Kuala Lumpur - Fiji

Hello,

just wondering if anyone can recommend low cost carriers to get from KL to the islands. If it's easier, I can go down to Singapore and there are some connections to Australia with Air Asia...

Thanks

Gord

No point in going to Singapore.
Just fly to AU on Air Asia, and connect to Fiji from there on Pacific Blue or Air Pacific.
The latter is Fiji's national airline, but often similar in fares to the "budget" Pacific Blue, and offers more extras, including the possibility to buy a pass to tour neighboring island nations for a month.
Be prepared that even the lowest fares to Fiji will seem steep after SE Asia, as will prices once there!

Thanks Laszlo. A friend "won" a silent action for some resort in Fiji (not even sure what island). But airfare is not included. If the package also includes meals and drinks, I think I'll go for it. Otherwise the airfare alone is likely to be out of my price range...

Note, Air Asia only fly to Melbourne and Gold Coast on the Australian East Coast. Melbourne is a more expensive option, both from KL and to Nadi. However, you can't fly to Nadi from Gold Coast, only from Brisbane. There are shuttle buses between Gold Coast and Brisbane airports, and also a train, though it doesn't quite run to the Gold Coast airport yet, so you would need a bus or taxi to the nearest train station. It does run right to the Brisbane International terminal. Gold Coast/Brisbane would still be your cheapest option, despite this.

Actually, the cheapest flights to Nadi seem to be from Sydney, and that city is quite cheap to reach from Melbourne. Whether GC or Melbourne are cheaper to fly to from KL seems to keep changing.
I have been looking into this quite a lot this year as I am in the (slowly progressing) process of getting to Fiji (and beyond) via AU from KL hopefully this month! ;-)

Let me know how it works out for you. If I do this trip, I'll just have to run a few scenarios with the different Australian airports. I know Air Asia wants to get landing rights to Sydney and Auckland, so by the time this trip happens I could have more options...

I wish them best of luck getting those rights - especially to NZ!

Sydney airport has little room to expand. They are already threatening to increase landing fees for regional commuter airlines. I think this is why Tiger uses Newcastle (2 hours north) instead.
Brisbane is a much more user-friendly international terminal, anyhow. Even if it is a few dollars more expensive, it saves an awful lot of bother to fly in and out of Brisbane.

Thanks #7. Sounds like getting to Brisbane from KL is the best route.

So far, Air Pacific has proved to be staffed by useless idiots when it comes to trying to book by internet.
A simple RT ticket to Fiji should be easy enough to book on their website, but I'm trying to add a Bula Pass and they just don't do it and book different things (full price RT tickets outside the pass) instead!

I hear you Laszlo. I live in Malaysia, where even ordering a cup of coffee can be an adventure in frustration!