SEAIR flies Manila Clark to Singapore

Begins flight on December 16, 2010

November 24, 2010

Singapore - Tiger Airways Holdings Ltd., the budget carrier backed by Singapore Airlines Ltd., has sealed a partnership agreement with Philippine leisure airline South East Asian Airlines (SEAIR), obtaining a lease for two Airbus aircraft as well as an online marketing arrangement in what it considers its first venture to expand into Southeast Asia and the Philippine market.

SEAir flights from Clark, north of Manila, to Singapore will start Dec. 16 and be offered through Tiger Air’s website, according to a statement from the Singapore-based carrier today.

Tiger Holdings also announced that it will advance the delivery of two on-order Airbus A320 planes to next year to add to Seair fleet, it said. An Airbus 319 plane was delivered on Nov. 23 while another one will arrive on Nov. 29. Two more A319s are set for delivery next year.

All the Airbus jets will be based at Clark and will compliment Tiger Airways operation out of the country as it will benefit from Seair's expanded domestic network.

“Additional routes operated by SEAIR using these new jet aircraft will be added to the program over the coming months,” said Seair President and Chief Executive Officer Avelino L. Zapanta.

“We intend to operate as many as 20 aircraft in the next three years,” Zapanta said. Seair operates a fleet of 7 Dornier 328 turboprops mostly to leisure destinations in the Philippines.

Seair said the smaller aircraft will be used for smaller airports like Caticlan, while the bigger ones will be flown to major domestic destinations, as well as serve the carrier’s regional flights.

Zapanta said the carrier would introduce twice-daily flights to Singapore on Dec. 16 and at least one flight a day to three other destinations across the country.

The airline intends to add Davao and Cebu early next year, as well as launch flights to Bangkok, Hong Kong and Macau in the next two months.

“With this new collaboration with Tiger Airways, we will also be able to serve more international visitors to the Philippines by offering more destinations.” Zapanta added.

“The resulting operational and cost efficiencies will ensure more low-fare seats are available and contribute to the growth of SEAIR and the Clark gateway, benefiting customers in the Philippines and across the Asia-Pacific region,” the statement said.

Tiger also is setting up a venture in Bangkok with Thai Airways International Plc called Thai Tiger Airways, but is plagued by funding hurdles in Transport Ministry and National Economic and Social Development Board forcing the carrier to postpone the launch date of the LCC JV from Mar-2011 to late May-2011.