Not "Angkat" but admiration

(The word "Angkat" means "get cosy with someone" or put it bluntly as "getting into someone's good book".)

I still don't know why AirAsia insisting in flying off from Changi's Terminal ONE despite the higher cost

At this moment, the name Tony Fernandez, the trail-blazing CEO of Airasia, can only empitomize all the good things about travelling on shoe-string budget.

Just 10 years ago, who the heck in this part of the world could imagine flying around the region is like taking a coach ride out of your town to a faraway destination?

One example, in the past the idea, travelling to-and-fro Singapore and Kuala Lumpur by air meant one MUST ready to fork out considerable amount to do so, since this lucrative route was the dual-poly of the state carriers of both sides.

Onboard the AirAsia flight to Penang

Having seen that unjustifiable rate air travellers had to bear, Fernandez lobbied tirelessly for them and eventually succeed in breaking up the stranglehold held by SIA and MAS in 2003.

It was indeed a master-stroke as the breaking up of the dual-poly meant travellers need not have to pay astronomical rates when flying around this part of the world.

Furthermore, long journey coach operators are now facing stiff competition from any budget flight operators that follow the path of this once loss-making government-linked airline, since it's just a matter of topping up a few more dollars to fly to places in minutes than hours.

On top of that, Airasia also branched itself into the hotel industry through a joint-venture arrangement with various parties to start up their own hotel chain - “Tune”.

You need to pay for the air-con if you want to use it, but the fan provided is good enough.

Just like its sister company, “Tune” is a non-frills concept accommodation that cater for budget-concious travellers, where room necessities such as air-conditioning, television set and complimentary toiletries are things of a past and will only be provided after paying certain charges for them (in short it's “Pay only when you require” kind of arrangement).

Although, one have to bear this in mind that everything comes with a price and you get what you paid for all.

Correction:

Initially, I thought free wifi is not available at the "Tune" Penang hotel lobby, only to realize 30-minute free internet access is available only if you use the terminal there, but to be sure about that, please check and confirm when you check-in.