AK officially launched Shenzhen flight

[Seng Lim 0]

AK officially launched their daily flights to Shenzhen on today, with airfare starting from RM68.88 from KUL & THB388 from BKK.

 

AK88 KUL - SZX 1625 - 2010

AK89 SZX - KUL 2045 - 0030

 

FD3622 BKK - SZX 1830 - 2215

FD3623 SZX - BKK 2245 - 0040

 

Press released from : http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=...&sec=nation

 

AirAsia to begin flights to Shenzhen from July 15

 

14 June 2007

PETALING JAYA: AirAsia will start daily flights to Shenzhen, China, from July 15 from Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok.

The low-cost carrier announced yesterday that airfares would start from RM68.88 for flights from Kuala Lumpur and 388 baht (about RM38) from Bangkok.

 

Its executive vice-president (commercial) Kathleen Tan said: “Shenzhen is the fourth busiest airport in China and this will allow us (AirAsia) to tap into the passenger traffic and facilitate travellers to other Asean destinations that we fly to.

 

“We are very confident that this route will open more opportunities to enhance both of our hubs with greater international links in the region, especially with Shenzhen being the gateway to southern China and Hong Kong,” she said in the statement.

 

Shenzhen is AirAsia's third destination in China, after Macau and Xiamen.

 

AirAsia has seven daily flights to Macau from Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu and Bangkok and one daily flight to Xiamen from Bangkok.

 

Thai AirAsia chief executive officer Tassapon Bijleveld said the Shenzhen route would be Thai AirAsia's 10th international destination.

 

“We trust that it will further establish our position as the main market player in Thailand as well as establishing new growth opportunities,” he said.

 

Shenzhen is located in the southern part of Guangdong province and is the fastest growing city in China for the past 30 years.

 

It is famous for its coastal view, theme parks, historical attractions and world-class golf courses and is known as a shopping paradise.

[Walter Sim 1]

HOORAY!!

 

MORE destinations = less air fare to travel to many destinations = more spending money!!

[Rozhan 0]

Sample fare which I tried to test it out at 0550 today:

 

KUL-SZX 30 July 07

 

1 Guest @ 68.88 MYR

Airport Tax 25.00 MYR

Administration Fee 42.00 MYR

Fuel Surcharge 66.00 MYR

Going Out Total 201.88 MYR

 

SZX-KUL 4 August 07

 

1 Guest @ 99.99 MYR

Airport Tax 42.00 MYR

Administration Fee 42.00 MYR

Fuel Surcharge 66.00 MYR

Coming Back Total 249.99 MYR

 

Total Package Price 451.87 MYR

 

Amazingly value for money!

Edited June 14, 2007 by Rozhan

[Denny Yen 0]

The price is attractive, at least 50%-70% cheaper than CX, CI or BR. However, the schedule could be improved for e.g., outbound from KUL should arrive in SZX before noon...at least business travellers have 1/2 day to do their business. And inbound from SZX should leave around 6.00pm so that it can arrive around 10pm instead of midnight.

 

I wonder why they didn't consider TPE-SZX-KUL?

 

Given that direct air links between Taiwan and PRC are prohibited since 1949, each side's travellers going to PRC or vice versa must transit via HKG. AK being a foreign airline (unlike Taiwanese or PRC airlines) presumably can bypass these restrictions. With so many business travel between SZX-TPE, there is a huge business market. It saves at least 1 or 1.5 hours for us compared to going via HKG.

[KK Lee 5]

Sample fare which I tried to test it out at 0550 today:

 

KUL-SZX 30 July 07

 

1 Guest @ 68.88 MYR

Airport Tax 25.00 MYR

Administration Fee 42.00 MYR

Fuel Surcharge 66.00 MYR

Going Out Total 201.88 MYR

 

SZX-KUL 4 August 07

 

1 Guest @ 99.99 MYR

Airport Tax 42.00 MYR

Administration Fee 42.00 MYR

Fuel Surcharge 66.00 MYR

Coming Back Total 249.99 MYR

 

Total Package Price 451.87 MYR

 

 

‘Administration Fees’? For?

 

A gimmick to makes published price look cheap. Believe AK should offer actual price rather than gimmicked price.

 

 

[Keno Omar 0]

I read that in order to promote foreign visitors in Hong Kong to visit Shenzhen, China has a visa-free policy for visits to certain areas of Shenzhen (i would imagine the central area + the touristy bits). So if one were to fly KUL-SZX just for the sake of using the airport and then immediately cross the border to Hong Kong, would a Malaysian still require a Chinese visa? Taking the example of MFM, we don't need a visa for Macau SAR so it's a cheap and relatively convenient gateway to Hong Kong.

Edited June 16, 2007 by Keno Omar

[rauf 0]

thats cool, its so cheap

[S V Choong 4]

So if one were to fly KUL-SZX just for the sake of using the airport and then immediately cross the border to Hong Kong, would a Malaysian still require a Chinese visa?

 

Well I think you have to have a visa once landed in China. It is painful to apply for visas to China, I wish Malaysian government can strike a deal with the Chinese government, so we can get in Visa Free. Why can't we do it like our neighbours, Singapore and Brunei, the only foreign countries that can enter China without visa!!

 

Still Shenzhen is a gateway to rest of China, catching a domestic Chinese flight in Shenzhen is a heap cheaper than flying Dragonair, Cathay or any airlines at all from HK.

[Denny Yen 0]

Nowadays there is no such thing as visa-free to visit only certain parts of Shenzhen or certain parts of China. The HK-Shenzhen visa-free travel applies to those holding HK Permanent ID card. There is a fast lane for them when crossing the border.

 

Chinese authorities are only giving lip service when they say they have made travelling between these 2 parts less hassle.

 

If you travel in a vehicle such as bus or minibus (as most company employees do), you need to alight and drag your luggage across the checkpoints while the driver brings the vehicle to the other side. You have to repeat this twice. If you travel via hydrofoil from HKG to Shenzhen, you need to go clear your bags twice.

 

If you're in a HK-registered car/SUV/MPV, you clear passport control via a drive-thru and you don't need to get off the vehicle or open it for customs inspection on both sides of the border. In my co., we say hurray if our name gets listed in 7-passenger vehicle column, and grumbles if it appears in the 49-passenger vehicle list.

 

Getting a Chinese visa is easy (in terms of documentation required), but it is so inconvenient. You can get it a China Travel office at HKG airport (long queue and crowded room) or downtown (slightly faster but cost money to travel into town). Also, at HKG airport you need to stand in queue for 2 1/2 - 3 hours even if you arrive at 9.30am being the first arrival from other parts of North Asia.

 

China is unlikely to scrap the visa-free for most countries because it is a good way of getting income. There is a wierd rule such as multiple entry will be given to those who had previously visited China at least 3 times. If you try to get an APEC business visa, they will say you are not eligible unless you "own" that co., whereas most countries say that APEC business visa applies for employees as well.

[S V Choong 4]

Thanks for the tip Denny, I was thinking of applying a multiple entry Chinese visa at Chek Lap Kok. I guess they are so busy that I shouldn't bother with it and should go to downtown China Travel Service instead?

 

Anyway, there seemed to be a new CTS counter at the lower level of Terminal 2 at Chek Lap Kok.

[Keno Omar 0]

Thanks for the info. I guess it's fair to say that SZX service is targetted mainly as a gateway to PRC rather than Hong Kong. For the latter, it's more convenient to fly into MFM for us Malaysians for visa reasons.

 

Btw I had a Chinese visa but was never utilized (1 year validity but now expired). Supposed to attend a training in Shenzhen about 2 years ago but cancelled the last minute

[Walter Sim 1]

New way into hongkong other than via Macau.

 

Train ticket from shenzen to hk is cheaper than ferry ticket from macau to hk

[S V Choong 4]

Thanks for the info. I guess it's fair to say that SZX service is targetted mainly as a gateway to PRC rather than Hong Kong. For the latter, it's more convenient to fly into MFM for us Malaysians for visa reasons.

 

Correct! I go to SZX to catch flights to China from HKG. Eventhough the Visa will cost money, but it still work out a lot cheaper from flying direct from HKG. Watch out for the special fares which they put on for time to time flying out of Shenzhen, they can be purchased from any China Travel Service outlet around HK. You can also catch the hydrofoil from Kowloon (China HK terminal) or Macau Ferry Terminal in HK Central to Shenzhen Fuyong port. From the Fuyong port, which is located at one end of Shenzhen airport one end, you can catch the free airport shuttle bus to the terminal. It is just 5 mins drive away.

 

Catching the hydrofoil will save a lot of time compared to buses from HKG, as you need to offload and go through the immigration in HK and then when you reached the Shenzhen side, you will need to do the same thing again! Pain in the butt, especially if the driver did not wait for you (as foreign takes longer to process than HK residents) or mistaken you as a local Hong Kong resident!

[Denny Yen 0]

Pain in the butt, especially if the driver did not wait for you (as foreign takes longer to process than HK residents) or mistaken you as a local Hong Kong resident!

If you don't speak Chinese language, you won't get any help at all.

 

At the Shenzhen side, parking lots for buses are very limited and often 3 buses are parked on the same bay behind one another...you have to navigate between reversing and incoming buses to look for your bus...very dangerous.

 

Worst if you get onto the wrong bus at Shenzhen side and they bring you to some inner/faraway parts of China or Guangdong.

 

A less hassle way is to get your visa sorted out before you land in HKG or at China Travel's HKIA branch office. Then, take the hydrofoil into Shekou in Shenzhen. From Shekou, hire a local taxi (red ones although more expensive, are slightly better than the green ones because they can go almost anywhere) into downtown Shenzhen. However, watch out for taxi-driver cheaters. You should have at least 1 more person travelling with you to avoid driver taking you to some unknown area and killing you for your cash/cameras/etc.

 

Best alternative is to take chaffeured SUV/MPV from HKG into downtown Shenzhen.

 

I guess they are so busy that I shouldn't bother with it and should go to downtown China Travel Service instead? Anyway, there seemed to be a new CTS counter at the lower level of Terminal 2 at Chek Lap Kok.

If you use downtown CTS, you can use "same day express" service (submit in morning, collect in afternoon. Application fee is slightly higher).

 

CTS branch office at HKIA is workable if you arrive very early (before 9am), avoid Mondays and have at least 3 to 4 hours before your connecting flight into PRC. Queue can stretch from inside until outside corridors.

 

Some CTS offices worldwide accept application by post or proxy (i.e., an agent will submit the application and collect your passport for you). Why not try to enquire if your NZ CTS office has this sort of service.

[S V Choong 4]

If you use downtown CTS, you can use "same day express" service (submit in morning, collect in afternoon. Application fee is slightly higher).

 

CTS branch office at HKIA is workable if you arrive very early (before 9am), avoid Mondays and have at least 3 to 4 hours before your connecting flight into PRC. Queue can stretch from inside until outside corridors.

 

Some CTS offices worldwide accept application by post or proxy (i.e., an agent will submit the application and collect your passport for you). Why not try to enquire if your NZ CTS office has this sort of service.

Thanks Denny, I already had my visa sorted in NZ (double entry visa). They are a bit reluctant to give us the half year multiple entry visa for some reason. I really wanted to get the multiple entry visa this time as I need to get in and out again while in China. It could involve a trip to Macau as well.

 

Anyway, the office of the Chinese consulate general in Auckland and Chinese embassy in Wellington are not fun places to be. Staffed by some unhelpful and rude people. I heard that those who work in Chinese embassies are folks of those officals in China who apparently are barely educated, but got the job thru nepotism. Spoke English to them, they couldn't understand me. Spoke Chinese to them, they thought I was some mainland Chinese who escaped to Malaysia to become an overseas Chinese. Right... Anyway, due to this reason, I prefer to apply thru China Travel Service eventhough it cost a bit more.

 

If you don't speak Chinese language, you won't get any help at all.

 

Thats why my boss never travel alone and needs a Chinese speaker to go along with him

Edited June 17, 2007 by S V Choong

[Seng Lim 0]

Second daily KUL - Shenzhen flights will be added soon + New BKI - Shenzhen flights will be launch very soon as well.

 

Source: http://www.airasia.com/nl/nl070823-en.htm

Edited August 23, 2007 by Seng Lim

[BC Tam 2]

+ New BKI - Shenzhen flights will be launch very soon as well

 

btw, anyone has any idea as to the BKI-BKK-BKI service ? When I checked, all I got was some cryptic message that all the flights could be fully booked. Wow !

[Seng Lim 0]

The 2nd daily Shenzhen will be added in Oct (official date haven't announce yet), followed by BKI - SZX.