For most travelers, it seems that less is more. Nearly three-quarters (70%) would rather sacrifice the extras typically found on long-haul flights in order to save money with budget carriers, reveals leading global travel search site Skyscanner.
In the survey of 1,800 international travelers, it was found that almost half (48%) would not mind giving up their personal space and endure limited legroom for up to nine hours, as long as they get to their destination, while 30% were willing to endure over ten hours. Nearly a quarter (22%) said that they were only willing to go on budget airlines for flights lasting up to a maximum of six hours.
“There are a lot of travelers these days who would rather go for a no-frills plane ride to get to their destinations,” says Janet Ranola, Market Development Manager for Skyscanner Philippines. “More travelers seem to be more open to going on long-haul flights without the extras that come with traditional airlines, which will be good news for Cebu Pacific as they prepare to launch budget long-haul flights later this year.”
Cebu Pacific, the Philippines’ largest national flag carrier, recently announced that it would be offering long-haul flights in the third quarter of 2013. The Gokongwei-led company is set to lease up to 8 Airbus A33-300 aircrafts, which each have a range of 11 hours and can easily offer low-budget flights to travelers who plan on going to Australia, Middle East and some parts of the United States and Europe. The airfare for these budget flights is reported to be 35% lower than those offered by other airlines, and nearly 80% lower when Cebu Pacific offers their popular promo fares.
“The survey shows that budget airlines are becoming more popular and more acceptable for tourists, and the low fares can also heighten tourism in and out of the country. Our survey results suggest that Cebu Pacific’s introduction of long-haul flights will be a welcome opportunity for Filipino travellers and other airlines will be looking on with interest,” Ranola adds.