New budget airline Scoot gives Perth another Singapore option

PERTH travellers now have even more options to fly internationally on a budget after Scoot launched their inaugural flight from the city yesterday.

Flights from Perth to Singapore add to the charters the airline already runs out of Sydney and Brisbane.

Scoot chief executive Campbell Wilson said the new charters were a win for Perth and Singapore.

'Perth is very popular with Singaporeans and there is a strong demand to go to Perth,' Mr Wilson said.

'And from the other way, Singapore is the closest 'world' city to Perth.

'And from the airline's perspective the traffic is strong both ways and we felt we could add to the budget, cost-conscious people.'

The airline's Boeing 77200 aircraft seat 402 people, which is how Mr Wilson says they are able to keep costs low.

'We have an opportunity to give more than just the basic cost-cut service, for instance the physical space of the aircraft offers more opportunities,' he said.

'We have an economic advantage where while the aircraft is heavier and it uses more fuel, that cost is spread across a greater number of seats.

'What we do is offer a lower costing flight, with options to customise, this way passengers can choose what they want, unlike other airlines where things are automatically included in the price whether you want them or not.'

Owned by Singapore Airlines, Mr Wilson said Scoot prides itself on maintaining a fun, friendly spirit.

'At the end of the day, we're here to get you from A to B but we know our passengers are mostly not going to be business people,' he said.

'We try to be a little more informal - not stuffy - and when we're recruiting we look at personality above all else making flying with us a different airline experience.'

Mr Wilson said there was a perception that low-budget airlines cut costs by subsidising safety and training.

'We absolutely don't do that,' he said.

'We are regulated by the same people who regulate the big airlines, like Singapore Airlines, we just save money by having more seats on a plane and running a different service model.'

As Asia's biggest air hub, travellers can fly to 220 cities from Singapore.

WHAT PERTH TRAVELLERS GET

Aircraft: Boeing 77200

Route: Perth to Singapore

Price: Standard cost of a flight is $169 one-way, without customised extras.

Seat: 11A, ScootBiz

Plane configuration: Two seats, isle, four seats, isle, two seats for a total of 402 seats.

Check-in: Very fast. Seven check-in desks operational and passengers only waited in the queue for five minutes.

Scheduled flight time: Four hours and 55 minutes.

Departure: The flight had a scheduled departure time of 7.30pm. Gates were opened at 7pm, and while passengers did have to wait about 10 minutes for the plane to allow them to board, staff were helpful and communicated with passengers. Passengers were seated quickly and the flight departed on time.

Aircraft condition: The standard you'd expect from a budget airline, only bigger. Black seats with grey interior and yellow trimmings to match the airline's colours. Plane interior matched staff uniforms nicely.

Comfort: The seats were comfortable with moulded headrests and tray tables located in the arm rests. Passengers appear to have more room to move in all areas, including a little more leg room.

Entertainment: ScootBiz passengers have free access to codes to stream entertainment on their own electrical devices. Other passengers pay S$16 for the access, and devices can also be purchased for the flight.

Service: Staff were friendly and helpful. Their uniforms are more casual than other airlines - men wore black jeans with his Scoot collared shirt and the women wear a form-fitting dress of yellow and black.

During the flight a person needed urgent medical attention, and staff immediately called for anyone who had medical training. They were calm and helpful.

Food and beverages: There are 15 different meals to choose from. I had the Beed goulash, which was delicious, with a bread roll. Overall feedback from other passengers also seemed positive. The meals also came out early in the flight, about a half hour wait from take-off. ScootBiz passengers get a meal and complementary drink (alcoholic or none) with the flight.

Flight frequency: Five times a week, daily during the peak season.

Overall opinion:

Scoot brings something else to the table, and this you could tell from the moment you stepped onto the plane.

The flight was relatively smooth and staff were friendly and approachable.

For what you pay, the airline offers a quality service for budget travellers without skimping on the important things like safety and trust.

Reviewed by Erienne Lette, who flew courtesy of Scoot