Airfares from Singapore to east coast ... just wow (in a bad way)

[dajop]

OK, looking at flights SIN-MEL during September, have really missed the boat on this one.

You can usually rely on Scoot of have low cost fares - or at reasonable ones, but for most of the month they are charging approximately $1200 AUD, one way. No luggage, no food and beverage, no entertainment. Only marginally cheaper than what SQ are charging for Premium Economy from SIngapore to New York ($1350). At the end of the month, they have one day where it drops to $800 and the last two $1000.

Meanwhile Jetstar have a bargain, with non-stop flights going for about $1000 AUD.

SYD and OOL all seem to be suffering the same fate. Looks my two best options will be the long journey via MNL for $500 on PR (or $1000 in business) or Scoot to PER then QF classic award from there for $250 plus + 11,000 Avios (or 18,000 QFF pts)

Hopefully as some of the other Asian carriers start to ramp up, it will relieve the burden on the Singapore hub and fares might correct somewhat.

 

[Ade]

Premium Economy from SIngapore to New York ($1350). At the end of the month, they have one day where it drops to $800 and the last two $1000.

That is so cheap for PE. Makes me think about flying SQ in 2023 ...

Post automatically merged: Aug 30, 2022

Looks my two best options will be the long journey via MNL for $500 on PR (or $1000 in business)

That is cheap too ... makes me wonder we are paying exorbitant $$ ex-AU, eh?

 

[wandering_fred]

Almost anywhere in SE Asia to PER (or the eastern airports) in early Oct is priced at unbelievable levels.
As I have a 4+ hour drive from PER to home, I have a reluctance to arrive after about 4:00 pm which does complicate selection.
prices for Fri 14 Oct in AU$
KUL-PER MH 800+ Malindo ~500 Scoot ~640 SQ ~960
SIN-PER MH ~750 QF ~1400 Malindo ~550/650 Scoot ~500 SQ ~1100/1300
DPS-PER JQ ~500 Malindo 600+

Do the airlines really want us to be wandering
Fred

 

[jase05]

OK, looking at flights SIN-MEL during September, have really missed the boat on this one.

You can usually rely on Scoot of have low cost fares - or at reasonable ones, but for most of the month they are charging approximately $1200 AUD, one way. No luggage, no food and beverage, no entertainment. Only marginally cheaper than what SQ are charging for Premium Economy from SIngapore to New York ($1350). At the end of the month, they have one day where it drops to $800 and the last two $1000.

Meanwhile Jetstar have a bargain, with non-stop flights going for about $1000 AUD.

SYD and OOL all seem to be suffering the same fate. Looks my two best options will be the long journey via MNL for $500 on PR (or $1000 in business) or Scoot to PER then QF classic award from there for $250 plus + 11,000 Avios (or 18,000 QFF pts)

Hopefully as some of the other Asian carriers start to ramp up, it will relieve the burden on the Singapore hub and fares might correct somewhat.

Out of those options the J on PR comfortably wins hands down. It’s a pretty good product IMO

 

[offshore171]

Almost anywhere in SE Asia to PER (or the eastern airports) in early Oct is priced at unbelievable levels.

Makes sense. End of school holidays = high demand for flights returning to Australia.

Do you have flexibility to travel outside school holidays?

 

[jrfsp]

airfares to just about anywhere are expensive at the moment.

 

[dajop]

Out of those options the J on PR comfortably wins hands down. It’s a pretty good product IMO

In theory. But the available options on the various dates I want to travel involves a 6 hr layover in MNL (T2), I guess you have access to the Mabuhay lounge but still.... and of course it's almost 4 hrs for the first A321 flight. So 10 hrs into the journey, you're still 8 hrs away from MEL, further than you were at the start...

Anyhoo, it's now the only feasible option. Scoot just bumped their flights for SIN-PER up from $250 yesterday to $1000 today. And that's the fare they're charging from now to the start of November. This is almost the same as what we paid last August (we paid $1400 for Scoot Biz from SIN-PER) and there were only 3 passengers on the aircraft due to flight caps!

 

[dajop]

airfares to just about anywhere are expensive at the moment.

To/from Australia anyway. Fares heading to Europe or US from Asia are starting to drop.

 

[jase05]

In theory. But the available options on the various dates I want to travel involves a 6 hr layover in MNL (T2), I guess you have access to the Mabuhay lounge but still.... and of course it's almost 4 hrs for the first A321 flight. So 10 hrs into the journey, you're still 8 hrs away from MEL, further than you were at the start...

Anyhoo, it's now the only feasible option. Scoot just bumped their flights for SIN-PER up from $250 yesterday to $1000 today. And that's the fare they're charging from now to the start of November. This is almost the same as what we paid last August (we paid $1400 for Scoot Biz from SIN-PER) and there were only 3 passengers on the aircraft due to flight caps!

Flatbed whole journey or Y on a LCC.
Even with the 6 layover in MNL I’m taking that option

 

[auriga]

In theory. But the available options on the various dates I want to travel involves a 6 hr layover in MNL (T2), I guess you have access to the Mabuhay lounge but still.... and of course it's almost 4 hrs for the first A321 flight. So 10 hrs into the journey, you're still 8 hrs away from MEL, further than you were at the start...

Anyhoo, it's now the only feasible option. Scoot just bumped their flights for SIN-PER up from $250 yesterday to $1000 today. And that's the fare they're charging from now to the start of November. This is almost the same as what we paid last August (we paid $1400 for Scoot Biz from SIN-PER) and there were only 3 passengers on the aircraft due to flight caps!

It is some sort of anomaly perhaps? Cos there have been plenty of cheap sale fares exAust-SIN this past few months. Around $600 odd return from east coast for SQ. Non peak periods, obviously.

 

[dajop]

Flatbed whole journey or Y on a LCC.
Even with the 6 layover in MNL I’m taking that option

I've done enough time in LCC Y that it doesn't bother me, particularly if a day flight (and for Scoot I always pay for the 30% extra legroom seats up the front, as most people don't and the flight can be 95% full and these seats will still have empty middle seats). It's 7 hrs vs 18 travel time!

Also the flatbed isn't for the whole journey, only for the 8 hr MNL-MEL flight, 4 hrs in a recliner first, similar to ScootPlus, it's only an extra 3 hrs in a recliner, and you're there. At the point you would be landing in MEL, via MNL you still have another 3 hrs in the lounge and then 8 hrs in a lie flat bed, whereas on the non stop you have 8 hrs in a real bed. Real bed trumps almost always trumps any bed I've ever had on an aircraft. Except perhaps if comparing some of the beds I had as a backpacker when much younger to SQ First!

But in this instance, when the LCC cost is so crazy, you might be right. It doesn't feel right to pay >$1000 for a one way flight on LCC where you get nickel and dimed for everything on top of that.

 

[jase05]

I've done enough time in LCC Y that it doesn't bother me, particularly if a day flight (and for Scoot I always pay for the 30% extra legroom seats up the front, as most people don't and the flight can be 95% full and these seats will still have empty middle seats). It's 7 hrs vs 18 travel time!

Also the flatbed isn't for the whole journey, only for the 8 hr MNL-MEL flight, 4 hrs in a recliner first, similar to ScootPlus, it's only an extra 3 hrs in a recliner, and you're there. At the point you would be landing in MEL, via MNL you still have another 3 hrs in the lounge and then 8 hrs in a lie flat bed, whereas on the non stop you have 8 hrs in a real bed. Real bed trumps almost always trumps any bed I've ever had on an aircraft. Except perhaps if comparing some of the beds I had as a backpacker when much younger to SQ First!

But in this instance, when the LCC cost is so crazy, you might be right. It doesn't feel right to pay >$1000 for a one way flight on LCC where you get nickel and dimed for everything on top of that.

I had read the PR were going to be putting their A321 flatbeds on more intra Asia flights but obviously not all.

At one stage PR were offering RT fares for only a few hundred dollars more too if you fancy heading back at a later date

 

[dajop]

At one stage PR were offering RT fares for only a few hundred dollars more too if you fancy heading back at a later date

Be definitely heading back, a week after I arrive (I live in Singapore!) . And yes considering that too. It's the time tradeoff, every hour travelling is one hour less visiting, but if I go a day earlier and work from the lounge in MNL, that solves that problem

 

[dajop]

A quick update on this, SQ released some economy award availability to both VA and UA (but only in Advantage class in Krisflyer), so I ended up using some velocity points to book one of the day flights from SIN to MEL. I knew they'd come in handy one day.

Whilst I'd like to try out PR business some day (at the prices they are offering), for now I'll settle with SQ Y and have a breakfast and a few champagnes at the F lounge first. I'll be in MEL 2hrs before PR even departs MNL ....

 

[Pele]

The outrageous prices continue into next year. Anything close to school holidays/CNY/Easter is eye watering. I am looking at KUL-SYD return and Airasia is coming in at $1,350 return, Scott and SQ both just over $2k, MH ~$2.5k. All economy.

I have booked PR J. Will let you know how it goes!

 

[JohnK]

I was hoping wife/daughter will be able to come back early October from Thailand but no award availability and airfares are ridiculously high.

I did find SQ award availability for 23 October but that was a month ago. Who knows when they'll come back now.

 

[dajop]

Now is a another time where prices are crazy. Was sort of looking at coming back to Australia this week for a funeral and to attend to other business. But flights are full and/or fare are insane, so will be attending via live-stream instead.

Cheapest available routing has been SIN-DPS-DIL-DRW-MEL (so $400 to get to DIL and 18,000 QFF pts + $100 from there). Also some interesting anomalies, BKK-SIN-MEL on Scoot for example, $900 + overnight in SIN. SIN-MEL, same flight on Scoot, $1800. One way, no luggage, seat selection or F&Bs. And SIN-LAX-MEL on full service carriers is only about $300 more than that.

 

[auriga]

Now is a another time where prices are crazy. Was sort of looking at coming back to Australia this week for a funeral and to attend to other business. But flights are full and/or fare are insane, so will be attending via live-stream instead.

Cheapest available routing has been SIN-DPS-DIL-DRW-MEL (so $400 to get to DIL and 18,000 QFF pts + $100 from there). Also some interesting anomalies, BKK-SIN-MEL on Scoot for example, $900 + overnight in SIN. SIN-MEL, same flight on Scoot, $1800. One way, no luggage, seat selection or F&Bs. And SIN-LAX-MEL on full service carriers is only about $300 more than that.

maybe something to do with the announcement by China regarding non recognition of online degrees?

 

[dajop]

maybe something to do with the announcement by China regarding non recognition of online degrees?

No, I first looked before that announcement was made. In any event universities don't start until late Feb(??), so maybe not such a rush? It's been like it for a while, earlier in Jan I actually booked a flight SIN-MEL for second half of Feb (via DPS using QFF pts), and Jetstar wanted $800 one way at the time, and Scoot well over $1000 + luggage etc.

 

[jase05]

No, I first looked before that announcement was made. In any event universities don't start until late Feb(??), so maybe not such a rush? It's been like it for a while, earlier in Jan I actually booked a flight SIN-MEL for second half of Feb (via DPS using QFF pts), and Jetstar wanted $800 one way at the time, and Scoot well over $1000 + luggage etc.

If you can handle a MNL transit then PR has flights from KUL to Australia for under $900 in J and SIN to Australia for just over $1k in J for large parts of the year but I have found you need to book about a month out unfortunately