LOVE them HATE em... they are here to stay though...

Oh... how we love and hate these budget airlines at the same time.

• "Love" for the fact that they are the ones who make air travelling affordable (just take a look at the tempting offers by JetstarAsia and AirAsia advertisement depicted above)

• "Hate" for the fact that because being no-frills operators, one have to pay for stuff like meals and drinks (normally provided in full-fledged carriers) at an astronomical rate. Other than that cases like flight cancellation, rescheduling of flights are rather common when travel with these carriers.

So far, I kind of glad that I never encountered such pissed situations that might have derailed my travelling plans when travelled with them but I heard horror stories and experiences from some fellow travellers on various posting on some of those travel forums online.

STORY ONE (in Singlish)
"I kena that crap for my 1st solo independent trip last yr (wat luck!)... but it's a different budget airline (not available in Sg) & to a different destination lah...

Was only given a 24-hr notice via email & I didn't even realise that until I was at the airport... Haha! How did I react?

Quite dumb. I juz called my insurance agent to report abt it & then go home... (cos flight was rescheduled to depart on the following day), thinking that I can make compensation claims fr travel insurance for that cock-up.

But end up I cldn't cos the clause in the insurance says "flight cancellations" but the dumb email sent by the airline quoted "rescheduled" so in a way it's not "covered".

KNS. For my return flight by the same airline, guess wat? My flight's departure time was rescheduled fr morning 9.30am to night 9.30pm but I wasn't informed at all (not even via email this time, only found out when I happened to call to postpone my flight)...

KNS. Thank god I wasn't with any friends / missed with any planned itinerary / bounded by no. of leave for that trip, so all the crappy disruptions din really affect me that much (other than being p***ed off). But they sorta made my trip more memorable though. Ha!"

STORY TWO
"Its always frustrating whenever I have to deal with @@@[name of the budget airline]!

I received a $1000 credit refund from @@@ from an erronous debiting of my credit card caused by a technical glitch on their website which they refused to admit. It was only settled after spending much time and frustrating efforts bringing it up to CASE and the Small Claims Tribunal."

STORY THREE
"I booked 4 adults to phuket in dec, flight in Feb... in early Jan, they emailed to just say that the flight has been changed..from day to night departure... tat means 1 whole day gone aka hotel charges.... same thing, they offered refund, or change date.... since dad had to go for some op, we decided to refund the tixs in early Jan. The operator told me ard 3-4 weeks for the refund (After waiting ard 40min to get into the call centre)...

Its now March... till date ive not received my refund.... juz called them and yes...waited for 30mins+.... they just say its still being processed... ask me to wait for another few weeks... requested for them to get their refund dept to call me or wat but the operator said they dun do outbound calls... seriously WTF. 2 mths and still no refund? is it so hard to refund the funds?

Think this is the last time i'm flying with them... screw them"

But despite all these horror tales, these no-frills airlines are here to stay since they are deemed cheaper and appeal to those travellers who just want a plane to fly them from point A to B.

I guess at times, there are things need to be compromise like the comfortableness and complimentary gifts but not last minute flight delay and cancellation.

Thanks...

(P.S: those text in GREEN fonts are being sourced from other sources without any changes or editing done, except withheld the name of the airline, presented to all in original form)