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One price fits all, says One-Two-Go
Report from Bangkok Post dated Wednesday 29 November 2006 :-
One price fits all, says One-Two-Go - 'Transparent' B1,700 fare includes all extras
One-Two-Go Airlines, Thailand's first low-cost carrier (LCC), is taking a further step to simplify its ticket-price structure by introducing a single net fare for all its domestic services.
Starting on Dec 1, the net ticket prices on its six domestic routes - from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket, Hat Yai, Surat Thani and Krabi - will be 1,700 baht one way.
The airline is seeking to differentiate itself from the basic global LCC concept adopted by two rival carriers - Thai AirAsia and Nok Air - by making its ticket prices transparent with no hidden costs in the form of fuel surcharges, insurance and taxes.
Thai AirAsia and Nok Air apply multiple fares, depending on the time and mode of booking, seat availability and promotional period, which exclude all extras such as fuel surcharges.
Udom Tantiprasongchai, the chief executive and founder of One-Two-Go, called his company's one-price policy ''sincere'' and straightforward since it eliminated all the fine print that confused and sometimes annoyed passengers.
However, the new flat fare is only for flights on weekdays. A 500-baht premium will apply on weekends or long weekends.
The uniform fare means the one-way ticket on One-Two-Go from Bangkok to Chiang Rai and Hat Yai will be reduced from 1,950 baht to 1,700 baht, the rate that has already been applied to its four other routes.
One-Two-Go had earlier included all the extra costs in its ticket prices, as well as removing stringent conditions normally applied by budget carriers to attract passengers.
For instance, a change in the travel date can be made without a penalty fee. The airline also offers greater baggage allowance of up to 20 kg, assigned seats and free snacks and beverages on board _ not normally offered by other budget airlines.
As part of its increased services, One-Two-Go also plans to sell consumer goods such as cup instant noodles and T-shirts on board its aircraft at the same prices as on the ground.
''The prices of these goods will be the same as those at 7-Eleven convenience stores,'' Mr Udom said. ''We don't intend to seek undue profit from this service like other LCCs.''
Thai AirAsia charges 60 baht for a cup of instant noodles that otherwise retails for 12 baht at 7-Eleven, while a KitKat chocolate bat goes for 50 baht, 3-4 times more expensive than on the ground.
''We are working with suppliers to introduce a range of goods to be sold on board of our aircraft,'' Mr Udom said.
One-Two-Go operates 13 flights a day on the six routes.
He said One-Two-Go had no immediate plan to introduce new routes but had looked into services from Bangkok to Phitsanulok and Nakhon Si Thammarat, and from Hat Yai to Phuket routes.
--- KatoeyNewsNetwork
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