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Tiger Airways Australia faces uphill battle
Linda Haden, Singapore, July 7, 2011
 

TIGER Airways' operations in Australia could be facing a prolonged period on the sidelines, as the country's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) today filed an application in federal court seeking to extend the carrier's suspension period until July 31.

 

CASA grounded Tiger Airways Australia for five working days last Saturday, the first time in Australia’s aviation history that an airline’s entire fleet has been beached.

 

Travel plans of an estimated 35,000 passengers have been disrupted so far, and the airline has decided to refund passengers holding flight bookings from July 6-31. Tiger has estimated that it stands to lose A$1.5 million (US$1.6 million) a week as a result of the suspension.

 

In a statement released by the beleaguered airline, Tiger said that it was now working closely with the CASA to establish a road map to resume services as quickly as possible.

 

Tiger also announced that its Australia CEO, Crawford Rix, would be replaced by Tony Davis, the group president and CEO of the airline’s parent company, Tiger Holdings Ltd, at the end of the month.

 

Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore said in a statement to TTG Asia e-daily that it had ‘”not found any cause for concern over Tiger’s ability to operate flights in a safe manner”, and hence was not taking any action against the airline’s Singapore operations.

 

According to Tiger Holdings’ annual report, Tiger Airways Australia accounted for 43 per cent of the group’s total turnover last year.

 
 
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COMMENTS
On a holiday to Australia last year, my family and I had a first hand experience of Tiger Airways' lack of safety and overall dismal service. Having booked to fly from the Gold Coast to Melbourne, we boarded the plane, taxied on the runway, accelerated for take off and then felt the enormous strain of the plane's brakes as it struggled to decelerate and stop. We were coolly informed by the crew not to worry that the plane was returning to the hangar for a technical assessment. After two hours of languishing in the airport with two toddlers we were told that the flight had been postponed to 12 noon the following day and left in the lurch with no taxi access or assistance towards finding accommodation. At 1am in the morning, we finally found a place to stay at the Marriott in Surfer's Paradise, another A$150 taxi drive away. The day after, the plane was still at the same location when we checked in. No technical crew was visible until much later in the day. We finally took off at 2.30pm that afternoon. To date, nearly 9 months on we are yet to be refunded the costs of hotel accommodation. All in all, Tiger deserves to be investigated because it was apparent that their approach to safety was one of lackadaisical indifference!
Posted by: roshini galappatti
09-07-2011 05:47:19
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