Budget airline Tigerair merges with Scoot

July 26, 2017 - 11:13 AM
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A Scoot airliner parked at an airport tarmac

SINGAPORE — Tigerair is no more. The airline industry bade farewell to the low cost carrier on its last flight departing Singapore for Tiruchirappalli at 11:05 P.M. on July 24.

Although it took several months for the merger to happen, on Tuesday, July 25, Singapore-based budget airlines Scoot and Tigerair finally announced their intention to pursue a single brand and operating license under the enhanced Scoot brand.

Starting Wednesday, all Tigerair flights will now be operated under the Scoot brand and Scoot flights will operate under the TR flight designator code as the two companies mark the completion of the Scoot-Tigerair integration process that began last May when the airlines were brought under a common holding company, Budget Aviation Holdings.

Scoot CEO, Lee Lik Hsin, in a media event in Singapore for the Scoot and Tigerair merger announcement. on July 25, 2017. InterAksyon file photo

“As we come to the end of Tigerair’s journey, we open up a brand new chapter for Scoot,” said Lee Lik Hsin, Scoot chief executive. “Building on what Tigerair and the old Scoot had achieved since their respective inceptions, we are stronger than we have ever been before, and consequently in an even better position to offer our guests more choice, connectivity and value.”

Remaining business entity Scoot, which took to the skies in 2012, is a low-cost, medium-to-long haul arm of the Singapore Airlines Group.

To celebrate the merger, a special one-way promotional fares are available for as low as P1,699 to Singapore, P3,099 to Bangkok, P4,699 to Malé, and P5,499 to Melbourne/Sydney, P10,599 to Athens.

In addition, aside from the merger announcement, Scoot also disclosed five new destinations. Two of them are Honolulu, the airline’s maiden USA destination, and Harbin in Northeast China. The remaining three are short-haul destinations – Kuching and Kuantan in Malaysia, and Palembang in Indonesia.

The five new services, coupled with those from the previous Tigerair network, will bring Scoot’s total destination count to 65 across 18 countries.

“The enhanced Scoot that we are introducing today is spunky and sassy, and promises to create more travel opportunities for our guests,” Lee said.

Scoot flight crew, called ‘Scootees’, displaying their new uniform at the merger announcement of Scoot and Tigerair in a media event in Singapore on July 25, 2017. InterAksyon file photo