Tiger Airways: ‘Air Ways’ TV series premieres on Channel 7 on Tuesday, 14 July

[roshodgekiss]

Tiger Airways’ ’warts and all’ new series, ‘Air Ways’ premieres on Sydney’s Channel 7 on Tuesday, 14th July at 7:30pm. Using the same format as the UK’s ‘Airline’, a reality-tv series depicting the trials-and-tribulations of the discount carrier, EasyJet, ‘Air Ways’ depicts both the grit and glamour of its day-to-day operations. For example, the first episode is said to feature:

…a couple incensed at being hit with unexpected excess baggage fees for a pram. Then there’s a group of angry travellers whose leaders lose their cool after a 10-hour delay and lead a mini-revolution at the airport...

What I have been personally enjoying is the level of honesty discount carriers have taken upon themselves as of late – it’s quite refreshing to have any company admit that beneath their squeaky-clean corporate image, day-to-day bads do happen. AirAsia has hysterical passengers, Jetstar has problems flying into Queenstown and now Tiger Airways’ has folks that can’t check-in on time. The negative consequence is that consumers will once more be given ammunition to pummel discount carriers with, reinforcing the notion that cheap fares equate to poor-quality service. Honesty may be the best policy, as long as it doesn’t discount all the positive work that the low-cost carriers (and their marketing teams) have done.

Cheers!
-Ros (Flighthacker.com)

 

[medhead]

Here is a link to the story from The Oz.

Tiger Australia TV series set for take-off | The Australian

 

[roshodgekiss]

Cheers for the link, medhead! Lets see if 'Air Ways' gets the same 11-year run as 'Airline' got in the UK

 

[Saab34]

Here is the actual channel 7 homepage for the show which includes a sneak preview
Airways - Channel 7 TV Show - Yahoo!7 TV

^^The guy really goes wacko in the video there! Should be funny.

 

[Postcode]

I wonder if the series will be cancelled as quickly as TT's flights are.

 

[samh004]

I wont be in Australia but have set up Remote Record on Foxtel so hopefully it'll record the full episode, ready for me to watch when I get back.

 

[Bundy Bear]

On TV now, hmm;

I am not sure I would fly Tiger watching this program.

 

[trooper]

I lasted 5 minutes and turned it off....

Think I empathise too much with whoever is unfairly copping it... whether pax or staff!!!

 

[Hvr]

Yeah put me off flying them forever as well. The occasional problem with Jet* is enough for me.

Sometimes I think airfares are too low if that is the type of people flying.

Wonder why they let this type of "publicity" go to air? It really is warts and all, didn't see any good side of them at all.

I would even go so far as to say they are spiteful based on the bloke asleep in the waiting area and no one bothered to wake him up. Seems that Tiger was much happier, indeed gleeful, to off load his bag and charge him another fare.

 

[Saab34]

It was going to be a flop anyway, it seems to be a low budget show and what was with that moron who missed the Perth flight. Who Cares! Same with that wedding thing.....

I think its depressing watching people crack the ****s over a $25 excess bag charge.

Its going to damage their already shocking image, I dont know what they are thinking..

 

[roshodgekiss]

Yea... I agree, Airways didn't really frame Tiger Airways in a positive light.

The proposal bit was pretty funny, though, I can't believe the guy couldn't wait until he was actually out of Adelaide. Shame he was flying Tiger, he could have tried milking that one for an upgrade had he flown with another carrier

 

[v8Statesman]

Can't wait to watch it. 17more mins to wait here in WA:evil:

 

[roshodgekiss]

Haha, enjoy! I've posted a brief review of 'Airways' here: Flighthacker – Airfare sales, news and advice in Australia Blog Archive Tiger Airways: ‘Airways’ premiere wrap-up

 

[albatross710]

I think its depressing watching people crack the ****s over a $25 excess bag charge.
.

Weren't they overweight as they were checking in an extra item?

I would have thought that this show was a PR strategy to educate the travelling public that LCC means no mercy.

 

[Flashback]

Weren't they overweight as they were checking in an extra item?

I would have thought that this show was a PR strategy to educate the travelling public that LCC means no mercy.

No, if an infant is travelling the pram is free. Coming up from MEL the child was under the age of 2, but on a child's ticket as he turned 2 while in OOL. They were correct to charge him on the flight out of OOL as he was over 2, and thus not an infant (which is the only way to get a free pram allowance).

In reality, they're lucky he wasn't charged on the way up also because he was actually on a child's fare and not an infant's fare! Some people you just can't please.

 

[serfty]

Weren't they overweight as they were checking in an extra item? ...

I'm beleive the pram was no longer free as the child was over 2 years old. They had not pre-paid for it so had to ante up $25.

An I still can't work out why the Coptic group's leader could not await his turn to baord after the wheelchair passenger. :shock:

 

[medhead]

I would even go so far as to say they are spiteful based on the bloke asleep in the waiting area and no one bothered to wake him up. Seems that Tiger was much happier, indeed gleeful, to off load his bag and charge him another fare.

Yep very gleeful at the $318 fare :shock:

I reckon the woman with the pusher had a fair point, an infant who that travels free gets a free pusher as luggage. But a child paying a fare doesn't

Not sure what Mr Charge onto the plane was thinking, did they bother to explain the the old and infirm had to be loaded first? Weird, seems like a set up - except for the coppers

But overall, I shouldn't ahve bothered waking up for the show.

 

[medhead]

No, if an infant is travelling the pram is free. Coming up from MEL the child was under the age of 2, but on a child's ticket as he turned 2 while in OOL. They were correct to charge him on the flight out of OOL as he was over 2, and thus not an infant (which is the only way to get a free pram allowance).

In reality, they're lucky he wasn't charged on the way up also because he was actually on a child's fare and not an infant's fare! Some people you just can't please.

But this is what I can't understand. What if you travel with a real infant, but choose to pay the child fare to get the seat. It si still an infant and should get the free pusher but based on the show they wouldn't because the infant is on a child fare.

Basically, if your cheap and put up with having an infant on your lap you get a freebie. But if you stump up the cash they slug you extra?

 

[djfuzz]

But this is what I can't understand. What if you travel with a real infant, but choose to pay the child fare to get the seat. It si still an infant and should get the free pusher but based on the show they wouldn't because the infant is on a child fare.

Basically, if your cheap and put up with having an infant on your lap you get a freebie. But if you stump up the cash they slug you extra?

Because if you're carrying the infant they can charge another schmuck the full price for the seat instead of getting only the child's price from you?

I don't know. Things like this are what turned me off LCCs like JQ and TT, and even DJ started to bug me a little. You pretty much have to factor the price of potentially significant inconvenience and the feeling of being screwed on unforeseen extras - if that amounts to less than the difference between flying on full service, then go ahead. If not then be aware of the disadvantages of that choice (and if flying to OOL, budget an extra few hours and take the train/cab from BNE).

Meanwhile watching most of this show was not fun. Excruciating even.

 

[ethernet]

OK, so they come across as heartless b's - it was not good PR at all for them - but it also implied the others will take your money.

At the end of the day, it is a balancing act - but I feel Tiger and JQ have the formula wrong, when the punishment does not fit the crime. Not when their own flight is delayed - or their own connecting flights are late.

I wonder if Melbourne is a testing ground for Tiger - nowhere else do I see people pulling stuff out of cases to share with friends and family to the same extent - with the end result that many avoid the $15 per kilo SLUG, but makes the queues go slower as there are countless bogon's as pax.

Plus we have airport security and the xray mob 'enforcing' hand luggage in a manner consistant with profit maximisation - are they on a commission?

I take the attitude of be early and win. However I add in one hour of my time, and as such sometimes QF and Virgin win,(TG looses a non cheapo sale) as I know I cannot win against an unempowered auto drone.

Lucky for them not many aggrieved passengers check in bags and leave - as I have a fair idea what it REALLY costs em, especially with a bag combo that is an unloaders nightmare.

The sleeping/unconscious pax, or the one who nips into the toilet for a joint or shootup are well known - should not have been missed. If it was 1 hour OMG.