Goodbye Tigerair: Singapore’s budget carrier to operate under Scoot brand

BY the end of 2017, Singapore’s Tigerair will integrate with its sister airline Scoot under Singapore Airlines Group, effectively ceasing the brand.

The two airlines will operate under a single license taking into account commercial, operational and regulatory considerations, Budget Aviation Holdings (BAH), the holding group that manages both airlines, said.

SIA chief executive and BAH chairman, Goh Choon Phong, said, “The integration has already led to commercial and operational synergies between Scoot and Tigerair that are providing growth opportunities for both airlines.”

He added, “The logical next step is to pursue a common operating licence and common brand identity to enable a more seamless travel experience for customers.”

It was reported in August that Scoot will commence flights to Europe in 2017, with its first destination being Athens. The route will mark the first of long-haul flights for Scoot, and will also be the longest flight operated by a low-cost carrier with the flight distance exceeding 10,000km.

It was also confirmed that the Singapore-Athens route will be serviced by Scoot’s fleet of Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners which are fitted with eight crew bunks and a total of 329 seats, including 18 in ScootBiz.

Mr Lee Lik Hsin, chief executive of BAH, said, “Guests have requested us to fly to Europe for a while, and Scoot is excited to finally oblige. Scoot has devoted much thought to configuring our cabin products and services to elevate and transform the low-cost travel experience.”

To meet demand, both Scoot and Tigerair have embarked on a large recruitment drive for cockpit and cabin crew positions.

Captain Rohan Hari Chandra, the airline’s adviser of flight operations, told The Straits Times that the total pilot headcount for the two airlines is 400, but the figure is expected to increase to 700 by 2020.

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Source: travelwireasia.com