Temporary Low Cost Travel Cafe

Ricco · Joined: 12 Apr 2008 Posts: 3

I've just received an Email from the above company confirming that they are in liquidation, all flights are cancelled.

I'd booked Hong Kong to London on 17 May. Before then I have flights booked from Bali to Jakarta, Jakarta to Manila, and Cebu to Hong Kong.

I've done a quick search for cheap flights from Hong Kong to the UK but nothing is coming up. 1300 pounds for a single!

At that price, I can't afford to come home.

Can anyone suggest how I might get from Hong Kong to the U.K. more reasonably? Maybe Hong Kong to somewhere else, then the U.K.

Otherwise, I'm prepared to scrap one or more of the flights I have booked, if there is a more economical way to get from Bali or elsewhere on route, to the U.K.

Any advice greatfully received, I'm in a bit of a pickle here!!

attitudetravel · Joined: 15 Nov 2007 Posts: 401 Location: London, UK

Well, if you're prepared for a bit of an adventure, you can try...

1) Sat 17th: Take the TurboJET across the Pearl River Delta from Hong Kong to Macau : HKD 146 or GBP 10

2) Sat 17th: Fly with Tiger Airways from Macau to Singapore : HKD 806 or GBP 53
Depart from Macau at 15:50
Arrive in Singapore at 19:25

3) Sat 17th: Fly with Tiger Airways from Singapore to Chennai : SGD 268 or GBP 100
Depart from Singapore at 21:15
Arrive in Chennai at 22:45

4) Sun 18th: Fly with Air Arabia from Chennai to Sharjah to Istanbul SAW : EUR 140 or GBP 113
Depart from Chennai at 03:15
Arrive in Sharjah at 05:40
Depart from Sharjah at 22:30
Arrive in Istanbul SAW at 01:55 on Mon 19th

5) Mon 19th: Fly with easyJet from Istanbul SAW to London Luton : EUR 119 or GBP 96
Depart from Istanbul SAW at 16:10
Arrive in London Luton at 18:10

Total Fare: GBP 372

attitudetravel · Joined: 15 Nov 2007 Posts: 401 Location: London, UK

You're very lucky that the timetables of the different airlines fit together so well for the direction in which your travelling in and the dates when you're travelling.

Looking at the itinerary above, it seems like your only risks are:

1) Arriving in Singapore very late on a very delayed flight from Macau and missing your connection to Chennai. Pretty unlikely on the face of it and Singapore Changi Budget Terminal is just a big warehouse with a fast passenger turnover, so even if you arrived with just an hour to go, you could go through passport control and check in again with time to spare. Remember to fill in your immigration card on the plane, to save yourself time when you get to the airport.

Once through Singapore it's plain sailing. Though you could:

2) Die of boredom in Sharjah airport
3) Die of boredom in Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen airport

Suggest you bring a couple of good books and possibly a pillow.

You can stretch your legs in Sabiha Gokcen a little, but Sharjah airport is small and still being built. Given that it's become something of a major transport hub, it must rate amongst the dullest hubs on the planet. You really are going to need a book or else a good couple of magazines.

Ricco · Joined: 12 Apr 2008 Posts: 3

Thanks very much for that!

I did some more searching later on, managed to book a BA flight from Hong Kong to Heathrow then Manchester for 270 pounds. Pretty suprised by this, seems very cheap, but I have the ticket!

Thanks again for all the time and effort you must have put in to get your information together.

Regards
Ric

attitudetravel · Joined: 15 Nov 2007 Posts: 401 Location: London, UK

Ricco · Joined: 12 Apr 2008 Posts: 3

Great value eh, and its a direct flight.

I found it through ba.com. This was linked to the Email from Oasis confirming their demise. The Email included a link to this, but there's no suggestion that its a special price, which is after all, highly unlikely in a free market business!

Thanks again for your help.

attitudetravel · Joined: 15 Nov 2007 Posts: 401 Location: London, UK

No problem at all, that's what we're here for. Smile

I've linked to this thread from the Oasis entry on the Hong Kong Low Cost Airlines Guide so that other people in a similar situation can benefit from the options thrown up by this discussion.

In the past it's been known for budget airlines in Europe to introduce Rescue Flights for passengers stranded when other low fare carriers (EU Jet, Air Scotland etc.) suddenly go out of business. That may be what British Airways is doing here, even if they haven't explicitly stated it.

MHG · Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 8:06 pm Post subject:

I know that Cathay Pacific has a special deal for stranded OASIS passengers but don´t know exactly the conditions. As far as i heard it´s something like you paid for with BA. So, nothing to loose ...

Jimbo · Joined: 23 May 2008 Age: 37 Posts: 1 Location: England

Hello,
Please can anyone help?
I had a return flight booked with Oasis before they went into liquidation. My daughter fell ill and we could not travel as a result, we therefore cancelled this much awaited holiday. I was advised by Oasis's customer services that I would be fully refunded as a gesture of goodwill. NOt hearing or receiving anything from Oasis the following weeks, I phoned them to chase up after my refund and was advised the company went into liquidation and they cannot do anything for me!
I have taken out travel insurance, but unfortunately cannot provide evidence that i have received no refund since Oasis is unable to confirm this...
I am at a loss with regards to what to do. This has put my family and me in a difficult financial situation and I dont know who to turn to...
Is there an organisation who can give me some advice?

Thanks in advance,

Jimmy

attitudetravel · Joined: 15 Nov 2007 Posts: 401 Location: London, UK

Your local Citizens Advice Bureau may be able to advise you:

UK Citizens Advice Bureau Website

tropicalmaiden · Joined: 23 Dec 2008 Posts: 1

I use <whooooops> for finding the cheapest flights and deals available online. They're a consolidator site so they look up all sources including airlines and travel agencies. I've compared with other sites and i think they've consistently found me the lowest fares