Tiger Airways - Prelude to SMRT Debacle

[rusty]

Just wondering...Osama's pilots did re-rating?....they were sure on targets 100% and at low level flying.

All these craps are to protect, the insurance...the manufacturers...the operators....etcs

A swimmer will still swim after a long lapse....so will a cyclist and a motorist.

 

[Windsor]

The work behind keeping the aircraft serviceable can be costly. I really wonder how our neighbouring countries budget airlines survive without compromising on maintenance and quality aspects. And some have been mushrooming and expanding like nobody business. Where did they get the money to stay afloat? I took Airasia before and the interior was shabby and there were lots of creaking noise as if some joints were on the verge of breaking apart. It was a scary experience. I still prefer SQ. Even the Japs prefer SQ.

As long as the basic structural parts of the aircraft is sound, then one should not worry too much. Your lives depend very much on the Flight Captain and his crew members. No sane man would fly a decrepit aircraft that is likely to fall from the skies. The creaking sounds you hear probably were from the seats, trays or composite structures like overhead bins.

I should stress that most budget airlines are just that, basic no frills and you get what you pay for. At S$30-$100 passenger airfare, one cannot expect a spick and span interior and all working 100%. So do expect torn seats, trays that do not work and some stink. As long as the structure is sound and engines working well, that is all we should expect. These airlines cater to those who are not so well off or those who do not want to pay exorbitant airfares to reach a destination and care less about the inconveniences.

How these budget carriers survive will be from the cost structure by passsenger per flight basis in simple terms. An international flight cannot do a turnaround beyond a certain flight distance, unless it is a short flight like Sin/KL, Sin/Jkt or Sin/Mla. A budget airline can do many turnarounds within a day, so an A320 with 180 passengers that flies 6 times a day carries 180 x 6 = 1080 passengers. More if it flies 8 times and therefore carries more passengers than a larger capacity aircraft that flies once a day. There are many other aspects that should be taken into account re-maintenance and life cycles of aircraft and engines but suffice to say budget airlines can make lots of profit if it is successfully managed.