Tiger showing the strain?

[apacau]

BUDGET carrier Tiger Airways has been forced to cut scheduled flights out of Melbourne because of a lack of passengers.

In further evidence of growing economic concerns among Australians, there will be no Tiger Airways flights leaving or landing at Melbourne between 9am and 12.45pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for the whole of this month.

Tiger spokesman Matt Hobbs said the airline had chosen to adjust its schedule because of a drop in demand.

He insisted flights had not been cancelled and that the airline was not struggling.

"Nothing could be further from the truth," he said.

"We have done some rescheduling for February so we have a few planes sitting on the ground in the mornings.

"February is traditionally a particularly slow month because people are going back to school, back to work and businesses are getting their house in order before travelling."

Mr Hobbs said the downturn followed bumper months in December and January.

He said the flight schedule would increase again in March and April.

He said the airline was continuing its expansion in Australia with, new planes, another five routes to be announced soon and an expansion in Adelaide.

[Daffyd Thomas]

"Tiger spokesman Matt Hobbs said the airline had chosen to adjust its schedule because of a drop in demand.

He insisted flights had not been cancelled and that the airline was not struggling.

"Nothing could be further from the truth," he said."

heeeeello?

What are you on?

[Mr.Buzzy]

Saw 4 Tigers parked on the ramp at Tulla today and a 5th over at the sheds.

Rooks rike Mista Shingapoor don rikey roosey money!!!!!

bbbbbbbbbbbbbzzzzzzzzzzzzzzbbbbbbbbbbbbzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[Wod]

Third carrier has never gone well in Australia, especially with no International feed.

Asia has reportedly tanked, so the strategy of shifting aircraft between markets isn't working in "the current climate".

I don't think it is a cause for celebration though.:sad:

[HOBAY 3]

New planes and another five routes could be a third base? I'm guessing BNE base with routes to PER (Do TT have ETOPS?), ADL, MEL, HBA, CBR. Or it could all be rubbish!

[KABOY]

The current market will be a game of survival. The only difference between now and 2001 are the players and the global recession. Those with the deeper pockets will capitalise while the other will capitulate. Who will it be???

[Sunstar320]

If Melbourne is showing signs of low demand, then how the hell is Adelaide going to survive in less than a month.

Are they still sending 2 A320's to Adelaide? There is quite huge gaps in the schedules there...

Me thinks the A319 would be better suited in ADL than SIN.:cool:

[XRlent100]

Noticed there was no midnight horror from PER to MEL tonight. Just the 1935 flt. Is this a result of the above?

[UNOME]

"...no Tiger Airways flights leaving or landing at Melbourne between 9am and 12.45pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays..."

Melbourne is the only base and try 1:00am until 1:45pm. :bored:

While enjoying lunch at Rose Bay today a friend called confirming this and said the Melbourne Tiger terminal was locked shut, and all 4 aircraft were dormant on the tarmac...

I was later told that the Tiger CEO and the MD had to travel on another carrier from ADL to MEL today due to a cancelled Tiger flight.

I believe that reduced the total number of departures from MEL today to just 5.

Is this considered normal for an apparent expanding airline who has been in operation in Aust for 15 months??

Did anyone in PR think this through??

Surely there are still customers willing to fly somewhere prior to lunch??

Compass, Ansett, OZJET, etc and now this?

Very damaging and not well thought out. :(

[metrosmoker]

How are the comments from the boss appropriate or even responsible.
I understand spin, but there has to be a limit between and just plain bullsh!t. Nothing this company has done in the last 6-12 months spells success or expansion.
Pulled out of Darwin (its hub into Asia)
Pulled out of Newcastle.
Sent, let us be clear SENT, not requested, or offered an oppurtunity, but sent crews to work in Singapore because of surplus crew in Aus.
Lost money, lots, then claimed they made a profit using the figures from their other operations.
Even that clown on this site who used to sing there praises at every and any chance he got has gone quiet.
Had a friend just take a job with Tiger. He was told how stable and financial viable they are. I hope to christ for his sake and the sake of everyone employed there that in 3-6 months time I am writing a humble apology.

[waren9]

Third carrier has never gone well in Australia, especially with no International feed.


Just wait till the 4th (yes, fourth) one starts in NZ!:eek:

[Zero_au]

Spoke to a friend currently doing endorsement on A320 and was told (at interview) he had his ADL base. They have now been told that Tiger cannot guarantee ADL basing! Is the ADL base now uncertain?

[MrApproach]

Hobay 3 - My information is that all the terminal capacity in BNE is booked. There are only about six joint user gates currently utilised by Jetstar. Tiger would need a new terminal to mount an operation and BNE does not have any empty sheds like the ones they tarted up and used in MEL.

[B772]

I was in MEL yesterday and I could not believe how quiet the main terminal was; ie. Iternational, QF and VB. Believe it or not the main check-in activity in International was a J* departure to BKK. The main check-in activity in the QF domestic terminal was a J* departure to DRW/SIN.

[Stubby]

Its got me beat, trying to work out how they are making any money, pride maybe holding them here??:hmm:

[Sunstar320]

Its got me beat, trying to work out how they are making any money, pride maybe holding them here??http://static.pprune.org/images/smilies/yeees.gif
Tiger Spokesperson in the Herald Sun quoted
no point flying with 20 or 30 people

They need a high revenue/yield route..5 new routes now..talks with Sydney Airport..Sydney or bust:ouch:

[virgindriver]

Tiger could possibly use the old Brisbane International Terminal for their northern expansion?

[another superlame]

Tiger Management Motto

"Smile and wave boys,smile and wave"

[AN Flyer]

My information is that all the terminal capacity in BNE is booked. There are only about six joint user gates currently utilised by Jetstar.

I believe this was so until yesterday. Macair also had terminal capacity in BNE common user domestic, which given events of the past 24 hours, it's now fairly safe to say that they wont be using them again. Macair had both check in and stand-off bay alloaction, perhaps Tiger could take this off BAC's hands?

I'm not so sure about re-activation of the ex BNE International terminal for use by Tiger. DHL has half of it converted to a freight facility, but stranger things have happened.

[EXEK1996]

Looks like they might be finished.

I hear ADL base may not happen

Oh Dear!

[DarrenW]

it seems the airline has said different:

Tiger defies downturn | Herald Sun (http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25024955-664,00.html)

[UNOME]

ADL will happen, but how long will it last?

Tiger simply need to read the Australian market a lot better, stop with the "Because the fares are low, low, low , all will be forgiven" and stem the resignations of good employee's.

Lose track of how the people you manage are feeling, and you will become history real quick!

Not all Australian's are dumb bogans. :}

[UNOME]

Tony Davis, chief executive of Singapore-based Tiger Airways which is 49 percent owned by Singapore Airlines, told the conference that a slump in fuel prices has allowed the company to continue to offer cheap flights.

Crude costs have fallen by about 75 percent since hitting a record high above 147 dollars last July.
"We're bucking the trend," Davis said, referring to the falling passenger numbers reported by full service airlines.

Outside its Asian hub in Singapore, Tiger currently has a base in Melbourne from where it services the Australian domestic market and is planning to open others in Adelaide and Darwin, Davis said.

Oh dear, I can hear all the staff bags being packed as we speak. :E