Imagine being able to live life without ever having to worry about your spending habits – unfortunately, it’s luxury very few of us can afford, meaning, as life fulfilling as it is to travel and experience the world, keeping an eye on our respective budgets is something we all need to do. Because of this, low-cost carriers (“LCCs”) like HK Express, Jetstar, and Tigerair, have become increasingly popular among Hong Kongers, and while these carriers provide amazing savings on airfares, some of the extra fees and extravagant markups on these flights could be costing us more than we might think. To help travellers budget more accurately we’ve done our research to give you a more realistic overview of what you’re spending your money on and how you could be making savings.
Breaking the bank for a bite
Of course, we know we’re paying a bit more for snacks and drinks while in the air, but some LCC’s are charging prices that are just ‘plane’ crazy? A can of beer, for example, costs 360% more up in the air than at a supermarket, while a simple soda is the worst offender with a 707% markup on Tigerair. The prices for everyday snacks are also sky-high; with potato chips costing up to 450% on HK flights than you’d pay in the supermarket. Low-cost carriers are providing a service when it comes to food and drink on board, which accounts for some of the markups we see. However, it pays off to plan ahead and eat before you board, especially for short flights. Also, travellers should bring empty plastic bottles through security into the departure area, and then fill them up at the water fountains in order to stay hydrated on the cheap while flying.
Pack light and nice or pay a heavy charge
We all know the struggle of packing light and how hard it can be to fit everything into your hand luggage. A 7-10kg onboard allowance is pretty tough going for a trip longer than a few days, but how much is checking baggage in the hold really going to cost yo?. HK Express, Jetstar, and Tigerair charge HK$150-260 for a 20kg baggage allowance during the initial booking process, which is a perfectly reasonable when taking your comfort into account, but turning up at the airport without pre-booking can increase the cost up to HK$570 (a whopping 280%) for exactly the same 20kg luggage. So, if you’re not into packing light don’t forget to book those bags in advance!
Going overboard with seat prices
A lot of LCCs will just give you pre-assigned seats and if you want to move to a different seat than what you’ve been given……yip, you guessed it. Extra costs will be incurred. Among the same 3 popular LCCs in Hong Kong, the option to reserve a specific seat online is available with varying price tags. A standard seat costs HK$34, HK$35, and HK$45 for Tigerair, Jetstar, and HK Express, respectively. If travelling in comfort is a must for you be aware that seats near the front or seats with extra legroom range from HK$73 to HK$200. If your seating arrangments are important to you, try and arrive at the airport a little early to request a seat change, at the check-in desk, before boarding.
Some food for thought
Table 1: Pricing Table – Comparison of snacks and drinks on low-cost carriers and local supermarkets
| Bottled soft drinks (price per 100ml) | Canned beer (price per 100ml) | Canned potato chips (price per 100g) | Cup noodles (price per 10g) | |
| HK Express | HK$5.0/100ml | HK$9.0/100ml | HK$63/100g | HK$4.7/10g |
| Jetstar | HK$4.5/100ml | HK$14/100ml | HK$56/100g | HK$4.5/10g |
| Tigerair | HK$9.0/100ml | HK$8.0/100ml | HK$57/100g | HK$4.7/10g |
Table 2: Pricing Table – Comparison of baggage allowance fees on low-cost carriers
| Initial booking
(price per 20kg) | At the airport
(price per 20kg) | |
| HK Express | HK$260 | HK$570 |
| Jetstar | HK$150 |
HK$320 with Jetstar Asia HK$290 with Jetstar Japan |
| Tigerair | HK$152 |
HK$290 per 15kg Excess baggage at HK$150 per kg |
Table 3: Pricing Table – Comparison of seat selection fees on low-cost carriers during initial booking
| Standard Seats | Seats closer to the front | Extra-legroom Seats | |
| HK Express | HK$45 | HK$100 | HK$180 |
| Jetstar | HK$35 | HK$130 | HK$200 |
| Tigerair | HK$34 | HK$73 | HK$140 |
Debby Soo, Vice President APAC at KAYAK reminds travellers to be mindful of the airlines’ terms of use and all extra costs before booking tickets to find the most suitable travel product. “KAYAK.com.hk strives to be Hong Kongers’ best travel companion, providing the best tools for travel and planning. To help budget efficiently, our Fee Calculator allows you to select a preferred payment method, the number of checked bags and includes any extra fees in the total price when searching for flights. It really helps to get those unexpected fees out in the open.”
Notes to Editors:
Airline prices are correct as of 18 June 2016, based on in-flight menus on the airlines’ websites. Supermarket prices were based on the prices found in some of the most popular / main supermarkets in Hong Kong and were correct as of 18 June 2016. In some cases, prices are based on multi-pack purchases. Prices may vary and may no longer be applicable.
