The next time you think you’re saving a pretty penny by picking of budget airline for your jaunts in and out of Hong Kong, you might want to think again.
The Consumer Council has warned that going the “cheap route” might actually turn out to be more expensive than flying with standard carriers.
The Council reports receiving twice as many consumer complaints about budget carriers this year than they did last year. The figure has also shot up tenfold in just three years.
Among the complaints, those involving price are the most common, followed by unexpected delays and cancellations, and finally service quality.
But you get what you paid for, right?
One local resident scheduled to fly back to Hong Kong from Malaysia complained that he had to book another flight the next day and pay for accommodation for an extra night because the budget airline he chose (no-one was named and shamed, unfortunately) failed to give him timely information about scheduling changes.
The report confirms that most low-cost carriers inform passengers of changes over email and information posted on their websites, which nobody checks…ever.
Budget airlines are also notorious for charging extra for simple creature comforts such as blankets, headsets, food and beverages.
Want to check in a bag? That’s going to cost you. Want to change your travel schedule past the 24-hour grace period? Don’t even.
Photo: Miki Yoshihito vis Flickr
