Tiger Airways Australia to hub at MEL Tullamarine

[Keith T 2]

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/far...7788225184.html

 

Fares to fall as city sinks its claws into Tiger

 

Mathew Murphy

May 3, 2007

 

MELBOURNE will become the Australian home of budget carrier Tiger Airways, in a decision set to create hundreds of Victorian jobs and spark a price war.

 

The Singapore Airlines-backed carrier will today announce plans to establish its headquarters at Tullamarine. Avalon Airport is believed to have been overlooked because of its distance from the CBD.

 

The decision will set off a discount price war in the domestic airline market with Tiger promising to beat the prices set by Jetstar and Virgin Blue.

 

Jetstar pre-empted the announcement this week by selling 30,000 domestic route tickets at $3 each to its customers.

 

Sources confirmed to The Age that Melbourne's bid was considered superior to the other states. Melbourne had been in a "neck-and-neck" race with Brisbane to secure Tiger.

 

"It has been decided, Tiger will be let out of its cage in Melbourne," one source said.

 

Today's announcement will provide sweet revenge for Melbourne after it lost out to Brisbane in its bid to secure Virgin Blue's headquarters in 2000.

 

The decision, expected to be announced by Tiger's chief executive, Tony Davis, will create at least 1000 jobs in Victoria, with the airline believed to be scouting for pilots and cabin crew across the state.

 

Tiger, which is 49 per cent owned by Singapore Airlines, will require space at Tullamarine to house five aircraft. The fleet is expected to grow to about 20 in the years ahead. Virgin Blue operates with about 50 planes; Jetstar has about 25.

 

Melbourne Airport would not comment on the decision but confirmed it had "plenty of room" at Tullamarine for Tiger.

 

It is expected Tiger will initially offer services from Melbourne to Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra and Adelaide.

 

As part of Jetstar's promotion, it also began offering from midnight last night 100,000 tickets for $3 for domestic flights and tickets to Honolulu, Bangkok and New Zealand during restricted times with the purchase of another Jetsaver fare.

 

The "take a friend" promotion meant seats for selected flights and times in June, July, October and December allowed a second seat on the same flight for $3.

 

The airline could be ready for take-off in the domestic market within months. Before that happens it needs to obtain its Air Operators Certificate from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

 

A spokeswoman from CASA said Tiger's application had been received but declined to say where the process was at.

 

Three weeks ago, CASA said it had not received a formal application by Tiger and that it could take up to five months to process an application and issue a licence.

 

The airline has been given approval by the Foreign Investment Review Board to establish an Australian subsidiary.

 

It is not known what incentives the State Government offered Tiger but it has been lobbying hard to woo Tiger to Melbourne. The Government refused to comment on whether it knew about the airline's decision.

 

Sir Rod Eddington, the former chief executive of Cathay Pacific, Ansett and British Airways and now head of the Victorian Major Events Company, said the decision was "a real coup for Victoria".

 

With DANIELLA MILETIC

[Sing Yew 1]

That's good news.

[Guest Levent]

Tiger Airways has chosen Melbourne's Tullamarine Airport as the new base for its Tiger Airways Australia branch. The airline is expected to base five Airbus A320s there.

 

This moves surprises me slightly because they currently don't have flights linking Singapore with Melbourne. Anyway, good news for Australian travellers I think.

[Azri M. 0]

Tiger Airways has chosen Melbourne's Tullamarine Airport as the new base for its Tiger Airways Australia branch. The airline is expected to base five Airbus A320s there.

 

This moves surprises me slightly because they currently don't have flights linking Singapore with Melbourne. Anyway, good news for Australian travellers I think.

 

Tiger Airways' early focus is only domestic destination. So Melbourne will be a good hub to connect the cities from the north, east and west. Later they will connect Mel to Singapore through Perth. For now, they will fly from Mel-BNE/SYD/ADL.

[Keith T 2]

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/hol...0205167482.html

 

Hold that Tiger: Jetstar set to pounce

 

Mathew Murphy

May 29, 2007

 

THE battle to be the leading low-cost carrier is gathering pace, with Jetstar preparing for the arrival of Tiger Airways.

 

Jetstar has announced that it will "double the difference" of any competitor's fare that is cheaper than Jetstar's.

 

Jetstar chief Alan Joyce has moved to defend his airline's territory in the low-fare market by guaranteeing that Jetstar will provide passengers with travel vouchers worth double the difference of any domestic flight found to be cheaper than a Jetstar one operating on the same route at a similar time. The voucher is redeemable for any Jetstar flight, and has a six-month expiry attached.

 

The offer will run until November 28.

 

The move by Jetstar is something of a pre-emptive strike in the discount war as Tiger waits for its air operator's certificate before it can begin domestic flights.

 

It is expected to be flying before the end of the year. Virgin Blue is also expanding its fleet to deal with the increased competition.

 

Tiger declined to comment last night on any reply to Jetstar's price commitment, but chief executive Tony Davis has also guaranteed to be the cheapest carrier in the Australian domestic market.

 

Virgin Blue said it had introduced low fares into the domestic market, and would continue to be competitive.

 

Jetstar will also take up the fight to Tiger on the international scene.

 

Qantas is increasing the allocation of Boeing 787s that its budget carrier is to receive.

 

From August next year Jetstar will receive 15 new 787 aircraft, instead of the 12 it had expected.

 

 

...

 

 

Edited May 28, 2007 by Keith T

[Pieter C. 5]

Hopefully, the fare-war is still on in December/January, sothat I can take advantage of it !!!

[Keith T 2]

Hopefully, the fare-war is still on in December/January, sothat I can take advantage of it !!!

 

Article says offer is good till NOV 28. So that means either you need to book ur flights by Nov, or book AND travel by Nov?

Best to keep an eye out on the various websites.

 

Also, sign up for the QF newsletter so you get told of the QF web specials - which can be *shock and horror* cheaper than JQ or DJ.

[Seng Lim 0]

First route has been announced on today with booking started at the same time as well:

 

Daily Mel - Darwin flight starting 1 Dec 2007 with special launch fare - A$79.99nett one way.

Or those who intend to go Singapore can also book the special A$499nett return combo flight deal (Mel-Drw-Sin).

[Keith T 2]

A clever move!

 

Not only does it link up with their existing SIN-DRW, but this way they avoid head on competition with mainline QF as the only other players on MEL-DRW are DJ and JQ.

 

I wonder if this will spark fare cuts by QF/BA on the flights to SIN?

 

I hope the next route is MEL-PER as that sector is ridiculously overpriced.

 

Here's hoping that the Tiger will keep the existing players on their toes - competition can only be good for consumers due to the lower fares caused by fare wars no matter which airline we choose to fly with.

Edited June 27, 2007 by Keith T

[Keith T 2]

Article from The Age:

 

Tiger Airways announces domestic route

 

Mathew Murphy

June 27, 2007 - 2:59PM

 

Melburnians will be able to fly to Darwin for $80 one way with Tiger Airways as the low cost carrier announced it would begin domestic flights on the route from December.

 

Tiger chief executive Tony Davis made the announcement which marks the official start of the Singapore Airlines-backed carrier's assault on the Australian domestic market.

 

Up until now Tiger has refused to reveal when its domestic services would start or where it would fly despite announcing Melbourne as its home base almost two months ago.

 

Mr Davis said the one way tickets for the Melbourne to Darwin route, which have gone on sale today, would cost $79.99 inclusive of all taxes and charges and would commence on December 1.

 

"Tiger Airways is pleased to offer our first domestic route, linking our home base of Melbourne and our international gateway of Darwin, with one-way prices of less than half of the advertised fare of our competitors," he said. "Darwin has long suffered from a lack of affordable domestic air fares and this new service by Tiger Airways, with our true low, low fares, will be welcomed by both travellers and the tourism industry alike."

 

Tiger will also offer Flight Combo fares between Melbourne and Singapore for $499 return inclusive of taxes and charges.

 

Mr Davis said all fares offered on Tiger's domestic services can be changed online up to four hours prior to departure for $10, plus the difference in any fare.

 

He said Tiger would be adding further routes to its domestic network over the coming weeks.

Edited June 27, 2007 by Keith T

[Pieter C. 5]

Tiger Airways Orders 30 Airbus A320s

 

June 21, 2007

Singapore-based Tiger Airways signed a memorandum of understanding to buy 30 Airbus A320 aircraft in a deal worth USD$2.2 billion at list prices, Airbus said at the Paris air show on Thursday.

 

The carrier also took options on 20 more A320s, Tiger Chief Executive Tony Davis told a news conference at the show.

 

He added that there was no pressing need for an initial public offering (IPO) of the carrier.

 

"There's no timetable for an IPO at this point," Davis said.

 

Singapore Airlines is the largest shareholder in Tiger Airways.

 

(Reuters)