Tiger Air Suspending BKI Flights

[Andi C 0]

Family cries foul over flight suspension

Published on: Friday, August 14, 2009

 

Kota Kinabalu: A family of six who on May 24 booked a Tiger Air flight to Singapore for Dec. 23, 2009 under reservation CZSJLX is crying foul of the sudden suspension of the flight.

 

Secondly, the family is supposed to be refunded within 14 working days of the notice issued by Tiger Airways, Singapore's budget airline, but it is almost three weeks now and there is no sign of the refund.

 

In a notice emailed to Francis dated July 24, the airline company explained that Tiger Airways is rapidly expanding and growing as a result of increased customer demand for its services and famous low fares. So the flight concerned has been suspended as part of the airline's network review.

 

The letter was sent by Reservations Team, Tiger Airways Pte Ltd.

 

The family spokesman, identified as Francis, called up Daily Express to air his grouses, saying there is no proper channel for them to ask for the delayed refund. He had paid RM1,162 for four persons (three adults, including himself, and his five-year-old son), while his mother-in-law and brother-in-law, who live in Sandakan, made a separate payment for their flight.

 

Francis said his family was attracted to the low fares as advertised by the airline in the local media earlier this year, prompting him to make the booking and payment as the family wanted to holiday in Singapore.

 

"This (suspension) is causing frustration and inconvenience to travellers.

 

Where is the responsibility and accountability? Why is it taking so long to process the booking refund as assured?" he queried.

 

"On top of it, I can't even reply to the email (forwarded to me). I was told not to (in a footnote) because it is an automated system and will not reach the airline company."

 

According to Francis, he had approached the Tiger Airways counter manned by three female staff at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) Terminal Two, followed by phone inquiries until Wednesday but to no avail. Last Friday, he was told by one of the staff that Tiger Airways will stop flying from Kota Kinabalu to Singapore beginning this October.

 

What irked him was that he was given the call centre number (00656538443) by one of the staff named Sophia but it turned out to be a machine recording.

 

"I want to talk to somebody, and not a robot. On Wednesday when I inquired again, another staff named Ann told me she knows the number of the boss at the headquarters in Singapore but is not authorised to reveal it.

 

She said the number is not meant for the public, according to the boss.

 

"What are the staff there for if they cannot help the public?" he asked.

 

Source: Daily Express

http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=67004

 

Tiger Air suspending BKI flights

[Ignatius 4]

THe load sucks or wat?.. why suspension so fast?

[Waiping 12]

Maybe the load isn't really that encouraging after all.

[Pieter C. 5]

THe load sucks or wat?.. why suspension so fast?

 

Too much competition from 3K ?

[Sing Yew 1]

First airlines plying the route to bite the dust.

Anymore following suit ? I wonder.

 

Overcapacity amongst the airlines perhap ?

[Kenneth T 0]

My goodness..the 1st flight was just few months back....i wonder if there are too many airlines operating this route at this moment.

[Waiping 12]

My goodness..the 1st flight was just few months back....i wonder if there are too many airlines operating this route at this moment.

 

1st March. Hardly 6 months later.

[Samuel Chy 0]

schedule problem? if not mistaken their Friday flight depart back Sin at approx 1am.

[Kenneth Chong WT 0]

While TR is suspending their SIN-BKI route, we over here are worried that 3K might leave us high and dry...There is this thing with Sarawakians and Malaysian in general, they always assume that AK is the cheapest. I for one would pick 3K first, AK second and TR last. Not that I'm not supporting Malaysian product, just that 3K is more convenient despite their weird scheduling.

[Ignatius 4]

Hmmm maybe BKI folks prefer pornstar more than tiger show... Why freak out.. still got 3K and AK and MI and MH what... chill out..

Edited August 17, 2009 by Ignatius

[flee 5]

With budget carriers, you need to check the fares of ALL airlines at the time u want to book. Fares are never the same, even on the same airline but flying on a different flight. So check for the best deal.

 

AK will usually be cheapest only during their megasales, e.g. the one that just ended yesterday. I managed to get some D7 TPE return tickets for RM 320.

[BC Tam 2]

Why freak out.. still got 3K and AK and MI and MH what... chill out..

At BKI, no more MH non stop to SIN fyi

If wan to travel 5*, have to go via KCH liao

[Waiping 12]

I usually find TR cheapest but the schedule is really weird.

[S V Choong 4]

At BKI, no more MH non stop to SIN fyi

If wan to travel 5*, have to go via KCH liao

Hehe... BC, you are being cheeky

 

Even with the 5 star service, they are not going direct these days?? I missed the days when I travelled to SIN non-stop on the MAS' A300-B4-203(sometimes via KCH)!! I remembered very well that the time when the 5 star airline made a substantial cut back on capacity to SIN was during SARS (April 2003). Since they have phased out the A300B4s the B737-400/500s were plying the BKI-SIN (or BKI-KCH-SIN) route.

Edited August 18, 2009 by S V Choong

[Isaac 0]

From what i have seen, 3K (Jetstar) seems to be enjoying relatively high load between SIN/BKI and yet they have reduced their frequency from 5x weekly to 4x weekly since March. Hope they are not leaving us just yet. I find 3K to be cheaper than AK most of the time.

 

 

There is this thing with Sarawakians and Malaysian in general, they always assume that AK is the cheapest.

I couldn't agree more. Most ignorant idiots simply do not bother to check other airlines

 

 

Even with the 5 star service, they are not going direct these days??

MH631 and MH630 will be suspended indefinitely soon. MAS will still be operating daily flight between BKI/SIN with a brief stop at KCH.

 

 

I missed the days when I travelled to SIN non-stop on the MAS' A300-B4-203(sometimes via KCH)!! I remembered very well that the time when the 5 star airline made a substantial cut back on capacity to SIN was during SARS (April 2003). Since they have phased out the A300B4s the B737-400/500s were plying the BKI-SIN (or BKI-KCH-SIN) route.

In year 2000. MH631 was operating BKI-SIN-KUL while MH630 KUL-SIN-BKI using 734 on a daily basis. The flight was reduced to 3x or 4x weekly during the SARS period. It was resume back to daily for a while and then cut to 3x or 4x weekly again. And now MH631/MH630 will be history very soon.

[Mushrif A 3]

Also circa yr 2001 or 2002, there still was the KCH-SIN-KUL vv on the 734. I enjoyed the stop to pick up some duty free stuff at Changi (whilst on a domestic flight). Earlier, the route was even served by the 772. When -MRA was first delivered, the routes it normally flew in the first few weeks were KUL-SIN-KCH-SIN-KUL-BKK-KUL.

Edited August 18, 2009 by Mushrif A

[S V Choong 4]

I couldn't agree more. Most ignorant idiots simply do not bother to check other airlines

You have to admit though, they are pretty successful in conveying their message to others, to the extent that people in general think Air Asia is the cheapest option available. Can't get any more success than that as far as their existence as a low cost airline is concerned.

 

For international travel, I have many friends here too assumed Air Asia X is the cheapest option, which comes to AUD7XX return. I must say that I am not really enjoying being packed in a sardine can, I have done a search for other full service airline like SQ and MH (regardless of their 5 star snackbox or meal tray), their fares are only a fraction more than D7 at certain time. Why would I want to bother with D7?

Edited August 18, 2009 by S V Choong

[Isaac 0]

For international travel, I have many friends here too assumed Air Asia X is the cheapest option, which comes to AUD7XX return. I must say that I am not really enjoying being packed in a sardine can, I have done a search for other full service airline like SQ and MH (regardless of their 5 star snackbox or meal tray), their fares are only a fraction more than D7 at certain time. Why would I want to bother with D7?

I have also compared D7 air fare to CI for travel in November between KUL and TPE. CI three adult return tickets turned out to be only RM2031 while D7 is charging RM2214

[H C Chai 4]

I missed the days when I travelled to SIN non-stop on the MAS' A300-B4-203(sometimes via KCH)!! I remembered very well that the time when the 5 star airline made a substantial cut back on capacity to SIN was during SARS (April 2003). Since they have phased out the A300B4s the B737-400/500s were plying the BKI-SIN (or BKI-KCH-SIN) route.

 

You just brought back my childhood memory! I missed the 80's and 90's (especially the HK movies!) ... but I never recall MH did SIN-KCH-BKI with the A300-B4 back then. I do remember they had the twice weekly MH60 doing KUL-KCH-BKI-HKG & vv. I was on the KUL-KCH leg a few times. I loved this flight, it gave domestic passengers a flavour of how it was like travelling internationally (being on a widebody + experience Subang T1). Best part of it was the flight left KUL just before 7am, hence the night tourist fare applied (thats about 30% off normal Y fare). Back then they still gave out menu for Y class passengers - I even took one home with me. Maybe I should dig it out and see what they serve on the KCH-BKI leg back then

 

 

Also circa yr 2001 or 2002, there still was the KCH-SIN-KUL vv on the 734. I enjoyed the stop to pick up some duty free stuff at Changi (whilst on a domestic flight). Earlier, the route was even served by the 772. When -MRA was first delivered, the routes it normally flew in the first few weeks were KUL-SIN-KCH-SIN-KUL-BKK-KUL.

 

Oh, so domestic passengers travelling on this route are OK to leave the plane in SIN, wandering at the departure hall without a passport? I always thought how it was like travelling on this flight. I almost took MH641 (KCH-SIN-KUL) once but my mum changed the flight to a non-stop one at the last minute so that she could save RM100 (the YEE30 fare doesn't applied to flights via SIN).

[Mushrif A 3]

Yup, no passport whilst wandering around Changi, airside. (Although in practice, personally, i always use a passport to enter Sabah & sarawak).

 

Also, on the 772, service becomes a bit odd when using a 3-class aircraft to serve KUL-SIN-KCH vv. KUL-SIN offers only tickets in F & Y, whilst KUL-KCH offers only C & Y. (Cant remember between KCH & SIN)

Edited August 18, 2009 by Mushrif A

[Isaac 0]

Oh, so domestic passengers travelling on this route are OK to leave the plane in SIN, wandering at the departure hall without a passport?

Yeah. Because you are still inside the departure area. I mean after the passport control area. Love Changi T2 very much

 

 

I always thought how it was like travelling on this flight. I almost took MH641 (KCH-SIN-KUL) once but my mum changed the flight to a non-stop one at the last minute so that she could save RM100 (the YEE30 fare doesn't applied to flights via SIN).

Eh ? I was on MH631 three times (BKI-SIN-KUL), two times to SIN and once to KUL (transit in SIN). We were using a YEE30 ticket to KUL with a brief stop in SIN. YEE30 ticket between BKI/KUL was RM711 in year 2001.

[S V Choong 4]

You just brought back my childhood memory! I missed the 80's and 90's (especially the HK movies!) ... but I never recall MH did SIN-KCH-BKI with the A300-B4 back then. I do remember they had the twice weekly MH60 doing KUL-KCH-BKI-HKG & vv. I was on the KUL-KCH leg a few times. I loved this flight, it gave domestic passengers a flavour of how it was like travelling internationally (being on a widebody + experience Subang T1). Best part of it was the flight left KUL just before 7am, hence the night tourist fare applied (thats about 30% off normal Y fare). Back then they still gave out menu for Y class passengers - I even took one home with me. Maybe I should dig it out and see what they serve on the KCH-BKI leg back then

 

HC, As far as I remember, they did use the A300B4 for the BKI-KCH-SIN. Yeah please dig out your menu, IIRC they served the meal between BKI and KCH but not between KCH and SIN. I love the night flight of MH60 too. If I am not wrong, MH60 used to extend all the way to NRT at some stage. Routing is KUL-KCH-BKI-HKG-TPE-NRT or was it KUL-KCH-BKI-HKG-NRT. When I tried to book a flight to Japan during 1994, they stopped doing the HKG-NRT sector! I hope those of you who are carrying the old timetable of MAS could probably provide such prove. I love the night flight to KUL, my father returns to KL every year and he took all of us along. Like you, I just LOVE the widebodies and I was always hoping for the A300B4 (my favourite aircraft) but at times we get the 3 holer, DC-10-30, which was equally good to me. Interesting enough, you can see both A300B4 and DC-10-30 parked in tandem in BKI's old terminal (current Terminal 2 location). The view from BKI's viewing deck was so great and expansive that I could spend the whole day there spotting aircraft. I recalled whenever we had the DC-10-30, it tends to go direct to KUL from BKI without stopping at KCH?? Perhaps it was the DC-10-30 which were used on the NRT-BKI-KUL route?? Or SEL-BKI-KUL route. On those sectors, we were mistaken by the crews and the pax. to be Korean or Japanese.

 

I remembered that the MH61 arrived from HKG into BKI around 7pm and then departs BKI for KCH at around 9pm as far as I remember. At KCH every passenger has to disembark and hang around the lounge at KCH and were given the old floopy plastic transit card. On the return sector I remember the flight, MH60, leaves KUL just before 7am too for KCH. In the Peninsular, this is when the sun begin to rise, so they still charge you for the night tourist class fare. My father's hometown is Seremban though, so we had to wake up at some uncivilised hours of 3am and our uncle took the honour to drive us all up North to Subang and drop us off the airport (Subang T1).

 

Those were the days...

Edited August 19, 2009 by S V Choong

[Ryan Soh 3]

HC, As far as I remember, they did use the A300B4 for the BKI-KCH-SIN. Yeah please dig out your menu, IIRC they served the meal between BKI and KCH but not between KCH and SIN.

Indeed... The A300s were used not only for KUL-SIN-KCH-BKI, but also on KUL-SIN-KCH and I believe at a later stage also KUL-SIN-BKI. The A330s were also utilised as I was on it in 1994 flying SIN-KCH. Back then KCH's terminal builing was open air!

 

And a little correction though, a hot meal was served between SIN and KCH. Perhaps more crew was available on the A330 so it didn't seem rushed but by golly when I was flying the 737-400 back to SIN (we had braised chicken with rice), the crew was still rushing to load the trays back into the cart when the plane turned onto its final approach into Changi! All was done in due time moments before the gears were lowered.

[BC Tam 2]

..... the crew was still rushing to load the trays back into the cart when the plane turned onto its final approach into Changi! All was done in due time moments before the gears were lowered.

Equally spectacular, if not more so, when crew had to do coffee/tea (hot, not cold !) service on BWN-BKI and LBU-BKI sectors

Was once on CX flying from BWN with what must have been very favourable tail wind and a runway 02 approach into BKI - the poor girls seemed in two minds as to what to do with their trays of drinks, the plane already shuddering from the lowered undercarriages !

[S V Choong 4]

Equally spectacular, if not more so, when crew had to do coffee/tea (hot, not cold !) service on BWN-BKI and LBU-BKI sectors

Was once on CX flying from BWN with what must have been very favourable tail wind and a runway 02 approach into BKI - the poor girls seemed in two minds as to what to do with their trays of drinks, the plane already shuddering from the lowered undercarriages !

I suppose your route was HKG-BKI-BWN on the L-1011 Tristar?? BWN-BKI is probably shorter than SIN-KUL