Firefly to Koh Samui on the cheap?
Malaysia Airlines announced the launch of its own budget airline, Firefly, which observers say its the national carrier’s way of competing with the country’s own successful budget airline pioneer, Air Asia.
Is Bangkok Airways opening its Samui airport for Firefly?
One of the flights announced was of the KL-Koh Samui route that not only have excited themediaslut, but has also added a tad of scepticism that Firefly could offer cheap rates to the resort island.
In one of her more daring career move, themediaslut decided to spend six months in Koh Samui to explore an opportunity to build a villa estate on the resort island.
That opportunity didn’t turn out as planned, but themediaslut become known to her friends as the one-stop tourist information center on Koh Samui.
When asked about Koh Samui, themediaslut would reply, "Everything is cheap in Koh Samui, except going there!"
Left: Horseshoe crab’s eggs stirred fried (THB80-100)
Right: Fresh prawn sashmi (THB50-100)
Bangkok Airways owns the island’s only airport and the price of return tickets from Singapore is equilivant to the cost of the return tickets from Singapore to Hong Kong.
At its website, the promotion rate for a return flight from Singapore would set you aside by SGD457, inclusive of airport taxes, etc.
It seems Bangkok Airways has stopped operations from its KL-Koh Samui route, which makes the Firefly offering less competitive to the airline.
Would Firefly’s RM9 one-way ticket entice themediaslut to take flights from KL instead on Bangkok Airways from Singapore?
It will boil down to the calculation of the time cost and the $$$ cost.
In order to take the flight from KL, Malaysia, themediaslut would have to take a 5 hours bus ride which a two-way ticket would cost her about SGD60.
KL’s budget terminal charges about RM50 (SGD22) for airport tax and the journey from KL to Koh Samui would roughly take an hour or so. Airport tax in Koh Samui is about THB500 (SGD24).
Let’s assume Firefly charges RM9 (SGD4) per one way ticket.
A SG-KL-KOH Samui-KL-SG will take themediaslut 12 hours to get Koh Samui and back to Singapore, but it will only cost her less than SGD200.
The spectacular view could justify the long travel time for a cheaper flight
A direct SG-Koh Samui-SG will only take only 3 hours but it will cost her SGD457.
The difference of SGD200 could come in handy for hotel and a couple of spa treatments.
themediaslut would have to wait for the official pricing by Firefly on the cost of going to Koh Samui before planning her next holiday there.
A couple of mistakes. Firefly competes with airasia not asia air and all firefly’s flights are ex Penang.
themediaslut apologise for the error and has made the necessary changes.
If Firefly are ex Penang, then it doesn’t make sense for themediaslut to travel all the way from Singapore just to get to Koh Samui. That would add another 2 hours to the bus journey one way.
But it is surprising to themediaslut that Bangkok Airways have opened the Samui Airport to another airline. It used to have a have very monopolistic control over the airport.
Sweetie, All that calculation on the hours to get to Beautiful koh Samui. Surely a woman in your position can afford to fly direct from Singapore ! If not get a husband to pay for you !!!
South AFrica’s gone down a similar path to Malaysia - state carrier losing business to low-cost airlines so opens up its own low-cost airliner (in the case of SA - Mango Airlines, in the case of Malaysia Firefly Airlines).
well… i been to koh samui from SIn… the flight journey only 1hr 30min.. do enjoy the flight and their exlcusive service… really a boutique airline… the “kawayi” airport… once u step out of the airplane.. u r at paradize heaven… unexplained feeling.. can really relax ur mind ur body ur soul there…
hey, guess what? Firefly giving free tickets now. Thinking going Koh Samui…nice place to visit