the respective airlines.
I do not understand the Jetstar differences, as the cheapest fare shown on their webite is more than you indicate . Grrrr these travel agents don't seem to look too hard.

Global Warming:
VN/QF via HKG for $699 all-in on expedia.com.au?
Thanks, but the extra fly time retracing routes can't be healthy, but goes to show the waste in the industry. It is however a fallback - this is good.

 

[StevePER]

Jetstar fares start at $300 (H class) but availability on Jan 17 is pretty tight...

J4 D0 Y4 V0 T0 S0 R0 Q0 O0 N0 M0 L0 K0 H0 E0 C0

Looking a few days either side doesn't help.

 

[ethernet]

Problem solved.
Friend on MH Business class, done + paid for aud$620+taxes.
Very happy with a M.F (AM) at Flight Centre - gold star for her.
I dont understand the airlines lousy business practices- and on the chance of banking 3 months interest on prepaid fare.
Instead, they want to shun people waving money about, and sell more tickets in lower GDP countries for $$less.

Jetstar.com.au currently wants USD538+taxes=USD656=AUD$733 as of 5 minutes ago. That price puts most people off.
Singapore Airlines was emailed for a quote, but a reply came back that they dont give quotes and to ring the .au number -said aud$1500 cheapest. Joe public was not buying that either! Had they been in the ballpark, sg would have scored a 1 week hotel booking - but I guess they dont need the tourism$$. Middle of the road options, like flying via HK was not very attractive, and FC was 'unable' to see any of those mythical J* $300 prices, plus have a aud$50 surcharge on J* bookings, but were super determined/motivated to upsell, and at any cost, foil a j* booking.
EK was showing full (Forget QANTAS, someone should try to buy out EK - their load factor is super).

The lesson is that this forumn rocks, and ExpertFlyer leaves the free, joe average google paid for search sites for dead. Thanks folks

 

[JohnK]

Friend on MH Business class, done + paid for aud$620+taxes.

That airfare is also on Zuji for $A612 + $A161.50 + A$20 = $793.50! Trying to get a return KUL-SYD in WHY is over A$1200.

Are these type of ridiculously cheap deals on airfares advertised anywhere?

 

[Coathanger]

Which date ranges did you use to get that fare, JohnK?

I am entertaining the idea of going back to Malaysia for Chinese New Year.

 

[JohnK]

I think the airfare at that price is only offered from SGN not KUL even though the trip is SGN-KUL-SYD. So it is OK if originating in SGN but when trying to price from SYD the price goes sky high. I have also seen this price on the MH website at US$649 one way which is even cheaper than what is offered on Zuji.

The dates I tried were a few days before Christmas and returning a few days before Easter next year. I think I will attain QF Platinum quite easily this membership and I am now toying with the idea of treating myself to a business class trip on Malaysian airlines for ~A$1550 return. Just need to purchase a cheap airfare BKK-SGN return.

Would VS Flying Club be the best FF program to credit the MH flights? Amex MR points can be transferred to VS Flying Club at 1:1!

 

[openseat]

Would VS Flying Club be the best FF program to credit the MH flights? Amex MR points can be transferred to VS Flying Club at 1:1!

I am not sure who else credits MH flights, but crediting MH business to VS will get you 125% miles (11846 miles according to your routing on GCM). Also you would earn 6 tier points (you need 15 to attain Silver, 10 to retain; 40 to attain Gold, 30 to retain). This may have potential for when VS and DJ start linking up more in the new year. If you were after status on VS, flying the SQ shuttle in first between SIN and KUL would appear to be your best bet. For a vetern of the AY J BKK SIN shuffle like you JohnK, that would be easy.

For Amex, they may well offer again the 20% bonus on transfer as they have the past two years.

VS Flying Club has some reasonable burn rates, though getting space on AirNZ can be difficult at times.