Double destination delight with Scoot

Modern and ancient. City and country. Glass and grass. Chalk and cheese. Yin and yang.

Destinations in Asia can offer the same contrast that we expect of countries in Europe — but closer to home.

It’s an idea we have long followed in these pages, and I’m on that theme again, flying with Scoot airline, combining a short stop in Singapore with days on Jeju Island, a standalone island of South Korea.

This is travel with a twist, on our doorstep.

SCOOTING AWAY

Flying Scoot makes me happy — perhaps it’s the cheerful yellow, but more likely the no-fuss attitude.

Scoot is a low-cost subsidiary of the Singapore Airlines Group. It has a network of more than 70 destinations in 15 countries and territories in Asia Pacific, Europe (Athens and Berlin) and the Middle East.

A Scoot spokesperson says: “We aim to provide a reliable, quality and affordable travel experience with a unique attitude — Scootitude. This is our passion to connect people and cultures through travel, which drives us to seek new opportunities and redefine the travel experience.

“We are an airline for the young, the young-at-heart and the value-seeking. People who believe that travel is all about spontaneous discovery, building connections and creating fresh experiences.”

And I can attest that being low-cost doesn’t mean forgoing quality. In Scoot’s case, it just means flexibility.

Our insider explains: “Flying on Scoot allows you to tailor your flying experience to suit your needs, whether it’s purchasing just a seat, or adding meals, baggage, amenities and more to your flight.

“Scoot also offers all economy-class passengers complimentary 10kg cabin baggage allowance, proving that travelling on a low-coast airline need not be a low-cost experience.”

On some flights (including those between Perth and Singapore), travellers can also book Scoot Plus, which is at the top end of “premium economy” in terms of space.

THIS DOUBLE DESTINATION

Singapore and Jeju Island provides a stimulating mix — and travellers can work Scoot’s itinerary to get the mix of days they like.

My trip is quick, leaving Perth on Friday evening at 9.45pm, with the flight scheduled to arrive in Singapore at 3.15am.

I’m straight to a hotel for a bit of rest, then a full day out.

On this trip, I fly on to Jeju Island later that night — leaving Singapore at 12.15am the next morning on a flight scheduled to arrive at 7.15am.

On another occasion, I’d extend the stay in Singapore.

For the one-stop hop back from Jeju Island to Singapore, I leave Jeju at 9.10am, arriving in Singapore at 2.15pm, then connecting to a 3.30pm flight which arrives in Perth at 8.35pm.

Scoot flies into Jeju five times a week and into Seoul eight times a week, all on Airbus A320neo aircraft.

BEFORE YOU FLY

Things you should know about flying with Scoot:

+ There’s no onboard entertainment system — so download movies and music into your phone or tablet before you fly.

+ After airport security, fill up your water bottle, or buy water to take on board.

+ The generous 10kg carry-on luggage allowance means that travellers who usually check in luggage might want to reassess their packing. (There’s quite a difference between the more usual 7kg and 10kg.)

+ If you can run to ScootPlus, I think it’s worth the money. The seat space is as good as any premium economy I have experienced, and better than some.

THE SCOOT WORLD

Scoot’s home base is in Singapore, the hub from which spokes spread primarily through Asia.

Scoot flies to South Korea, Japan, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, China, Macau, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Philippines and Taiwan.

It also flies to cities in India: Amritsar, Chennai, Coimbatore, Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, Tiruchirappalli and Visakhapatnam.

Singapore and Hanoi. Singapore and Kerala, in south-west India. Great mixes.

Scoot also flies to Saudi Arabia in the Middle East.

And in Europe, it flies to Athens and Berlin, and Scoot Plus is a good option for this.

A NEAT FLEET

Scoot has a young and modern fleet of more than 50 aircraft — Airbus A320, widebody Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Embraer E190-E2 planes.

Its aircraft are maintained by SIA Engineering Company, with wide-body planes serviced every 2.5 months (while the manufacturers suggest every three months).

A member airline of IATA, Scoot has been named the world’s best long-haul low-cost airline by Skytrax.

Scoot has carried more than 70 million travellers.

SINGAPORE STAYERS

If you are leaving the airport in Singapore, you need to apply for an SG Arrival Card within three days of arriving.

It is free and easy to apply for.

Apply at eservices.ica.gov.sg/sgarrivalcard

fact file

+ Book Scoot flights at flyscoot.com

Stephen Scourfield was in Singapore as a guest of Scoot. They have not influenced or read this story prior to publication.