Let’s Visit Asia

If you check the website of the Thailand-based budget airline One-Two-Go, this is the message that will greet you:
Dear Valued Passengers
We would like to inform you that during 22 July 2008 – 15 September 2008 we are operating a reduced schedule.
We apologize for any inconvenience to your travel plan and thank you for your kind understanding.
One-Two-Go Airlines.
The reports that are circulating, however, say something different. According to Bangkok Post, the 56-day grounding is due to “mounting cost pressures spurred by ballooning oil prices, fierce competition from rival airlines, falling domestic passenger demand and the poor business outlook”. Bloomberg confirms that …read more

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I was surfing around for cheap airfare deals for November and noticed that I’m still able to see the kind of airfares I was seeing a few months ago. I thought this a bit strange, considering the skyrocketing fuel prices of late. It was when I got to the page indicating the total amount I need to pay that my jaw dropped: the tax and fuel surcharge fees cost more than the seat itself!
Now I understand how airlines can advertise that they haven’t increased airfares, and in fact are still offering discounted fares. As usual, the trick is in the …read more

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Here’s some airfare offers from our traveling folks down there. Air Asia X, the long-haul budget airline, is offering airfares from Perth to KL for just AUD 132, and from Perth for just AUD 172. Here’s a screenshot of the Air Asia website showing all the details:

Air Asia X is just like the lowcost Air Asia flights, except for a few, but tangible differences that will make traveling long distances more comfortable. They offer a limited number of XL seats for those who require more legroom, and set meals are provided (snacks are available for purchase). You don’t get free …read more

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Image used with permission from JetCombo
I received an email reporting that JetCombo, an online airline booking services specializing in chartered flights, has just released its list of the top 10 international summer destinations, based on itineraries booked through the website for leisure airline travel. Here’s where most are off to this summer:
1. France
2. United Kingdom
3. Germany
4. Italy
5. Israel
6. China
7. South Korea
8. Greece
9. Poland
10. United States
China make sense, what with the hordes headed for the Olympic games. But South Korea? I would never have guessed. One more interesting tidbit: Guess which destination is at position #11? The Philippines!
I would have …read more

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Organizing your bus transportation within India has just become a bit more convenient as Make My Trip expands its range of offerings to include bus ticket bookings.

Just like booking an airline flight, all you have to do is to enter your travel dates, points of departure and destination, and seat. You can use a credit card, debit card or an internet enabled online bank account to pay for your bookings. And like airline bookings, you will then be issued an e-ticket, which you need to present upon boarding together with some form of identification.
Neat, eh?
Image: Make My Trip screenshot

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One thing I don’t like with flying budget airlines is that you have to pay for your meals. But because budget airlines usually fly short routes, it’s tolerable. Afterall, the savings you get from the airfare more than covers the cost of the meal. However, if you find yourself really hungry onboard, most budget airlines won’t have much to offer anyway to fill your grumbling stomach. Perhaps the most filling you can get is a sandwich, which can a little bit unsatisfying for the duration of say, a 3-hour flight.
Well, not with Air Asia, which just announced that they are …read more

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Initially called Air Korea, Korean Air’s budget affiliate has been rebranded as Jin Air. There seemed to be a lot of thinking that came into coming up with this name. First, Jin Air supposedly has the same pronunciation as the Chinese character meaning “truth” and “sincerity”.
Pursuing “freshness” and “pragmatism,” the budget airline showed unconventionality in many aspects
The crew will be wearing jeans and t-shirts, and will be called “Jini” ― pilots will be called “Jini pilot,” flight attendants, “Jini flying mate,” and ground crew, “Jini ground staff.” Cool eh? And the best is, according to the report, flights will cost …read more

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Thai Airways has announced that, effective June 25, 2008, it will be increasing its fuel surcharge on international and domestic flights, due to the increase in jet fuel costs. The adjustment on international flights will depend on the route and will range from US$60 (for short flights from Bangkok to Vietnam and Laos, for example) to US$281 (for long-haul flights from Bangkok to New York or Los Angeles).
For domestic flights, they will collect a fuel surcharge rate of THB 850, except the Chiang Mai-Mae Hong Son route where THB 600 will be collected.
In addition, the airline will suspend its …read more

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It turned out that my mother-in-law and her sister, who wanted to spend a week in Beijing, weren’t able to secure the necessary tourist visa to enter China as the country tightens security in reference to the Olympics. What a bummer! Oh well, they’re heading to Ho Chi Minh City instead.
That’s one great thing being based here in Singapore– it’s easy to hop off to the neighboring Asian cities, being one the main airline hubs in Asia. Assuming you get the visa, that is.

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Photo Credit: Erik Charlton via Flickr
Even with some airports and airlines offering express check-in, most travelers still spend quite some time being idle in airports. If you’ve paid a hefty sum for a business or first class seat, or if you are an esteemed member of a frequent flyer club, then fine — you can spend that time a bit more comfortably in the member lounges where there are amenities you can avail of to relax a bit or even work.
But what if your earned miles aren’t enough to gain you entry to those lounges? What if you’re just …read more

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