Tiger Airways to fly across Tasman / New Hub Discussion

[Radi K]

Tiger Airways to fly across Tasman
by Nevil Gibson

Singapore's discount airline Tiger Airways has confirmed speculation it will be the next carrier to enter the transtasman market.

Speaking to the Australian Aviation Press Club in Sydney, chief executive Tony Davis said the Australia-New Zealand service was on the radar.

Earlier reports said Tiger was eyeing Palmerston North, among other New Zealand airports, where competition was low or non-existent.

Mr Davis said Tiger, which is part-owned by Singapore Airlines and Ryan Air, would take delivery of two A319 aircraft toward the end of the year as it prepared to launch more services to regional destinations in Australia.

Tiger would also add a fifth A320 jet to its Australian fleet next month, which together with the A319s would expand its seating capacity by 65 per cent.

In Australia, Tiger was targeting airports with shorter runways using the A319s, which seat 144 passengers compared with the 180-seat capacity of the A320, Mr Davis said.

Tiger is flying to 13 destinations in Australia from its base in Melbourne, and is negotiating with a number of airports about a second Australian base. It plans to have five bases in Australia within seven years.

Tiger is also expanding in Asia, where it has hubs in Korea as well as Singapore, and is negotiating for another in the Philippines.

Ref: http://www.nbr.co.nz/home/column_article.asp?id=20650&cid=4&cname=Business+Today

[Rod Sloan]

This is great news. With Freedom Air ceasing operations at months end this would be a great time for Tiger to come in and claim LCC status transtasman to NZ provincial ports.

Perhaps AirNZ will be forced to rethink its decision to do away with Freedom Air. From what I hear the sentiments for the majority are anti AirNZ for removing this LCC.

Rod

[Lukas M]

Dont get to exited, this announcement is a LONG way away, we might not know for about 1year+, as A319 are for australia, and i think that we would most likely see Tiger do a direct to Wellington, Auckland

[Rod Sloan]

Earlier reports said Tiger was eyeing Palmerston North, among other New Zealand airports, where competition was low or non-existent.

I would argue the merits of AKL as a port for Tiger. Competition there from Australia is okay. With airlines and code sharing AKL is serviced by Qantas, Lan Chile, Emirates, Air NZ, Pacific Blue, American Airlines, United Airlines, British Airways and Air China off the top of my head.

WLG has only QF and NZ to my knowledge. So perhaps this is an option for Tiger. But I am still willing to bet Tiger will be looking at the provincial ports with the departure of Freedom who were well utilised. Tiger would do quite well here.

Palmerston North, Hamilton, Dunedin, Christchurch and Wellington would be my picks.

Rod

[Michael Dawson]

I would have to agree with you there Rod with you picks of the smaller ports. I have to fly back at Christmas to NZ and was originally looking at direct BNE-DUD but now Air New Zealand :mad: is doing it the fares have increased to nearly $200 more than what you were able to do it last year. Bring on the competition:), I am sure New Zealanders as a whole even in the smaller ports would encourage it, but would an Australians worst nightmare (more Kiwis):).

Cheers

Michael

[Lukas M]

Would Tiger use Melb's International Main terminal, or will they add a few sheds onto T4???:confused::confused::confused:

[Kurt A]

The Gold Coast has firmed as the likely second hub for Tiger Airways in Australia, with the carrier just weeks away from an announcement. Tiger currently operates out of Melbourne’s Tullamarine airport, but is in “end stage negotiations” with a second hub, believed to be the Gold Coast. Adelaide and Perth have also been mooted in the past.

A Tiger Airways spokesman said two aircraft will be based at the new hub, moving to a total of five within three years.

Tiger eventually plans on having five bases around Australia. Asked to nominate the airline’s next hub, the spokesman said: “One could look at where we fly most intensively and that would give a good indication.”

Tiger currently flies a triple-daily service between Melbourne and the Gold Coast. He also said Tiger expects to take delivery of its two A319s in the next couple of months, with “their own set of announcements” on new routes.-tw

[Marty H]

Would Tiger use Melb's International Main terminal, or will they add a few sheds onto T4???:confused::confused::confused:


International flights go through the international terminal no matter who the carrier is.

[Jason Carruthers]

Unless Tiger plan on creating a brand new subsidiary or sell half of Tiger Australia. Isn't Tiger Australia unable to fly internationally unless the airline is owned by at least 51% by local interests?




Jason

[Grant Smith]

Mick,

I think what Lukas is trying to get at is that international airlines that fly to / in Australia are exempt from being majority Australian owned if they have intentions of flying across the ditch...

Eg; Similar to what EK, LA and AR do at the moment.

:confused:

[Lukas M]

I think what Lukas is trying to get at is that international airlines that fly to / in Australia are exempt from being majority Australian owned if they have intentions of flying across the ditch...

Eg; Similar to what EK, LA and AR do at the moment.

Exacty what Grant Said! So TT can fly over there when they want to, subject to approval of course:p

[Bruce Bramwell]

There are rumours floating around that TT are looking closely at taking up ex US skybus A319's to domestic ops here in Australia....

As I said its a rumour after keeping my ears to the ground.......

[Lukas M]

expects to take delivery of its two A319s in the next couple of months
We were told earlier in the year that The A319's wouldn't be here till the end of the year, so mabye they have bought some of Skybus's A319's. Hope so!

[Bruce Bramwell]

We were told earlier in the year that The A319's wouldn't be here till the end of the year, so mabye they have bought some of Skybus's A319's. Hope so!


Leased..........

[Lukas M]

Leased..........
Righteo:p
If so, would Skybus's seats be better than TT's current ones?

[Lukas M]

Rumour from PPRUNE that the new "hub" will be announced with new "revised" Summer/Autumn Schedules across the whole Australian Tiger Network

[Jason Carruthers]

I doubt Tiger would want to take on ex Skybus CFM powered A319's with their IAE A320's.




Jason

[Bruce Bramwell]

I doubt Tiger would want to take on ex Skybus CFM powered A319's with their IAE A320's.




Jason


Why not? The maintenance is outsourced anyhow.... Okay - put it this way when you screaming for capacity i.e TT would you bite the bullet and take several A319's [different to A320's ENGINE's]

As long as the numbers are sufficent to warrent the operation of the aircraft [20+] then it will be okay :rolleyes:

[Lukas M]

For anyone thats Interested TT have bumped up their Credit Card Surcharge by $5, so its now "per person, per sector"

They also got 80% for their on-time performance for April

[Rhys Xanthis]

lol and the charges keep on coming:p

[lloyd fox]

Obviously Rhys you never travelled before deregulation when you paid 5-10 times this amount on half the salary of today.

The fares today are a dream.

[Bruce Bramwell]

Obviously Rhys you never travelled before deregulation when you paid 5-10 times this amount on half the salary of today.

The fares today are a dream.

$700 return in 00 PER-BNE that was for a child's fare!!!!!!



And with those prices, suprised AN didnt make more money.....

[Kurt A]

Tiger airways reveals its short list for the 2nd base.

Chris Ward Managing Director of Tiger Airways said. “As a gesture of goodwill from Tiger to our dear friends at other airlines we have decided to let them into our little secret”
The nominees for the next Tiger Airways Australia base are:

Perth
Rockhampton
Mackay
Alice Springs
Gold Coast
Darwin
Launceston
Canberra
Adelaide
Newcastle
Hobart
Sunshine Coast

As well as Sydney and every other airport that you can think of.

All the Tiger spotters out there should be confident that they will have their thirst for knowledge quenched very soon. Until then, don’t believe everything you hear from our competitors as Tiger airways will never prematurely reveal its hand.
-Tiger

Sorry I couldn't be more helpful ;)

[Grant Smith]

As well as Sydney and every other airport that you can think of.

Somehow I just can't see YWOL being on their preferred choice list...

;)

[Lukas M]

On the tiger front..

"FORMER Macquarie Bank executive Shelly Roberts was today appointed to run the Australian offshoot of Singapore based Tiger Airways.
Ms Roberts, who was asset director at Macquarie Airports and held a Sydney Airport Corporation board seat, will be managing director Tiger Australia.
She replaces Chris Ward, who will move to Incheon Tiger Airways, the airline group's new South Korean business"
news.com.au

Shelly was a former easyjet executive also