[Anonymous]

[MooJar3]

Flights: Sydney – Singapore Dec 2012,
Bangkok – Singapore – Sydney Dec 2012.
Class: Economy ‘super seats’.

I wanted to give Scoot a try, a sort of ‘thank-you’ for bringing competition (and AirAsia!) to Sydney. I wasn’t expecting much given it is a budget airline – paid extra for a ‘super seat’ and took a good book. Having never flown long-haul budget before, I’d always said I’d go budget if I can save 20%. I’ve since adjusted that to: 25% possibly, 40% probably, 50% definitely. 😀

Check-in

Got there early and check-in was quick and easy. Most amused to see many returning-Singaporeans in BKK lining up 30 minutes before check-in opened though – LOL, did they think they’d leave without them?

Punctuality

Two hours late leaving BKK because of an earlier diversion due to storms at Singapore. Cannot fault them for that. The other flights were on time.

Boarding

Really really strange – they board thru two doors, at the front and middle of the fuselage. But they don’t direct passengers to any particular door, not that I could see. So you have people coming in the front door heading for the back and vice versa – a bit chaotic.

On-board

Seats are bad. Simply bad. Firm to the point of hardness – spine was actually aching six hours in. And no headrest is a killer – take a cushion if you want to sleep. I noticed one lady with a little peanut-shaped neck-cushion, I’d get one of those if I ever go Scoot again.

I can live without IFE, happy to read a book. But I did miss the aircraft position indicator, it is a bit disconcerting not knowing where you are. Maybe they could put one of the old big movie screens up for that sort of information?

They had a “business class upgrades $99” sign at the check-in counter in Sydney. Still kicking myself that I didn’t snatch that one up. Sign was not present at the next two check-ins unfortunately.

Service

Didn’t order food after what I’d read online. Guy next to me was shocked to be asked $5 ($6?) for a 200ml bottle of water. I took an empty bottle for onboard-filling – near the middle lavatories. Water was kinda cloudy but tasted fine.

Hostie bumped my arm almost every time she walked by, and one patronising young steward frowned and chastised me for leaning on the emergency exit when I was stretching my legs / hamstrings – seemed to think it could be accidentally opened mid-air. I have a “Singapore Girl rejects” theory about their cabin crew…

Transit

Scoot charge $USD20 to transit, even when you have only hand luggage like me. Would not even waive it when my BKK – SIN flight was two hours late. “They will hold the Sydney flight for you” they assured me, but they would not waive the $20. So I walked all the way to immigration / check-in / immigration and back again at Singapore to avoid the $20 fee, all the time wondering how much Scoot’s inflexibility / flight holding was costing them?

Passengers

The one thing you don’t count on perhaps when flying no-frills. “Now everyone can afford to fly” as they say at AirAsia. Even bogans.

Two out of my three flights other passengers were in my assigned seat – moved one along, didn’t care about the other. And the Chinese Grandma in front of me SIN – SYD was one of those 100% seat recline 100% of the time type of people. Even while the aircraft was still parked, LOL. Just what you don’t need on a “squeezy” budget airline.

Conclusion

Only the seats would stop me flying Scoot again. I’ll be reading the reviews carefully when their next generation of aircraft (the 787) come along. Until then, it will be AirAsia for me if I choose to go budget.

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