Air Ticket to Hanoi - Tiger Airways vs SQ

hmmm, i was checking out the prices for air tics to hanoi for a short trip in Apr so i check out a few airlines. first stop was to MISA Travels, the website that i always get my airtics from as i've always planned my own itinerary and do everything online. the shop is located at Fook Hai Building next to Chinatown Point Complex. anyway, i've check out the prices from the site and compared to budget airlines. this is how it goes...

if you book your tics thru budget airlines aka tiger airways etc, you would realise that if you get your tics more than 1 month before your departure date, the tics will be very cheap but as the dates draws nearer or less than a month, that's when it gets ridiculous.

i've checkout tiger airways' prices in late feb and it's online website quotes me $330 incl of taxes per pax. it's 'reasonable' considering the fact that there are not many airlines that flies to hanoi. however, i saw from MISA that Vietnam airlines cost only $210 excl taxes but the price is valid till end Mar but i'm departing in Apr so i decided to take my chances and wait for the new fares from Vietairs. finally today, the prices is out and thank goodness, there's no change to the prices so i'm taking Vietnam Airlines which departs from terminal 1 and it only cost $350 incl taxes.

Being curious, i decided to check out Tigerairways for the latest price as it's now less than a month to my departure date on the 5th Apr. To my dismay, shock etc. i'm utterly disgusted to find out the Tigerairs is now charging $498.48 to fly to Hanoi. THAT'S FREAKING CLOSE TO $500!!! and it's to hanoi!!! not even hong kong or taipei for goodness sake.

now, Tigerairways being a subsidiary of Singapore Airways, i decided to check out the prices of the parent company. by the way, SQ flies to hanoi instead of silkair. hmmm, MISA online quotes $375 excl taxes for 2 to travel and $293 for 4 to travel. If you adds up the taxes about $110, flying by the world class SQ to hanoi is ONLY $485 and $403 respectively!!!

u pay less, u get to fly SQ, u get to depart and enjoy the facilities from terminal 2, there's a aerobridge linking to the plane instead of the budget terminal where u got to walk and climb stairs to the plane. if you're picky, the check in counter issues you a computer printed boarding pass instead of the handwritten ones and best of all, u got inflight meals and entertainment compared to the miserable budget airlines. eh, air stewardness's better??? [that's debatable :) ]

ah, that's ridiculous! i mean when they set the prices, don't they ever think before hand? if it's comparable or more expensive than full fares airlines then why the hell it's call budget airlines? aren't they supposed to be cheaper even though it's less than a month before departure? well, i've not even started comparing with Vietnam Airs... yet.