Tiger Airways eyes more int’l routes

MANILA, Philippines - Tiger Airways Philippines is looking at mounting flights to six international destinations as it expects the delivery of three Airbus aircraft next year.

TigerAir president Olive Ramos said in an interview that the airline is looking at flying to Japan, Korea, China, Hong Kong, Macau and Singapore.

Ramos said the airline would be joining the Philippine air panel that is expected to hold air talks with Japan on Sept. 11 to 13.

She said the airline would ask the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) for a seat entitlement of 4,000 to 5,000.

She added that Tiger Air is looking at Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka in Japan.

Tiger Air has a fleet of two A319s and three A320s that it intends to expand to 25 aircraft over the next three to five years.

 â€œThe new aircraft will be purchased on a lease agreement and will be funded through internally generated funds. We are preparing for new our new destinations,” Ramos said.

Aside from Japan, she said the airline is also applying for seat entitlements for Korea particularly in Incheon and Busan.

 â€œWe want to mount daily flights to Japan and Incheon and Busan in Korea out of Manila and Cebu. In fact, we are going to Japan next week to participate in the air talks there. If possible we want to be granted unlimited seats to Japan,” she said.

Tiger Air is set to mount new flights from Kalibo to Shenzhen in November this year. Phuket is Tiger Air’s 13th destination. 

Tiger Airways currently flies to Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong as well as local destinations including Clark, Laoag, Bacolod, Kalibo, Cebu, Iloilo, Tacloban, and Puerto Princesa via its hubs in Clark and Terminal 4 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

In August last year, Tiger Airways through wholly-owned subsidiary Roar Aviation II Pte Ltd. acquired a 40 percent stake in Seair for a total consideration of $2.5 million. The investment in Seair is Tiger’s second joint venture after it acquired a 33 percent stake in Mandala Airlines in Indonesia.

The other 60 percent of Tiger Airways Philippines is owned by a group of Filipino businessmen.