Flying - China and Singapore

I have been flying between Singapore and China for the past 2 and a half years. In some months, I fly every 3-4 day. Silkair, China Southern, China Eastern, Tiger, and more recently SIA. There are more domestic airlines – Hainan, Chongqing, Western, and some I don’t even remember their names. Which airline stands out from the rest? No doubt, it has to be Tiger Airways.

It wasn’t that bad when the airline first started. I remember an English journalist complaining about being not able to consume his own food when the aircraft had already run out of sandwiches. I don’t know if his article ever come into sight of the management. For one thing, the airline has broken even, which is a very tall order especially when oil price is at the peak. But is it necessary to put itself is an irritating position to be called a budget airline?

My discomfort is somewhat different from the journalist. I hate the loudness of their public announcing system. Once I tried asking them to tune down the volume, but they couldn’t do that. I wonder why. Then I asked them to do the announcement softly. When the next few announcements came, I thought of the spoilt brat who couldn’t behave himself in public. Now, if I have no other choice, I use my in-ear earphones as earplugs. Of course, I would have to reply that my iPod is off when they come shouting at me.

Then, there is the checking in of sporting equipment rules. Once I checked in a piece of snooker cue and they wanted to command the price of “sporting equipment”. To me a set of golf clubs or a surf board or something heavy to that extent is considered as sporting equipment, not a 10lbs wooden stick. I raised the question that my running shoes and singlet were also checked in and would that also count as sporting equipment. Although I got a "waiver" at the end (oh thank you so much!!), I was annoyed by the “charge all you can” attitude.

Started last month, checking in of baggages is now charged separately. This is really innovative but I don’t like it. Next time, there could be a fee to use the washroom or the oxygen mask.

Given the choice, i.e. timing of flight and destination, I would not take Tiger. A return ticket to HK cost S$600++ on SIA but a single trip ticket cost about S$240 one way to Shenzhen. Tiger, you are not cheap but you certainly do things to cheapen yourself.