A dogfight is raging among budget airlines in Asia, producing eye-popping prices. Would you believe 58 cents to fly from Singapore to Thailand?
That's what Tiger Airways, a new low-cost airline based in Singapore, was charging last month for seats to Bangkok, Phuket and Hat Yai, Thailand, to promote its start-up. Thai AirAsia, a budget competitor based in Bangkok, fired back with 17-cent one-way tickets between Singapore and Phuket.
This festival of falling prices is courtesy of a burgeoning fleet of no-frills carriers in Asia, the latest frontier of flying on the cheap. The trend, which began in the U.S. and migrated to Europe, spawning such ventures as Ryanair and EasyJet, has landed in this vast region.
Among Asia's other low-cost airlines, which fly routes mostly of five hours or less, are Malaysia-based AirAsia (which runs Thai AirAsia in a joint venture); Singapore-based Valuair, which started in May; Qantas Airways' JetStar, launched in May in Australia; and Virgin Group spinoffs Virgin Blue, based in Australia, and Pacific Blue, which began flying in January from Christchurch, New Zealand.
These new carriers have their downsides. They don't fly to the U.S., and connections with other airlines aren't ensured. Buying a ticket can be cumbersome. Confusing rules can leave you holding the bag -- literally. If you're flying from the U.S. on a major international airline, you may not even save money in the end.
"You'd have to be very adventuresome to use some of these carriers that are clearly designed for domestic use," said Thom Nulty, a corporate-travel consultant based in Laguna Niguel and former president of the giant Navigant International travel agency in Englewood, Colo.
Several travel agents and tour operators in the U.S. said they booked such airlines rarely, and only if clients requested them or if savings were substantial. "We are hesitant to use the new carriers because they don't have a track record," said Hima Singh, president of Tarzana-based Asian Pacific Adventures, which organizes cultural tours.
Another barrier: Most of Asia's low-cost carriers aren't listed in agents' computerized reservation systems; travelers must book them on the Internet. They typically don't offer toll-free phone numbers for U.S. customers. It's just too expensive, industry experts said.
"We anticipate that most people flying on Tiger Airways are either Singaporean or Thai or noncitizens who live in either country," Tiger spokesman Patrick Keenan said.
