Today’s Flying 101 post will run you through the realities of flying low-cost airlines. Low-cost travel has significantly changed the aviation & travel industry over the years. Low-cost airlines have popped out in almost every country in the world & have provided a very affordable flying experience to humankind.
There is really no issue flying a low-cost airline. However, one must get ready for the following ‘realities’ when flying one.
It’s cheap but you get what you pay for.
Yes – it’s that cheap. You can get a ticket as low as free, ₱1, $1, €1 or 1 of whatever currency base fare plus taxes & fees. This ticket only includes a guaranteed seat on the flight in an almost all-economy class configured airplane. It also includes basic carry-on luggage of 7 to 10 kilograms, depending on how much the airline allows.
Nothing else is free.
Every extra inflight service or amenity comes with a fee. Passengers pay for check-in baggage allowance, inflight meals, a bottle of water & seat selection. Some airlines in other countries also offer priority check-in & boarding plus fast-track lane access for additional fees.
Most low-cost airlines offer fare bundles with combined add-ons for discounted rates. It’s always cheaper to avail these fare bundles than paying for every single add-on after selecting the basic fare.
Flight schedules aren’t the most convenient.
Low-cost airlines don’t have the most convenient flight schedules. The low-cost airlines here in the Philippines, have convenient schedules across the domestic network. Their international network has a different story. Most international flights leave either early morning, mid to late afternoon or late at night. Only a few international short-haul destinations (the likes of Hong Kong & Singapore) have regular schedules throughout the day.
Change fees are expensive.
Low-cost airlines impose very high change or rebooking fees. This change fee is on top of the fare difference you have to pay when changing your ticket. Change fees here in the Philippines can cost as high as ₱2,000 per sector. At most times, it’s cheaper to buy a new ticket. Make sure to check the price of the new ticket before rebooking your ticket.
Some low-cost airlines now offer flexible ticket options by charging a flexible ticket add-on which waives change fees & only charges the fare difference. This is a good add-on for this with unpredictable schedules.
Expect for an ‘OK’ overall service.
Don’t expect for a 5-star service when flying these low-cost carriers. You will usually experience bus boarding / disembarkation, a walk in the tarmac, paper boarding passes, crowded passenger waiting areas & frequent flight delays. You might even encounter not-so-clean airplane seats, tray tables & (sometimes) filthy cabin & toilets in general.
One thing you’ll notice, most of the ground attendants & on-board crew are friendly & accommodating – which is good!
Don’t get me wrong – I am not a low-cost carrier hater. In fact, I love flying low-cost airlines because of their super cheap fares. Flying these airlines come with certain realities we have to face. I’ve had a few bad experiences with some low-cost airlines but here I am flying with them again & again. At the end of the day, I am fine with these ‘realities’ as long as they take me to my desired destination safe & sound.
How are your experiences with low-cost airlines? Have you experienced some of those mentioned above? Share your experiences in the comments section below. Do you have any questions about anything mentioned above? Feel free to send them via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Also, please follow me on my social media pages – Facebook & Instagram.
Thank you for joining me in today’s Flying 101 topic. See you in the next one! Stay safe & healthy.
After 2.5 weeks of going solo around the Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic & Denmark, it is time to fly home. I flew out of Denmark from Copenhagen Airport to Singapore’s Changi Airport onboard Singapore Airlines. Today’s feature will be about this enjoyable Singapore Airlines SQ 351 flight from Copenhagen to Singapore on its Airbus A350-900 new generation aircraft. Find out everything about the airline’s ground & in-flight service, the aircraft used & flight information on this newest flight report.
In case you missed it, I also flew with Singapore Airlines from the Philippines to Europe in October 2019. I flew with their new-generation Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner on my 3-hour flight from Manila to Singapore & took another 13-hour flight from Singapore to Amsterdam, Netherlands onboard their newest (that time) Airbus A350-900 aircraft. Check out those 2 flight reports to know more about those excellent flights.
For sure by now you’re aware that I went solo around 4 countries in Europe late last year. I spent the first few days in the Netherlands, around Amsterdam, Utrecht & North Holland. I went down to Belgium & explored the cities of Brussels, Bruges & Ghent. A few days after, I flew to Czech Republic. I had the craziest nights around Prague & the quietest days around the beautiful towns of Kutná Hora & Český Krumlov. I finished my European journey in Denmark – around Copenhagen, living like a Dane & meeting up with a friend. This solo trip is my best yet & I cannot wait to go back there after all these world happenings. I posted a lot about this trip to Europe, check them out under the Going Solo in Europe category. Now, let’s go back to the flight report!
Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines is Singapore’s national carrier. The airline is based in the world’s best airport, Changi Airport in Singapore. This multi-awarded 5-star airline flies to over 60 destinations in more than 30 countries across 5 continents. They are one of the leading carriers in the Southeast Asian Region with the help of their subsidiaries – Silk Air (which operates to some regional destinations) & Scoot (which operates on a low-cost business model). The airline flies both Airbus & Boeing jets & boasts a young fleet of new generation aircraft.
Singapore Airlines is a full-service carrier. They offer free 30-kilogram check-in baggage allowance, in-flight meals & have personal entertainment screens in all of their flights. Please note that their subsidiaries, Silk Air & Scoot, do not offer the same services as the mother airline. The airline is a member of the Star Alliance & has a loyalty program called Krisflyer.
Airfare & Inclusions
As mentioned in my first Singapore Airlines flight report, I got this return ticket to Europe from Singapore Airlines & Bank of the Philippine Islands credit card promotion. The return economy class ticket from Manila to Amsterdam (via Singapore) & from Copenhagen to Manila (via Singapore) cost me $719.23. My credit card charged me ₱37,669.40 including conversion charges.
The ticket includes 30-kilograms check-in baggage allowance in all sectors. It also provides access to complimentary in-flight meals & snacks (drinks & liquor included) & a personal entertainment screen in front of every seat. Add to that the airline’s excellent service & hospitality. Not bad for a 5-star carrier, right?
Flight & Aircraft Information
This flight from Copenhagen, Denmark (CPH) to Singapore (SIN) took 12 hours & 24 minutes. It flew 10,713 kilometres non-stop from Denmark to Singapore. We left Copenhagen on-time & arrived Singapore 24 minutes late. We had a delay because we had a last-minute route change causing extra flight time.
Singapore Airlines used a 3.5-year old Airbus A350-900 for this long-haul flight. The aircraft was delivered to the airline in late 2016. The plane has 253 seats across 3 classes – 42 business class lie-flat seats on 1-2-1 layout, 24 premium economy class seats on a 2-4-2 seat configuration & 187 economy class seats on a 3-3-3 layout. This flight used the same aircraft type (not exactly the same body) I flew with on my Singapore to Amsterdam SQ flight.
Airport & Ground Experience
Singapore Airlines flies out of Copenhagen Airport Terminal 2. Their check-in desks are found on counters 88-94, near the escalator up to security check. The counters are sorted according to class – economy class, premium economy class & business class plus an additional lane for those who checked-in online.
This is Singapore Airlines’ check-in area in Copenhagen Airport Terminal 2. Not busy, no queues.
The airline offers online check-in 48 hours into the flight. Passengers who use this option can choose regular seats at no extra charge. I checked-in before the flight & chose window seat 53A. I normally prefer aisle seats for long-haul flights like this but there were no aisle seats during my check in. I didn’t want to end up in the middle seat so I opted for the window one. Check-in process didn’t take long. The guy on the counter was friendly & accommodating. I checked in for both Copenhagen-Singapore & Singapore-Manila flights. I left my heavy luggage in Copenhagen & picked it up in Manila Airport upon arrival.
Copenhagen Airport has a very efficient airport security screening process. I finished the whole security check in less than 5 minutes. There was also no queue in immigration. It didn’t take long for me to clear the border control. My flight’s assigned gate was gate C37 – one of the farthest gates of the airport. It took me around 10 minutes to reach the gate. I also saw an Emirates Airbus A380 arrive & park near our gate.
Singapore Airlines boards its passenger by class. Business class passengers & Krisflyer & Star Alliance status holders boarded first, followed by premium economy class passengers. Economy class passengers boarded the plane last – those seated at the rear part of the aircraft went in first, followed by us in the middle rear part of the aircraft. Forward economy class passengers boarded the plane last. The boarding process took less than 30 minutes.
In-Flight Product
Singapore Airlines is known for its quality in-flight product. Check out what this flight offered to its passengers.
Seat – Singapore Airlines’ economy class seat on the Airbus A350-900 has a pitch of 32 inches & width of 18 inches. Seat recline is generous enough. Each seat has an adjustable headrest & a foldable footrest. Leg room is adequate for an average person like me. All seats feature a touch-screen personal entertainment screens with remote. Seats also had USB & power outlets & many seat pockets in front of the passenger. Seats also have a foldable table with the signature mirror. It also features a coat hook & a separate cup holder. Seats are comfortable to sleep especially for this long-haul flight.
Meals – The airline gave 2 full meals for this flight with unlimited snack & drink options in between. The started the meal service with the menu & a hot towel for all economy class passengers. They gave out crackers & drink of choice while the main meal is being prepared. They gave out lunch about 1.5 hours into the flight. The crew offered snacks & drinks almost every hour. 2 hours before landing in Singapore, they served breakfast for everyone. The meal servings were just right but they tasted great.
I got the sweet & sour pork with rice & vegetables option for lunch. What a complete meal by SQ!Had raspberry ice cream for dessert. It was really good. I’m happy to see SQ use metal cutlery! 🙂
In-Flight Entertainment – All seats in this Airbus A350-900 have decently sized personal entertainment screens. The system had a separate remote control but its touch-screen feature responded very well. Krisworld, Singapore Airlines’ entertainment system, offered over 100 recent movie choices & television series to watch on this 12.5-hour flight. It also had over 800 music albums to listen to. I didn’t get bored on this flight like I usually do on other ones.
Flight Amenities – Singapore Airlines offered a long list of amenities & features in this flight. All seats had earphones, newly cleaned pillows & warm blankets upon boarding. The crew gave out menu to all passengers & offered hot towel to all passengers. Passengers can personalize an amenity kit (from those available in the menu) & ask it from the crew. The lavatories had complete amenities – dental kit, moisturizer, mouthwash, hand soap & tissue. It was also spot clean throughout the flight.
Passengers can ask for amenities such as eye shades, earplugs, comb & a small kit from the crew.
This particular SQ flight from Copenhagen to Singapore offered a complimentary 30 MB internet chat access to all its premium economy & economy class passengers. The free data allocation was valid for 2 hours after log-in. This promotion / offer was only available for a limited period last November 2019.
All premium economy & economy class passengers on this flight got a free 30MB internet session.
Cabin Crew Service
Like my previous Singapore Airlines flights from Manila to Singapore & Singapore to Amsterdam, cabin crew service on this 12.5-hour flight from Copenhagen to Singapore was outstanding. The crew welcomed all guests with their warmest greetings & smiles. They checked on everyone before take off & landing. The set of crews on this flight was friendly, nice & hospitable.
This is my favorite drink on every Singapore Airlines flight – their signature Singapore Sling! 🙂
The crew made sure passengers don’t get hungry & dehydrated throughout the flight. They served snacks & drinks between meals. They gave out chocolate biscuits midway through the flight. Water service runs almost every hour. They granted by request of crackers & Singapore sling about 7 hours into the flight. They even gave me a glass of water with it – even if I didn’t ask for it. Cabin crew service was top-notch!
Verdict
It was another enjoyable flight with Singapore Airlines. I never thought I’ll enjoy this 12.5-hour flight from an economy class window seat! Let’s start with my airport experience. Check-in process, security check & immigration queue didn’t take long. If I remember it correctly, I arrived in the airport 2 hours before the flight & made it to the gate (after long minutes of walking) after 45 minutes. Copenhagen Airport has a very efficient passenger flow system.
Seating at 53A gave me amazing views of the A350’s wing & winglet. The windows were huge; it gave me beautiful views of the clouds & sunset somewhere in the Middle East. I sat beside a friendly & nice Danish couple who were on a holiday. The seat was pitch was just right. It was also comfortable to seat in for a 12.5-hour flight. The footrest & adjustable headrests helped me have a good sleep during the flight. I particularly liked the separate cup holder & the small mirror found in the foldable tray table. It was a simple but nice touch from Singapore Airlines. The entertainment system was alright – not the best in the market but it had decent movie, series & music choices. The earphones were so-so.
Food portions & service were excellent. It started with a hot towel, crackers & drink of choice – I went for red wine. I chose the sweet & sour pork with rice & vegetables option for lunch. It came with salmon salad, bread roll with butter & cheese with crackers. It also came with a delicious raspberry ice cream & a drink of choice. I got full up to the point where I only had crackers, chocolate & Singapore sling for snack. For breakfast, I went for the stir-fried noodles with prawn, chicken & vegetables served with fruit bowl, bread roll with butter & fruit-flavored yogurt. It came with a glass of water & orange juice. Oh, we used metal cutlery & reusable food containers for both meals. Overall, these are pretty nice meals by Singapore Airlines.
Went for the stir-fried noodles with prawns option for breakfast. I really liked the yogurt here! 🙂
The lavatory was clean & well-maintained. It had enough amenities throughout the flight. The free 30MB internet allocation was a plus! Connection was fast even if we were above the clouds. I used it to connect with my family & friends back home & those I met in Europe. Two things I didn’t like about the flight were the following: Too much use of plastic & lack of individual air vents per seat. The flight used a lot of plastic throughout the flight, from blanket covers, to cutlery covers & plastic cups. I hope they reduce the use of plastic in the future. The seats didn’t have individual air vents. It’s always a struggle for people who easily sweat like me. Good thing I already removed my jacket before seating down & only wore a shirt throughout the flight.
The flight’s highlight was the cabin crew service. The crew on this flight were passenger-friendly, accommodating & outstanding. They truly cared for the passengers & I felt it. Thank you, Singapore Airlines for another amazing flight with you; thank you for making this 12.5-hour flight enjoyable. Will I fly Singapore Airlines again in the future? Definitely. I was supposed to fly with them to Melbourne & from Brisbane last April but I didn’t push through because of the risks of Covid-19. I still look forward to flying with them once the pandemic is over.
Here are some details of this flight I took with Singapore Airlines:
Airline: Singapore Airlines Flight Date: 9 November 2019 Flight Number: SQ 351 Route: Copenhagen (CPH) Denmark to Singapore (SIN) Duration: 12:24 hours Seat Number: 53A Aircraft: Airbus A350-941 Aircraft Registration: 9V-SMH Aircraft Engine: 2 x Rolls-Royce Trent XWB Age: 3.5 years old Year Delivered: 2016
It was another excellent flight with Singapore Airlines. I never thought I’ll enjoy that long-haul flight from a window seat. Have you flown with Singapore Airlines on their long-haul sector? How was your experience? Share your experiences in the comments section below. Do you have any questions about this flight or the airline in general? Feel free to shoot me an e-mail with those questions to contact@thewkndtravel.com.
Stay up-to-date with all my recent posts & blogs by following my social media pages – Facebook & Instagram. Thank you for joining me in today’s flight report. Don’t forget to check out my posts under the Going Solo in Europe category. Thanks again & please stay safe.
A few months ago, I gave you 5 CHAMP tips on how you can book your super duper low fare tickets. Let’s try to remember what these 5 pointers are. First, you must check & subscribe to airline newsletters. You should also book your tickets during holidays & special occasions because these airlines usually have promo fares during these days. Third, make sure to download the airline’s mobile applications. Websites become busy during these seat sales. The best way to secure your low fare ticket is by booking using the mobile applications. Fourth, make sure to sign up for airline memberships & loyalty programs. These memberships allow you to save your personal & companion details plus your credit card information thus making bookings faster. You are also given access to priority seat sales & sometimes, free flights. Lastly, you must plan your travel dates as soon as possible.
Were you able to book affordable tickets after reading the previous blog post? If yes, feel free to share in the comments below where you’re going & how much did you pay for the ticket.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who read & shared the post to their families & friends. The CHAMP post is the most visited & most read content on my website to date.
Now back to business. For those who are yet to book your tickets, I thought of additional 5 CHAMP tips which can help you secure your cheapest airline ticket. I noticed that the previous tips I gave were all for planning your next trip, meaning prior to booking your tickets. I thought it would also be nice to share some tips on how to book these affordable tickets in the airlines’ websites.
Disclaimer: These tips mostly apply only to low-cost carriers like Cebu Pacific Air, Air Asia, Jetstar Asia et al. The tips below are purely based on actual observations & past personal experiences; they did not come from any airline insider or connection. I don’t intend to endorse any airline / carrier; I am not affiliated in any of the mentioned companies above.
C – CHOOSE red-eye flights
Red-eye flights are flights that leave late at night & arrive in the wee hours of the morning. These flights are inconvenient for most, thus lesser people taking it. Lesser demand means cheaper fare. There is always a higher chance of you getting a low fare seat going to Bangkok if you choose the 9:30 pm flight than the 6:00 am flight.
Chose a red-eye flight to Bangkok & got my ticket for only ₱1,800++ round-trip
H – HAVE all stuff in CARRY-ON baggage
Most low cost airlines now have prepaid baggage. It means that every ticket only includes 7 kilograms carry-on baggage. If you are travelling with heavy luggage, you need to pre-book or buy baggage allowance for a fee.
If you are traveling to a city, island or country for only 3 to 5 days, you only need to bring just the right number of clothes. You also don’t need to bring all those fancy stuff & accessories. People in your destination of choice won’t bother look at your clothes anyway.
If you think you need to bring a luggage last minute, you can always pre-book it 4 hours before your flight. It is available both via phone call to the airline customer service or via manage booking section of your account. Make sure to book baggage before you go to the airport as baggage fees during check-in are expensive.
Flew to Caticlan last July 2016 for only ₱684 pesos with only carry-on baggage
Traveling with carry-on baggage also saves time. You don’t need to wait for your luggage in the baggage claiming area; just go straight to wherever you’re going upon arrival.
A – A big NO to airplane food
Another cost cutting measure practiced by low cost carriers is the removal of free in-flight food. They now offer prepaid meals as early as booking your plane ticket. They also changed the game by selling food during the flight. The bad news is these in-flight treats are priced twice or even thrice than their regular price in the stores. Airplane food is so expensive you should avoid it. Imagine paying ₱100 for a can of fruit juice; it’s overpriced.
You can always bring a sandwich or any snack with you to avoid paying for expensive airplane food.
M – MAKE sure to SKIP seat selector
Low cost airlines offer regular & premium seats for a fee. Yes, it’s another unnecessary add-on. I advise you to skip it. You can always request for a window seat, an aisle or exit seat upon check-in.
I requested window seats (at no additional cost) for both flights during check-in. I was given a window exit seat on my way to Nagoya. Good stuff!
P – PURCHASE travel insurance.. OR NOT?
I’ll be honest with you. I am on 50/50 on this last tip. You will definitely save some money if you do not buy travel insurance; but the thing is, we do not have control of what is going to happen during the flight.
Having travel insurance will keep your mind sane if something bad happens; but bear in mind that these occurrences only happen once in a blue moon. I suggest skipping travel insurance if you are leaving for only 3 to 5 days; but if it’s a 2 weeks to 1 month trip, it’s best to get one. Make sure to read the terms & conditions of the insurance offered by the airline; sometimes it’s a lot better to buy insurance for the whole trip than only for the flight.
You can also check with your banks if they offer travel insurance. The independent travel insurance companies I know are Pacific Cross Philippines (formerly Blus Cross) & the Lonely Planet-recommended World Nomads.
The tips above will save you thousands of pesos when booking a flight. Basically the technique is to SKIP ALL ADD-ONS offered by your carrier. Please take note of these options are pre-selected most of the time, so you really need to remove all of them.
BONUS TIP: You have higher chances of getting a low-fare seat if you choose flights that leave on Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays.
Make sure to remember these 5 tips (plus the first 5 pointers I shared last January) in booking your next airplane ticket. You might just get your cheapest plane ticket to your dream destination / country! 😉
Do you have any questions in booking air tickets? Is there topic / content you want to see in this blog in the future? Feel free to comment below or send me an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. You can also send me a message on Facebook, drop a comment on Instagram or send me a tweet on Twitter.
