TIGER - Does Tiger tear up letters?

[ethernet]

Has anyone actually gotten a response back from Tiger after complaining - or asking a question?

I figure an international letter will be looked at, over and above an email or phone query to some droid. Maybe they bin such things before reading.

I wrote them a real letter on paper with stamp, and sent it to Singapore. One month later NO response. How rude!

I was going to say things turned out OK, sortof, in the end - cheesed off paying for a fare, then 1 hour later, get an email, saying a sale is on and the identical flight is $50 cheaper.

I would have love to replied to such a letter - two words - tough titty.

This means Australians should not book a Tiger Airfare between 9pm and 1am, because a special may pop out. You should not book and pay months in advance, because a sale may pop up. Having flown the route - one could swing a cat in the plane - yet the airfare tripled on the final day (SIN-.DRW redeye) before I left. The computer revenue/yield maximisation algorithm - is up the creek.

I did detail some market intelligence, but at the tactical level, they want to loose market share to Bogstar - so be it.

[Petch]

This means Australians should not book a Tiger Airfare between 9pm and 1am, because a special may pop out. You should not book and pay months in advance, because a sale may pop up.

I was keeping an eye on a MEL-HBA March flight, and last week, watched the seat sell at ~$34 one day, $79.95 the next, then $19.95 the following... they are nothing if not changeable. (Also, I have noticed prices change (down) midway through the day, not just overnight!)

[FL360]

This is the way I use discount airlines....

For Bookings: Only book when they have extra sales on, they have it from time to time. Two days ago they have MELB<=>Newcastle for $10 pp/pw all inclusive, it was for June and there are seats for the Queens birthday long weekend, so I book ahead, who cares if I have change of plans at the end ? Just don't fly it !

If you have that trip in mind which you have to have, and it is months ahead, I prefer to redeem points from a full service airline and get treated like a human being, you can also try LCCs but they might have a sale later on, usually not if it is around public/school holidays. Just like the Anzac day long weekend.

For travel ~1 mths ahead.. try everything and get the cheapest fares...
For travel ~1 week ahead... try LCCs and you might be surprised... Full service will be very expensive at this time..

Always, when travel with LCCs, always have contingencies... and with travel insurance. The best LCCs can do is give you a refund if anything happens.

[Yada Yada]

I just don't fly the two local LCC's because my time is too valuable. I simply do not want to waste time having to check-in so early and wait around. I've seen the JQ check-in lines at SYD - they're deplorable.

[garyjohn951]

I was going to say things turned out OK, sortof, in the end - cheesed off paying for a fare, then 1 hour later, get an email, saying a sale is on and the identical flight is $50 cheaper.

This is a common happening these days with Qantas and their sales.

[ethernet]

In marketing 'Buyer Remorse' is a known phrase.

That is why some box pushers - Good Guys comes to mind - if you see a cheaper advertised price we will refund that plus a bit - to crystalise or remove buyer hesitation.
Bogstar uses it a little, but in a format that is not very collectable. The question what is the elasticity factor of burnt pax? Probably not a great deal, especially as there is not real competition in the marketplace.

[Mal]

The question what is the elasticity factor of burnt pax?

The sad thing with the Australian market is that consumers appear to want to get burnt by Airlines. (UK is another classic example, but discussing Australia only atm)

How many times do we hear "Jetstar treated me like cr@p" or "They're a shocking airline", yet the same people who say how bad the airline is, are the same ones who line up at their sales.

It's almost like some people know they'll be burnt, but because of the perceived small price aren't worried about that possibility.

I see Tiger as not being too much different in the marketplace.

[StevePER]

The sad thing with the Australian market is that consumers appear to want to get burnt by Airlines. (UK is another classic example, but discussing Australia only atm)

This is very true. Same with banks actually, most people just aren't fickle enough to take their business elsewhere.

[ethernet]

Australians are simple. Easily pulled by the nosering, by FF points, CC points, lounge facilities. Then we have spineless toothless regulators know dont see a trick coming. Friends of Qantas, have so far, kept foreign airlines off the USA route- while us passengers pay double per km flown on that molly coddled 'insulated' leg.

When Qantas devalued FF points by converting kl's to miles (but also playing with the zones - so claims became more expensive) - did anyone scream foul? Did heads roll with the Sydney cross city Tunnel - where efficiency was not the #1 priority? Or the last aborted QF selloff.

So I say, shop by price, write complaint letters, and if that does not work, act as a cast iron alibi for someone who 'slipped and fell', while waiting to be picked for jury duty. To date 'Class Actions' in Australia have been a joke, and the fines for collusion pathetic. That may change - there are underemployed QC's swimming around, and a new sheriff in town.

The final tip, is write letters to the company directors themselves - to their home address, or ring them up - it is so easy in the internet age. Just tell them that a staffer gave you all the details. And if they have lied or put a fake address on the corporate register (many do) - complain about that too.
But always be polite - so the lawyers can follow up.

[stryker]

The sad thing with the Australian market is that consumers appear to want to get burnt by Airlines. (UK is another classic example, but discussing Australia only atm)

Yes, but at least in UK/Europe there is real competition and much better prices. There I can afford to purchase 2 tickets on different LCC's for the same journey to give myself a better chance of getting to be where I want to be when I want to be there (so if I do lose 10 Euros, so what?). Can't really do that here.

Thus, not sure what your reference to the UK is about...