Airport Guide
UK to Asia cheap flights could be the future
For many, a two hour trip on a budget airline is more than enough.
Sure, the fares are often ridiculously cheap – or even sometimes free – but, in the views of many passengers, this is offset by the sacrifices one has to make, namely in-flight snacks, designated seating and even good customer service.
Given this, the emergence of long-haul cheap flights is likely to split opinion to those who believe such services have finally brought the chance to travel to far-flung exotic destinations and those who believe the initiative is doomed to failure as surely no one can endure a no-frills trip for 12 hours or more.
Despite the naysayers, this week saw the launch of Air Asia X's inaugural cheap flight between London's Stansted and the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur.
Tickets on the service cost from £125 each way, putting a round trip to the far east at £250, an amount it would be easy to spend on a train journey within the UK.
Announcing the launch of the service, AirAsia Group chief executive Tony Fernandes stated: "This is a revolutionary moment for the aviation industry and a great day for passengers, who can have an amazing Asian experience for the price of travelling to Europe."
According to the budget carrier, some 50,000 people have already expressed a keen interest in the promise of affordable long-haul flights, despite a number of restrictions being in place.
Notably, passengers are given a free luggage allowance of just 15 kg, while 'extras' such as in-flight meals and even the use of a TV are also subject to additional charges.
However, when the maths are all done, this could represent a real travel bargain.
Aside from the initial connection from the UK to Malaysia, once travellers are in Asia, they can benefit from a massive range of cheap flights.
For example, the likes of JetStar and Tiger Airways, as well as Air Asia X itself, are to the Asia-Pacific region what Ryanair is to Europe, offering affordable flights to a variety of destinations.
It wouldn't be unreasonable for British holidaymakers to fly from London to Malaysia and then spend a two-week break taking in the temples of Cambodia, the beaches of Thailand and the bustling cities of Vietnam before flying home from Kuala Lumpur, all the while spending just £300 on air fares.
What's more, this latest launch looks set to make the trip down under even more affordable – though a little more time-consuming – as the cheap flights industry between Asia and Australia and New Zealand is experiencing a similar boom.
Though a significant number of travellers will still see their flight as an integral part of their holiday and will therefore be reluctant to give up on even the slightest creature comforts, as the European example has shown, passengers are willing to sacrifice most things in the name of cheap fares and, as such, it would seem oil prices, rather than customer demand, is the only major obstacle standing in the way of a budget long-haul flights revolution right now.
Sure, the fares are often ridiculously cheap – or even sometimes free – but, in the views of many passengers, this is offset by the sacrifices one has to make, namely in-flight snacks, designated seating and even good customer service.
Given this, the emergence of long-haul cheap flights is likely to split opinion to those who believe such services have finally brought the chance to travel to far-flung exotic destinations and those who believe the initiative is doomed to failure as surely no one can endure a no-frills trip for 12 hours or more.
Despite the naysayers, this week saw the launch of Air Asia X's inaugural cheap flight between London's Stansted and the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur.
Tickets on the service cost from £125 each way, putting a round trip to the far east at £250, an amount it would be easy to spend on a train journey within the UK.
Announcing the launch of the service, AirAsia Group chief executive Tony Fernandes stated: "This is a revolutionary moment for the aviation industry and a great day for passengers, who can have an amazing Asian experience for the price of travelling to Europe."
According to the budget carrier, some 50,000 people have already expressed a keen interest in the promise of affordable long-haul flights, despite a number of restrictions being in place.
Notably, passengers are given a free luggage allowance of just 15 kg, while 'extras' such as in-flight meals and even the use of a TV are also subject to additional charges.
However, when the maths are all done, this could represent a real travel bargain.
Aside from the initial connection from the UK to Malaysia, once travellers are in Asia, they can benefit from a massive range of cheap flights.
For example, the likes of JetStar and Tiger Airways, as well as Air Asia X itself, are to the Asia-Pacific region what Ryanair is to Europe, offering affordable flights to a variety of destinations.
It wouldn't be unreasonable for British holidaymakers to fly from London to Malaysia and then spend a two-week break taking in the temples of Cambodia, the beaches of Thailand and the bustling cities of Vietnam before flying home from Kuala Lumpur, all the while spending just £300 on air fares.
What's more, this latest launch looks set to make the trip down under even more affordable – though a little more time-consuming – as the cheap flights industry between Asia and Australia and New Zealand is experiencing a similar boom.
Though a significant number of travellers will still see their flight as an integral part of their holiday and will therefore be reluctant to give up on even the slightest creature comforts, as the European example has shown, passengers are willing to sacrifice most things in the name of cheap fares and, as such, it would seem oil prices, rather than customer demand, is the only major obstacle standing in the way of a budget long-haul flights revolution right now.
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