Lost Cost Carriers

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For the first time I planned a trip without a travel agent. I wasn’t 100% happy with the how my previous trip had been handled and thought about all the money I had spent for their commission. I decided it would be fun to do it myself. It was a decision, which probably had a big part in me leaving my high paying bank job to be a travel agent.

Generally, airline tickets are the biggest expense for any traveller and finding the best deal can potentially save hundreds of dollars. Budget airline, Air Asia has opened up travel through Asia and has a model that has been successfully copied by many other airlines.

Air Asia’s hub is the low cost carrier terminal in Kuala Lumpur. It flys into Australia, Europe and Asia. Unlike full service airlines, Air Asia is a point to point carrier only. To make up for the cheap fares, you pay money for your baggage, meals and in flight entertainment. You can also pay extra money to pick your seat and purchase insurance. If your flight is delayed at one point, it is a case of ‘too bad’ for your connecting flight.

It was exciting; hoping all would go to plan. We had to be up in the early hours of the morning as we had a limousine picking us up to drop us at the Gold Coast Airport. Limousines are surprisingly good value when you consider the cost of a cab and split between four people they are excellent value. Splash out and get to the airport in style. Why not I say?

The plane was comfortable and on time. As I got to Kuala Lumpur LCCT I had to race through immigration and customs to catch a connecting flight. This part didn’t go so smoothly. The world was going through a swine flu endemic. I must have run a fever and the thermal scanning had picked me up and I was led to a cordoned off area for further testing. I was nervous, and not completely aware of what was going on. The last thing you are told on the plane is that Malaysia has a death penalty for drug offences. Was there drugs found in my bag? Horror stories of Schapelle Corby were running through my head.

Anyway, it took about ten minutes before they cleared me of swine flu and I got in the line for immigration. I suggest the airport change this system. I got in a line, which had two immigration officers serving it. All the other lines had four or five people serving it. I was getting very stressed about missing the connection. Ah, the airports. Sometimes, they are half the fun of the whole trip.

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