Over the past few years we’ve seen ultra low cost carriers emerge for transatlantic flights, and now it looks like that trend is continuing for transpacific flights.
In February, Malaysian ultra low cost carrier AirAsia announced their first route to the US. The airline began flying between Kuala Lumpur and Honolulu (via Osaka) as of June 2017, and they had introductory $99 one-way fares on the route.
Well, it looks like another Asian ultra low cost carrier is starting a very similar route.
Singaporean ultra low cost carrier Scoot will offer 4x weekly flights between Singapore and Honolulu as of December 2017. For those of you not familiar, Scoot is owned by Singapore Airlines, and primarily operates routes within Asia (their only other longhaul route as of now is to Athens). Much like AirAsia’s flight, they’ll route via Osaka, presumably to capitalize on the demand for travel between Japan and Hawaii.
Scoot’s new route is expected to launch on December 19, 2017, with the following schedule on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays:
TR700 Singapore to Osaka departing 10:45AM arriving 5:30PM
TR700 Osaka to Honolulu departing 7:25PM arriving 7:30AM
TR701 Honolulu to Osaka departing 9:35AM arriving 2:00PM (+1 day)
TR701 Osaka to Singapore departing 3:10PM arriving 9:10PM
The flight will be operated by a Boeing 787-8, featuring 335 seats, including 281 economy seats, 33 ScootSilence seats, and 21 ScootBiz seats.
The route is now bookable at flyscoot.com. To celebrate the new route, Scoot has special introductory fares for travel originating in Singapore — you can fly roundtrip from Singapore to Honolulu for 555SGD (~407USD), or roundtrip in ScottBiz for 1,555SGD (~1,142USD). Fares are a bit higher if originating in Honolulu, though still pretty attractive.
Earlier this year Andrew reviewed ScootBiz on a flight between Tokyo and Taipei, which looks like a comfortable product. I’m not sure it’s worth the price premium given the introductory fares, but long term it’s certainly something to consider.
I’d say that I wish we’d see some ultra low cost carriers between the US mainland and Asia, though I’m not sure they’d really be able to drive down prices all that much. Nowadays ~$500 roundtrip fares between the US and Asia have become the norm, so how much cheaper can an ultra low cost carrier really be?
Anyone plan on taking Scoot’s new flight between Hawaii and Japan/Singapore?
Never heard of Scoot till today 11/16/17. Even though I just got back from Laos last week on korean air who I love to fly with. Their biz class on 747 was great. Anyone with a comparison?? Id like to fly them once though as I hear its $1142.00 RT biz class to kuala lumpur?? Biggest concern is a mechanical, with only a few flights/aircraft what would happen?? Don’t want be stuck for a couple of days♂️
How are the biz class seats and the food service on Scoot HNL to Osaka??
For comparison, the fare of PY class return ticket from sin to hnl cost at least S$2400
Have used Scoot for positioning flights out of Australia before. Extremely cheap if booked suitably in advance, <$300 AUD return for Australia Singapore. Seats are reasonably unremarkable and space is the usual crappy squeezeliner 3-3-3. Would avoid a redeye if at all possible.
Haven't tried Scoot Biz, not totally convinced of the value proposition given it is essentially a recliner for 2-4x the price.
@Harry HV
I reckoned you meant Tiger is GONE..as they had merged with Scoot.
Both (were) are owned by SIA anyway..
Scoot is not an ultra low cost carrier. Not even close. Air Asia and Jetstar are. Scoot is run by SIA so nothing about that company is “low cost.”
Scoot is GONE, taken over by the awful Tiger Airways. Changes include
- adding an extra row of economy seating in what was the emergency-passageway between the two aisles, so there's no way across except by climbing over people. Even when you are boarding you have to clamber across a row of seats to get to the other aisle.
- in our case, reselling your Scootbiz seat and downgrading you without compensation)
...
Scoot is GONE, taken over by the awful Tiger Airways. Changes include
- adding an extra row of economy seating in what was the emergency-passageway between the two aisles, so there's no way across except by climbing over people. Even when you are boarding you have to clamber across a row of seats to get to the other aisle.
- in our case, reselling your Scootbiz seat and downgrading you without compensation)
- no Tiger/Scoot staff at outstations, only unempowered contractors
- zero assistance at irrops
Save yourself the hassle, avoid Tiger/Scoot
Yes, you pre book a seat and pay for it and you get a different seat.
For budget airlines stick to Air Asia. You get what you pay for without hassle or annoyance.
I use ScootBiz for positioning into Asia all the time. Perfectly decent product for $1000 return ex-SYD/MEL.
@Lucky No mentions what so ever on mileage accrual or credits to an airline loyalty program mentioned at all? Or does this LCC not have one?
Is there some unwritten rule that all ultra low cost airlines must have a stupid name? Joon, Swoop, Scoot?!
Their website says only roundtrip tickets are allowed to Honolulu.
That's all good and well, but Scoot has the most uncomfortable economy class seat I have ever had the misfortune of sitting in. Nothing against the airline overall, but I will never fly them again on an overnight flight, and they would have to be significantly cheaper than anyone else for me to fly them on a daytime flight. I'll take Air Asia over Scoot anytime; I can cope with their seats quite happily. The...
That's all good and well, but Scoot has the most uncomfortable economy class seat I have ever had the misfortune of sitting in. Nothing against the airline overall, but I will never fly them again on an overnight flight, and they would have to be significantly cheaper than anyone else for me to fly them on a daytime flight. I'll take Air Asia over Scoot anytime; I can cope with their seats quite happily. The numbers can say what they like, but try sitting in that seat for almost 8 hours and then write a review.
@askmrlee: Those seat width numbers on tripadvisor make no sense at all. Both for economy and "business" they are way too large.
335 seats in a 788 sounds horribly painful, but according to seatguru, it's a 31" pitch with 18.9 to 19.7" width. That's wider than standard Airbus at 18". Is that correct. if so, it doesn't sounds so LCC.
Wonder how this new flight will impact Air Asia flying exactly the same route especially from KIX.
Lucky: Btw you have a typo in your currency for ScootBiz tickets. Guess you meant USD instead of SGD again...
Cheers!
Introductory fare only for a month or so. It may be too late/ rushed to plan a trip for Dec or Jan.
Not allowed to fly SIN-KIX and stopover for a few days then continue journey to Hon.
Would be great to break journey in Osaka esp. during spring or autumn.
To stopover in Osaka, need to buy two different tickets.
SIN-Osaka.
Osaka-Hon.
For outbound sector.
ok so then whats the difference betweena LCC and a ULCC?
@ Jose Mourinho’s Ego -- Shared my thoughts on that in this post.
Wonder how much overcapacity this will cause between KIX and HNL. I'm also curious why NRT and HND were never considered? Are the markets too crowded already? Or is Tokyo a more premium heavy route?
while not "long haul", Scoot also has long flights to Jeddah and 4 destinations in Australia.
What's your definition of Low Cost vs Ultra Low Cost, Lucky?
Wondering as you are calling AirAsia low cost in your post and Scoot ultra low cost?
@ CS -- Sorry, wasn't meaning to make a distinction there. Meant to say AirAsia was also ultra low cost. Post updated.
Surprising they are going head-to-head in Osaka with Air Asia X, one would think Fukuoka, Nagoya or Sapporo would be a better market to try to capture lower cost Japanese travelers due to lack of competition.
Scoot is actually much more comfortable in Economy though than Air Asia X A330's which feature 3-3-3 seating in Econ (how that is possible on an A330 is beyond me, it sounds more torturous than 3-4-3 in a...
Surprising they are going head-to-head in Osaka with Air Asia X, one would think Fukuoka, Nagoya or Sapporo would be a better market to try to capture lower cost Japanese travelers due to lack of competition.
Scoot is actually much more comfortable in Economy though than Air Asia X A330's which feature 3-3-3 seating in Econ (how that is possible on an A330 is beyond me, it sounds more torturous than 3-4-3 in a 777).
I've only taken Scoot between Bangkok in Singapore in economy on the 787 and it isn't too bad, quite comfortable actually, though not sure I could endure long-haul on it.