Tigerair widens capacity gap against competitors

Tigerair Group has pulled ahead of the pack, widening the gap between itself and its competitors, according to a latest report on the low-cost carrier (LCC) sector by the Centre for Aviation (CAPA).

The group now accounts for 33 per cent of LCC capacity at Changi International Airport - more than the 26 per cent and 23 per cent LCC capacity share of rivals AirAsia and Jetstar, respectively.

By year-end, Tigerair, including Tigerair Mandala and Tigerair Philippines, will account for almost 11 per cent of total seat capacity at Changi, compared with just under 8 per cent each for Jetstar and Air- Asia, the report said.

Yesterday, Tigerair Group attributed the growth in capacity to its own fleet expansion strategy, which will see a total of six A320 aircraft being delivered by year-end.

Earlier this month, the group increased its stake in Indonesia's PT Mandala Airlines from 33 per cent to 35.8 per cent for some $11.6 million.

CAPA's report last week noted: "Tigerair's forthcoming expansion will drive up the LCC penetration further, to about 32 per cent, but it comes with risks as Singapore's short-haul market could return to the over-capacity situation seen two years ago."

The number of destinations that Tigerair serves from Singapore will increase from 28 at the beginning of the year to more than 38 by year-end, Tigerair said.

"For Tigerair, it is not just about being the largest in our market. It is about leveraging our position to deliver on our promises to customers. Our recently completed brand refresh shows our commitment to do just that, and will help to propel us forward as an organisation with new vigour and zest, while not compromising on our service standards," said Koay Peng Yen, CEO of Tigerair.

Last week, the Tigerair mobile app which was launched in October last year exceeded one million downloads across the across iPhone, Android, iPad and mobile Web platforms, the group said.

"The mobile app is one value-added product that we have successfully rolled out. We have seen a steady growth in customer bookings via our mobile app, and will continue to introduce new user experienceenhancing features in the coming months," said Alexander Knigge, chief commercial officer of Tigerair

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