Manila Standard Today
April 18, 2012
by Lailany P. Gomez
Budget carrier Tiger Airways Holdings Ltd. of Singapore said it will increase its holdings in Philippine-based South East Asian Airlines to 40 percent from an initial 32.5 percent.
Tiger Airways said Tuesday in a disclosure to the Singapore Stock Exchange that it signed a revised agreement to purchase a 40-percent stake in Seair from existing foreign investors for $7 million, or about P299.271 million.
The Singapore-based low-cost carrier said the revised agreement replaced the first one signed on February 24 last year.
“The parties will now proceed to finalize the definitive sale and purchase agreement for the stake,” Tiger said.
Tiger in 2011 bought a 32.5-percent stake in Seair for $6 million as part of a plan to expand domestic and international operations.
Meanwhile, the Civil Aeronautics Board approved the new marketing agreement between Tiger and Seair that would make the way for the two budget airlines to fly to Cebu and Davao.
Seair and Tiger had planned to mount flights to Cebu and Davao starting July 1 last year, using two brand-new 180-seater A320s leased from the Singaporean carrier.
Similarly, Seair earlier asked the regulator grant license to newly formed unit Seair International Inc.
Showing posts with label tiger airways. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tiger airways. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Tiger Airways eyes bigger pie of local carrier Seair
Business Mirror
April 17, 2012
Lenie Lectura
Singapore’s Tiger Airways has announced plans to increase its stake in local leisure carrier Southeast Asian Airlines (Seair).
In a disclosure to the Singapore Stock Exchange, the low-cost carrier of Singapore said it would amend the 2011 term sheet to hike Tiger Airways Holdings Ltd.’s stake in Seair from 32.5 percent to 40 percent.
In February last year, Tiger purchased a 32.5-percent stake in Seair for $6 million. The additional 7.5-percent stake is worth $7 million, it said.
“The revised term sheet is to replace the first term sheet that was signed on February 24, 2011. The parties will now proceed to finalize the definitive sale and purchase agreement for the stake,” the Singapore airline said.
Seair was earlier banned by the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) to mount its Cebu and Davao flights because Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and Airphil Express had complained this would merit a violation of cabotage rights.
The law grants the right of transporting goods and passengers between two or more points within the Philippines only to local airlines, according to CAB rules.
CAB later lifted the ban and approved the new marketing agreement between Tiger and Seair.
April 17, 2012
Lenie Lectura
Singapore’s Tiger Airways has announced plans to increase its stake in local leisure carrier Southeast Asian Airlines (Seair).
In a disclosure to the Singapore Stock Exchange, the low-cost carrier of Singapore said it would amend the 2011 term sheet to hike Tiger Airways Holdings Ltd.’s stake in Seair from 32.5 percent to 40 percent.
In February last year, Tiger purchased a 32.5-percent stake in Seair for $6 million. The additional 7.5-percent stake is worth $7 million, it said.
“The revised term sheet is to replace the first term sheet that was signed on February 24, 2011. The parties will now proceed to finalize the definitive sale and purchase agreement for the stake,” the Singapore airline said.
Seair was earlier banned by the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) to mount its Cebu and Davao flights because Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and Airphil Express had complained this would merit a violation of cabotage rights.
The law grants the right of transporting goods and passengers between two or more points within the Philippines only to local airlines, according to CAB rules.
CAB later lifted the ban and approved the new marketing agreement between Tiger and Seair.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Safety issues still hound Tiger
The Philippine Star
HIDDEN AGENDA By Mary Ann Ll. Reyes
July 13, 2011 12:00 AM
There had been newspaper reports that Singaporean budget carrier Tiger Airways will launch direct flights between Singapore and Cebu. The latter will be Tiger’s second destination in the Philippines, after Manila.
Tiger has recently been embroiled in controversy, especially after Philippine carriers led by Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, and Air Philippines, complained that Tiger’s marketing arrangement with local carrier Seair basically amounts to exercise of cabotage, a right exclusive to wholly Filipino owned carriers.
But this is not the only issue that Tiger needs to explain, at least to the Filipino people.
International media has reported that Tiger Airways has been grounded by Australian authorities until August, as they continue investigations into safety concerns.
Safety investigators are examining why a navigational database used by Tiger contained the wrong information, causing one of its planes to fly below safe altitude levels.
Last month a Tiger Airbus 320 flew below air traffic control’s lowest safe descent altitude of 2,500 while approaching Melbourne airport.
The pilots failed to notice the navigational mistake when they cross-checked the navigation information with their paper version, but the plane managed to land safely after Air Traffic Control corrected the pilots.
A preliminary report into the Melbourne airport incident from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau has found the error was due to an incorrect altitude in the plane’s commercial navigational database.
A similar incident also happened with a second plane.
Tiger has been thrown into turmoil in recent days, with its chief executive Crawford Rix recently announcing he would resign. His replacement, Tony Davis, is the group president of Tiger Airways Holdings and the man who was sent from Singapore to lead the talks with CASA.
NCIP bucks P-Noy on mining
The 43-member strong Brooke’s Point Tribal Leaders Federation (BPTLF) representing some 3,000 indigenous people from Palawan are complaining about the fact that the same government office that is tasked to protect their interest is the same one sabotaging it.
This is because the National Commission for Indigenous People (NCIP) has continued to deny the issuance of a certificate of pre-condition (CPC), a social acceptability document for MacroAsia Corp., whose mining operations in the municipality of Brooke’s Point is seen as the people’s last hope for the future future.
President Aquino, in a recent visit to Palawan, has said that he will support whatever is the position of the communities and that while they stand to economically benefit from mining projects, they are also the ones to suffer if anything goes wrong.
But the NCIP seems to have its own agenda. MacroAsia’s CPC has not been acted upon despite the fact that 883 of the 910 registered indigenous families in Brooke’s Point’s six barangays to be directly affected by the operations have already highly recommended the mining project.
According to BPTLF leaders, NCIP chairperson Zenaida Pawid and commissioner Dionesia Banua are obviously hell-bent on withholding or finally denying the document for MacroAsia.
BPTLF president Renila Dulay and vice president Agustin Bacosa, who also heads the Southern Palawan Tribal Communities, are also complaining about how Pawid has been maltreating them.
Believing that the NCIP would continue to delay the issuance of the CPC, the tribal leaders have written President Aquino asking him to finally order the granting of the certificate to MacroAsia. They have also sought the ouster of Banua and reconsider the chairmanship of Pawid.
Twice, in full force, they came to Manila to literally beg on their knees before the NCIP commissioners meeting en banc. On both occasions, they were given the run-around.
They are also complaining that Banua’s husband who holds a driver’s item at NCIP was made a part of the validating team and was the only member who refused to sign the validation report for obvious reasons – he supports his wife-commissioner’s stand not to allow mining in their province.
The CPC serves as the social acceptance document for the mining project which should been issued 15 days upon submission of the report dated April 28, 2010 on the FPIC undertaken in March 2010. The FPIC report has been gathering dust at the office of Banua.
TARLAC said that based on the initial evaluation of their lawyers on the information they got from the BPTLF and newsreport, the NCIP officials could be charged with violations of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standard for Government Employees (RA 6713) Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (RA 3019).
For comments, e-mail at philstarhiddenagenda@yahoo.com
HIDDEN AGENDA By Mary Ann Ll. Reyes
July 13, 2011 12:00 AM
There had been newspaper reports that Singaporean budget carrier Tiger Airways will launch direct flights between Singapore and Cebu. The latter will be Tiger’s second destination in the Philippines, after Manila.
Tiger has recently been embroiled in controversy, especially after Philippine carriers led by Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, and Air Philippines, complained that Tiger’s marketing arrangement with local carrier Seair basically amounts to exercise of cabotage, a right exclusive to wholly Filipino owned carriers.
But this is not the only issue that Tiger needs to explain, at least to the Filipino people.
International media has reported that Tiger Airways has been grounded by Australian authorities until August, as they continue investigations into safety concerns.
Safety investigators are examining why a navigational database used by Tiger contained the wrong information, causing one of its planes to fly below safe altitude levels.
Last month a Tiger Airbus 320 flew below air traffic control’s lowest safe descent altitude of 2,500 while approaching Melbourne airport.
The pilots failed to notice the navigational mistake when they cross-checked the navigation information with their paper version, but the plane managed to land safely after Air Traffic Control corrected the pilots.
A preliminary report into the Melbourne airport incident from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau has found the error was due to an incorrect altitude in the plane’s commercial navigational database.
A similar incident also happened with a second plane.
Tiger has been thrown into turmoil in recent days, with its chief executive Crawford Rix recently announcing he would resign. His replacement, Tony Davis, is the group president of Tiger Airways Holdings and the man who was sent from Singapore to lead the talks with CASA.
NCIP bucks P-Noy on mining
The 43-member strong Brooke’s Point Tribal Leaders Federation (BPTLF) representing some 3,000 indigenous people from Palawan are complaining about the fact that the same government office that is tasked to protect their interest is the same one sabotaging it.
This is because the National Commission for Indigenous People (NCIP) has continued to deny the issuance of a certificate of pre-condition (CPC), a social acceptability document for MacroAsia Corp., whose mining operations in the municipality of Brooke’s Point is seen as the people’s last hope for the future future.
President Aquino, in a recent visit to Palawan, has said that he will support whatever is the position of the communities and that while they stand to economically benefit from mining projects, they are also the ones to suffer if anything goes wrong.
But the NCIP seems to have its own agenda. MacroAsia’s CPC has not been acted upon despite the fact that 883 of the 910 registered indigenous families in Brooke’s Point’s six barangays to be directly affected by the operations have already highly recommended the mining project.
According to BPTLF leaders, NCIP chairperson Zenaida Pawid and commissioner Dionesia Banua are obviously hell-bent on withholding or finally denying the document for MacroAsia.
BPTLF president Renila Dulay and vice president Agustin Bacosa, who also heads the Southern Palawan Tribal Communities, are also complaining about how Pawid has been maltreating them.
Believing that the NCIP would continue to delay the issuance of the CPC, the tribal leaders have written President Aquino asking him to finally order the granting of the certificate to MacroAsia. They have also sought the ouster of Banua and reconsider the chairmanship of Pawid.
Twice, in full force, they came to Manila to literally beg on their knees before the NCIP commissioners meeting en banc. On both occasions, they were given the run-around.
They are also complaining that Banua’s husband who holds a driver’s item at NCIP was made a part of the validating team and was the only member who refused to sign the validation report for obvious reasons – he supports his wife-commissioner’s stand not to allow mining in their province.
The CPC serves as the social acceptance document for the mining project which should been issued 15 days upon submission of the report dated April 28, 2010 on the FPIC undertaken in March 2010. The FPIC report has been gathering dust at the office of Banua.
TARLAC said that based on the initial evaluation of their lawyers on the information they got from the BPTLF and newsreport, the NCIP officials could be charged with violations of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standard for Government Employees (RA 6713) Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (RA 3019).
For comments, e-mail at philstarhiddenagenda@yahoo.com
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Grounded Tiger Airways pledges 'all steps' to resume flying safely
Manila Bulletin
July 9, 2011, 4:20am
SYDNEY, July 8 (AFP) – The new chief of Australia's grounded Tiger Airways said its Singapore parent was ''absolutely committed'' to the budget carrier and ''everything necessary'' would be done to get it flying again.
Dispatched by Tiger Airways Singapore to take the top job after the former Australian CEO quit this week, Tony Davis said he was confident the airline would by the end of July overcome safety issues which saw it grounded.
''That's the date we've given ourselves, we believe we can do that and anything that needs to be done will be done,'' Davis told ABC TV late Thursday.
''We're committed to resuming services at the end of July, we'll do everything necessary to ensure that happens, and that's the commitment not only of me personally, but of my board and the parent company.''
Tiger Airways Australia has been grounded until at least August 1 by aviation regulators over ''serious and imminent'' safety risks related to pilot training and competency, fatigue management and other issues.
The flight ban followed two recent incidents where flights approached an airport too low. Tiger had already been on notice to improve its performance by Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).
Davis said the grounding was costing the airline, an Australian offshoot of Tiger Airways Singapore, Aus$2 million ($2.1 million) a week, but he insisted it would recover and had a strong future.
''The board of Tiger Airways is absolutely committed to the airline here in Australia,'' said Davis, until this week the president of parent group Tiger Airways Holdings.
''My appointment is a tangible demonstration of that commitment.''
''We're committed to a long-term future and I think Australians want us to be here to ensure that there is competition in the air sector,'' he added.
In addition to CASA's investigation, Davis said Tiger was conducting a ''comprehensive'' internal review to satisfy itself that its services were ''safe and viable'' and ensure it had a clean slate.
''It's about a fresh start, it's about addressing that anything that needs to be addressed and it's about having a long-term, viable, safe airline here in Australia,'' he said.
Singapore Airlines holds 32.9 percent equity stake in Tiger Airways Holdings, and it has said it has no plans to reduce its share following the Australia grounding.
July 9, 2011, 4:20am
SYDNEY, July 8 (AFP) – The new chief of Australia's grounded Tiger Airways said its Singapore parent was ''absolutely committed'' to the budget carrier and ''everything necessary'' would be done to get it flying again.
Dispatched by Tiger Airways Singapore to take the top job after the former Australian CEO quit this week, Tony Davis said he was confident the airline would by the end of July overcome safety issues which saw it grounded.
''That's the date we've given ourselves, we believe we can do that and anything that needs to be done will be done,'' Davis told ABC TV late Thursday.
''We're committed to resuming services at the end of July, we'll do everything necessary to ensure that happens, and that's the commitment not only of me personally, but of my board and the parent company.''
Tiger Airways Australia has been grounded until at least August 1 by aviation regulators over ''serious and imminent'' safety risks related to pilot training and competency, fatigue management and other issues.
The flight ban followed two recent incidents where flights approached an airport too low. Tiger had already been on notice to improve its performance by Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).
Davis said the grounding was costing the airline, an Australian offshoot of Tiger Airways Singapore, Aus$2 million ($2.1 million) a week, but he insisted it would recover and had a strong future.
''The board of Tiger Airways is absolutely committed to the airline here in Australia,'' said Davis, until this week the president of parent group Tiger Airways Holdings.
''My appointment is a tangible demonstration of that commitment.''
''We're committed to a long-term future and I think Australians want us to be here to ensure that there is competition in the air sector,'' he added.
In addition to CASA's investigation, Davis said Tiger was conducting a ''comprehensive'' internal review to satisfy itself that its services were ''safe and viable'' and ensure it had a clean slate.
''It's about a fresh start, it's about addressing that anything that needs to be addressed and it's about having a long-term, viable, safe airline here in Australia,'' he said.
Singapore Airlines holds 32.9 percent equity stake in Tiger Airways Holdings, and it has said it has no plans to reduce its share following the Australia grounding.
Grounded Tiger Airways vows 'all steps' to resume flying
The Philippine Star
July 09, 2011 12:00 AM
MANILA, Philippines - The new chief of Australia’s grounded Tiger Airways said its Singapore parent was “absolutely committed” to the budget carrier and “everything necessary” would be done to get it flying again.
Dispatched by Tiger Airways Singapore to take the top job after the former Australian CEO quit this week, Tony Davis said he was confident the airline would by the end of July overcome safety issues which saw it grounded.
“That’s the date we’ve given ourselves, we believe we can do that and anything that needs to be done will be done,” Davis told ABC TV late Thursday.
“We’re committed to resuming services at the end of July, we’ll do everything necessary to ensure that happens, and that’s the commitment not only of me personally, but of my board and the parent company.”
Tiger Airways Australia has been grounded until at least Aug. 1 by aviation regulators over “serious and imminent” safety risks related to pilot training and competency, fatigue management and other issues.
The flight ban followed two recent incidents where flights approached an airport too low. Tiger had already been on notice to improve its performance by Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).
Davis said the grounding was costing the airline, an Australian offshoot of Tiger Airways Singapore, Aus$2 million ($2.1 million) a week, but he insisted it would recover and had a strong future.
“The board of Tiger Airways is absolutely committed to the airline here in Australia,” said Davis, until this week the president of parent group Tiger Airways Holdings.
July 09, 2011 12:00 AM
MANILA, Philippines - The new chief of Australia’s grounded Tiger Airways said its Singapore parent was “absolutely committed” to the budget carrier and “everything necessary” would be done to get it flying again.
Dispatched by Tiger Airways Singapore to take the top job after the former Australian CEO quit this week, Tony Davis said he was confident the airline would by the end of July overcome safety issues which saw it grounded.
“That’s the date we’ve given ourselves, we believe we can do that and anything that needs to be done will be done,” Davis told ABC TV late Thursday.
“We’re committed to resuming services at the end of July, we’ll do everything necessary to ensure that happens, and that’s the commitment not only of me personally, but of my board and the parent company.”
Tiger Airways Australia has been grounded until at least Aug. 1 by aviation regulators over “serious and imminent” safety risks related to pilot training and competency, fatigue management and other issues.
The flight ban followed two recent incidents where flights approached an airport too low. Tiger had already been on notice to improve its performance by Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).
Davis said the grounding was costing the airline, an Australian offshoot of Tiger Airways Singapore, Aus$2 million ($2.1 million) a week, but he insisted it would recover and had a strong future.
“The board of Tiger Airways is absolutely committed to the airline here in Australia,” said Davis, until this week the president of parent group Tiger Airways Holdings.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Tiger Airways stops selling tickets
Manila Bulletin
July 6, 2011, 9:30pm
SYDNEY, July 6 (AFP) – Grounded Australian budget carrier Tiger Airways stopped selling tickets Wednesday after the airline came under pressure from the consumer regulator over its ability to deliver flights.
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) chief Graeme Samuel was tight-lipped on whether he was considering legal action against the carrier after it continued to sell tickets for next week in defiance of his warnings.
Tiger was banned from flying domestically last Saturday until this weekend by aviation regulators over ''serious and imminent'' safety risks and could face a more prolonged grounding if a court order is sought.
But Samuel said Tiger continued to sell flights until late Tuesday for next week without caveats – the earliest just hours after the ban expires -- despite having no certainty that it would be allowed to fly.
''We had said publicly that they could continue to sell tickets only so long as they had a reasonable expectation of being able to provide the flights that they were selling tickets for,'' Samuel told AFP.
''It's a pretty simple proposition. If you don't think you can supply the flights then you shouldn't be selling the tickets.''
The carrier posted a notice on its website Wednesday saying ''flights have been temporarily removed from sale'' due to its grounding by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).
''Discussions with CASA regarding a resumption of services are ongoing and constructive,'' Tiger said, referring to crisis talks in Melbourne.
Samuel would not be drawn on whether the ACCC believed Tiger had breached trade laws, for which it could be fined more than Aus$1.1 million (US$1.17 million), saying only that they were in ''continual and constant communication''.
July 6, 2011, 9:30pm
SYDNEY, July 6 (AFP) – Grounded Australian budget carrier Tiger Airways stopped selling tickets Wednesday after the airline came under pressure from the consumer regulator over its ability to deliver flights.
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) chief Graeme Samuel was tight-lipped on whether he was considering legal action against the carrier after it continued to sell tickets for next week in defiance of his warnings.
Tiger was banned from flying domestically last Saturday until this weekend by aviation regulators over ''serious and imminent'' safety risks and could face a more prolonged grounding if a court order is sought.
But Samuel said Tiger continued to sell flights until late Tuesday for next week without caveats – the earliest just hours after the ban expires -- despite having no certainty that it would be allowed to fly.
''We had said publicly that they could continue to sell tickets only so long as they had a reasonable expectation of being able to provide the flights that they were selling tickets for,'' Samuel told AFP.
''It's a pretty simple proposition. If you don't think you can supply the flights then you shouldn't be selling the tickets.''
The carrier posted a notice on its website Wednesday saying ''flights have been temporarily removed from sale'' due to its grounding by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).
''Discussions with CASA regarding a resumption of services are ongoing and constructive,'' Tiger said, referring to crisis talks in Melbourne.
Samuel would not be drawn on whether the ACCC believed Tiger had breached trade laws, for which it could be fined more than Aus$1.1 million (US$1.17 million), saying only that they were in ''continual and constant communication''.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Tiger Airways chiefs in Australia for crisis talks after grounding
Manila Bulletin
By MARTIN PARRY
July 5, 2011, 1:04am
SYDNEY, July 4 (AFP) – Senior Tiger Airways executives were to hold crisis talks with aviation regulators in Australia Monday as the budget carrier attempts to allay safety fears and return to the skies.
Tiger Airways Australia, a subsidiary of Singapore's Tiger Airways, was grounded for five working days on Saturday by Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) for posing a ''serious and imminent risk to air safety.''
It is the first grounding of an entire fleet in Australian aviation history and group president and chief executive Tony Davis has been given the responsibility of getting planes back in the air.
In a statement to the Singapore Stock Exchange, Tiger said Davis had been instructed to focus on ''assisting Tiger Airways Australia to resume operations as soon as possible.''
Chin Yau Seng, previously divisional vice president of cabin crew operations at Singapore Airlines, was appointed an additional executive director from July 4.
''The company reassures its customers that safety has been and will continue to be of paramount importance,'' Tiger said, stressing that only Australian domestic services were affected and not flights to Singapore.
In a sign it is confident of returning to normal services, the airline is still taking bookings and accepting payments for domestic flights from Saturday – the day the suspension is due to expire.
CASA can only ground an airline for five working days. If it wants to go any longer than that it must approach the Federal Court.
The regulator said its next move would depend on what Tiger brings to the table.
''That (meeting) will obviously be an important step in the process of investigating the recent several incidents and also canvassing the broader safety issues which we've raised with them,'' said CASA spokesman Peter Gibson.
''We certainly can't rush matters but on the other hand we do appreciate the public's frustration at not being able to know how long this will go on for.''
Australian authorities have been closely monitoring the airline and issued a ''show cause'' notice in March threatening to vary, suspend or cancel its licence over safety worries.
It was ordered to improve the proficiency of its pilots, boost pilot training and checking procedures, address fatigue management issues and ensure ''appropriately qualified people fill management and operational positions.''
By MARTIN PARRY
July 5, 2011, 1:04am
SYDNEY, July 4 (AFP) – Senior Tiger Airways executives were to hold crisis talks with aviation regulators in Australia Monday as the budget carrier attempts to allay safety fears and return to the skies.
Tiger Airways Australia, a subsidiary of Singapore's Tiger Airways, was grounded for five working days on Saturday by Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) for posing a ''serious and imminent risk to air safety.''
It is the first grounding of an entire fleet in Australian aviation history and group president and chief executive Tony Davis has been given the responsibility of getting planes back in the air.
In a statement to the Singapore Stock Exchange, Tiger said Davis had been instructed to focus on ''assisting Tiger Airways Australia to resume operations as soon as possible.''
Chin Yau Seng, previously divisional vice president of cabin crew operations at Singapore Airlines, was appointed an additional executive director from July 4.
''The company reassures its customers that safety has been and will continue to be of paramount importance,'' Tiger said, stressing that only Australian domestic services were affected and not flights to Singapore.
In a sign it is confident of returning to normal services, the airline is still taking bookings and accepting payments for domestic flights from Saturday – the day the suspension is due to expire.
CASA can only ground an airline for five working days. If it wants to go any longer than that it must approach the Federal Court.
The regulator said its next move would depend on what Tiger brings to the table.
''That (meeting) will obviously be an important step in the process of investigating the recent several incidents and also canvassing the broader safety issues which we've raised with them,'' said CASA spokesman Peter Gibson.
''We certainly can't rush matters but on the other hand we do appreciate the public's frustration at not being able to know how long this will go on for.''
Australian authorities have been closely monitoring the airline and issued a ''show cause'' notice in March threatening to vary, suspend or cancel its licence over safety worries.
It was ordered to improve the proficiency of its pilots, boost pilot training and checking procedures, address fatigue management issues and ensure ''appropriately qualified people fill management and operational positions.''
Tiger Airways, Australian agency in crisis talks
The Philippine Star
July 05, 2011 12:00 AM
SYDNEY (AP) — Tiger Airways executives were holding crisis talks with officials from Australia’s air safety watchdog yesterday after the regulators grounded all Australian domestic flights of a Tiger subsidiary over safety concerns.
The meeting with Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority comes two days after the agency announced that Tiger Airways Australia’s entire domestic fleet of 10 airliners was grounded for five business days, a move that affects about 35,000 passengers.
The Australian safety regulators said the budget airline twice flew under the minimum allowed altitude, prompting concerns that the carrier posed a serious and imminent risk to air safety. The grounding will cost the airline $S2 million ($1.63 million) a week, Singapore-based Tiger Airways Holdings Ltd. said.
Tiger Airways Holdings CEO Tony Davis, who was expected to attend yesterday’s meeting, said he does not believe there are immediate safety risks.
“Clearly we want to make sure that our services are as safe as they possibly can be and clearly when CASA has concerns, we have to take those seriously,” Davis told Australian Broadcasting Corp. “But we think that the specific issues that they’ve raised with us are still under investigation.”
Safety authority spokesman Peter Gibson said the meeting will focus on the two incidents in which Tiger is accused of flying too low on approaches to Australian airports. The authority also plan to discuss broader safety concerns it has with the airline.
It’s unlikely the meeting will result in a quick resolution, Gibson said.
If by the end of the week there are still lingering concerns, the safety authority will go to the Federal Court to seek an extension of the grounding, Gibson said. It was impossible to predict the likelihood of that happening, he said.
“I know that’s frustrating to passengers and we certainly apologize for that, but our focus has got to be primarily on safety,” he said.
Tiger, the fourth-largest domestic airline in Australia, is refunding the fares of passengers whose flights have been canceled.
In a statement, the airline said it is cooperating fully with the safety agency.
Tiger is 49 percent owned by national carrier Singapore Airlines Ltd. and 11 percent owned by state-owned investment company Temasek Holdings.
July 05, 2011 12:00 AM
SYDNEY (AP) — Tiger Airways executives were holding crisis talks with officials from Australia’s air safety watchdog yesterday after the regulators grounded all Australian domestic flights of a Tiger subsidiary over safety concerns.
The meeting with Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority comes two days after the agency announced that Tiger Airways Australia’s entire domestic fleet of 10 airliners was grounded for five business days, a move that affects about 35,000 passengers.
The Australian safety regulators said the budget airline twice flew under the minimum allowed altitude, prompting concerns that the carrier posed a serious and imminent risk to air safety. The grounding will cost the airline $S2 million ($1.63 million) a week, Singapore-based Tiger Airways Holdings Ltd. said.
Tiger Airways Holdings CEO Tony Davis, who was expected to attend yesterday’s meeting, said he does not believe there are immediate safety risks.
“Clearly we want to make sure that our services are as safe as they possibly can be and clearly when CASA has concerns, we have to take those seriously,” Davis told Australian Broadcasting Corp. “But we think that the specific issues that they’ve raised with us are still under investigation.”
Safety authority spokesman Peter Gibson said the meeting will focus on the two incidents in which Tiger is accused of flying too low on approaches to Australian airports. The authority also plan to discuss broader safety concerns it has with the airline.
It’s unlikely the meeting will result in a quick resolution, Gibson said.
If by the end of the week there are still lingering concerns, the safety authority will go to the Federal Court to seek an extension of the grounding, Gibson said. It was impossible to predict the likelihood of that happening, he said.
“I know that’s frustrating to passengers and we certainly apologize for that, but our focus has got to be primarily on safety,” he said.
Tiger, the fourth-largest domestic airline in Australia, is refunding the fares of passengers whose flights have been canceled.
In a statement, the airline said it is cooperating fully with the safety agency.
Tiger is 49 percent owned by national carrier Singapore Airlines Ltd. and 11 percent owned by state-owned investment company Temasek Holdings.
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