Photo courtesy of AirAsia

I love going to Singapore for many reasons – for work, to chill out with my circle of friends, eat, attend concerts (many of which failed to make it to my city due to strict restrictions on dressing, dancing), and take long walks along the Kallang River (not too safe to take such walks in my city) with my best pal, Dylan, my friend’s lovable Golden Retriever.

In the old days, when times were good and I was part of the corporate world, I could fly from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore even though it costs a few hundred ringgit for the 45-minute flight on either of the national carriers, Malaysia Airlines or Singapore Airlines.

Then a few years back I decided to take life a little easier and came out on my own to freelance. Flying to Singapore then was not an option due to the high fares, made even more unrealistic with the sharp increase in jet fuel’s price. Fares topped almost RM600+ at one stage, deemed the most expensive in the world for such a short flight. There was no other alternative, apart from MAS or SIA, as the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore route was a duopoly.

Of course, there were other modes of transport between the two cities – the train and long-distance coach. Alternatively one could fly to Johor Bahru and take a bus to the Lion City from there. Not wanting to end my long-distance love affair with Singapore, I opted for the coach.

The luxury coach service between Kuala Lumpur-Singapore made its appearance around that time. It proved to be a hit with travellers, as for just RM160 you get to travel in air-conditioned comfort with food served by coach stewards/stewardesses ala airline style. There was entertainment via a mounted TV screen.

Its popularity led to a large number of bus companies launching similar services. There is even a super luxury service from Singapore, with only 18 seats and individual TV screens for travellers.

It was great then – service initially was good and the coaches stopped at designated rest areas along the North-South Expressway. But with time, the service deteriorated, with some drivers breaking the rule and skipping stops, unpalatable food at some instances and indifferent stewards/stewardesses.

Not to mention stopping at bus stops in Singapore/Kuala Lumpur where you get drenched if it rains or you end in danger of being run over by cars as you drag your suitcase to the taxi stand.

What was once a pleasant five-hour journey, for me at least, became tiresome.

Then in February 2008 came the news that both the Singapore and Malaysia governments agreed to allow low-cost carriers to launch limited flights. Fares then were still not attractive as there were few services, and coach travel was still the most economical.

But it wasn’t till December 1 when the skies were fully opened, a month ahead of the liberalisation of the ASEAN Open Skies for capital cities, that the LCCs – AirAsia, Tiger Airways, Jetstar – increased their flights and the fierce competition brought fares down rapidly.

It was unbelievable as the LCCs were literally throwing away fares – at times you just pay the various taxes. Then with the sharp drop in jet fuel’s price, AirAsia kicked off the trend of zero fuel surcharge. Others soon followed. The result – cheaper to fly to Singapore and vice versa than taking a coach, as during promotions I could get a return ticket for below RM200.

The LCCs’ flights between the two cities are pretty full especially on holidays and weekends. On December 30, 2008 when I flew Tiger Airways to Singapore the flight was full. AirAsia's flights on that day were bursting at the seams. When I returned to Kuala Lumpur on January 5, the Tiger flight was about 60-65 percent full - not bad for a weekday.

Why the popularity you may ask, despite having to travel all the way to the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal in Sepang?

Well, the rationale is simple: it's so much cheaper to fly now and there’s not much difference between the airline and coach fares. It costs only RM9 one-way to take the airport bus from Sentral, Kuala Lumpur’s transportation hub, to the LCCT; so does not add to the travel expenses.

This report from Malaysia’s Star best illustrates how low-cost flights between the two capital cities have convinced many to dump the roads for the skies. Rita Kaur, a Malaysian married to a Singaporean, travels to Kuala Lumpur at least eight times a year to visit her parents. She used to travel by coach and pays S$30 (RM72) to S$50 (RM120) for a one-way trip per person

The she decided to take her family to the skies. She checked out the cheap fares to Kuala Lumpur in the Singapore newspapers and found what she wanted - she flew into Kuala Lumpur with her husband, two daughters and their domestic helper at just S$150 (RM360).

“I think it is a pretty good price to pay for five people. My daughters enjoyed the trip. In fact, they were thrilled to be flying back to Kuala Lumpur rather than sitting for hours in a car or bus. We flew AirAsia,’’ she said.

Like Rita Kaur I too have switched to flying, and I know a number of my coach-taking friends have done the same.

There is such a wide choice - MAS and AirAsia have seven daily flights each on the route, SIA and SilkAir, four flights each, Tiger, three or four flights and JetStar, three.

Both AirAsia and Tiger Airways are keen to increase the frequencies.

AirAsia Bhd Group Chief Executive Officer Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes said his target is to have 12 daily flights for stage one. “Eventually we would like to have 24 flights daily or every half-hourly flight.’’

Currently AirAsia’s load factor averages 75% on the route.

According to Tiger Airways Chief Executive Tony Davis, the carrier had seen huge demand for its flights and would increase its frequency to five daily flights from three or four now on weekdays.

“Our loads are very good and we see strong consumer demand.”

Both MAS and SIA see the opening of the sector as good for the airlines and the consumers, and that competition would force them to be more innovative and cost-efficient.

Now even MAS’ offshoot, the community airline Firefly, has voiced its interest in flying the route from Subang Airport where it is based, and is awaiting Government’s approval.

Not withstanding the congested LCCT, walking till you drop to reach the aircraft or terminal, running in the rain to board the planes and wet luggage during the rainy season, the sheer joy of paying an average of RM200 or less for a Kuala Lumpur-Singapore flight makes all these minor inconveniences bearable.

Quoting AirAsia’s Fernandes when he launched AirAsia, “now everyone can fly” – this time between Kuala Lumpur and the Lion City.

- Corinne Wan