Recovering Tiger opens new base
Guest Writers are not employed, compensated or governed by TD, opinions and statements are from the specific writer directly
Recovering Australian airline Tiger Airways has commenced services from its new base at Sydney airport.
The launch of the new base – Tiger’s second in Australia following Melbourne – marks a significant step in the low-cost carrier’s recovery, following the grounding of its entire fleet last summer over safety concerns. It will enable the airline to add up to 10 daily return flights from Sydney.
The airline marked the opening today with the launch of its new Sydney-Gold Coast route, which will operate four times a day. Flights to Brisbane will commence in August.
“Today is an opportunity for Tiger to celebrate our accomplishments over the last 12 months whilst, importantly, we also reflect on our responsibilities as a credible and viable operation,” said Tiger’s CEO for Australia, Andrew David. “Our formative years are behind us. Tiger has grown and we are now moving on.”
Tiger will initially base three aircraft at Sydney, providing extra capacity on existing services between Sydney and Melbourne (up to 11 daily flights) as well as its new Gold Coast and Brisbane routes.
Tiger Airways’ Australian flights were grounded in July 2011 after it was found to have flown below minimum altitude on at least two occasions. The ban was lifted after five weeks, but Tiger’s flights were subsequently limited to 18 per day on a single sector – Melbourne-Sydney – forcing the closure of its Adelaide base.
