Fighting For Cheap Tickets

Here's a report from Vietnam:

VietNamNet Bridge - Low prices (and not so low prices), high discomfort seem to be the motto of no-frills airlines whose ticket prices start ticking upwards the minute you spot them.

As tourists flock to shopping havens like Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong and Bali during this promotional season, no-frills airlines in Ho Chi Minh City are offering too-good-to-believe discounts to these destinations.

More often than not, the discounts are too good to be true.

Our intended destination is Singapore, so we browse Tiger Airways’ website and are delighted to find a two-way fare of around $230. When we phone the agency, however, the price has somehow climbed to $310.

“Fees are $10 and $20 for baggage, and …” the woman goes on and on.

We call another Tiger Airways agency, only to be warned: “Prices change every minute. If you do not book in an hour, you will be sorry”.

Having no choice at hand, we rush to its office on Le Thanh Ton Street as fast as we could, and… you guessed it… the fare is now $360.

“You want to buy or not. Prices will continue to rise”. Another warning is issued.

Disappointed, we change our itinerary to Malaysia and a telephone check to an Air Asia agent confirms the fare at $192 on the condition that “you must come here in one hour”.

Profusely sweating and heavily panting, we reach the office on Ham Nghi Street, and are shocked to hear that the charge has skyrocketed 31 percent to $252.

“You are 5 minutes late”, the agent coldly explains.

“Faster, dad!”

Running against time to get cheap tickets is only the beginning of the race.

You also must have the stamina to fight for the best seats since discount ticket holders are not allotted seat numbers and must find them on their own.

The resulting free-for-all is an unruly scene as hundreds jostle against each another the minute stewardess motions us to enter.

“Faster, dad” a boy about 10 years old shouts as he elbows his way through for a seat next to the window.

As the plane lands we can see from above an airfield packed with Air Asia aircraft. A Malaysian passenger next to me explains it is not an international airstrip but a special one reserved for low-cost airlines.

Thankful that our ordeal has come to an end, we embark.