Tiger Airways to begin operations next year

Tiger Airways, the Ryan family investment vehicle, is set to begin operations from Changi airport in Singapore in the second half of 2004, providing flights to destinations in South East Asia.

Dr Tony Ryan was the founder of Ryanair, the highly successful low-cost carrier based in Dublin.

The announcement was made a press conference in Singapore by the partners in Tiger which include Indigo Partners LLC (the aviation partnership of David Bonderman and Bill Franke), Singapore Airlines and Temasek Holdings.

Indigo Partners LLC was established in late 2002 as a private equity investment vehicle for the air transportation industry.

Singapore Airlines and Temasek will own a majority of the new airline.

Tiger will be separately certificated and operated independently by a team specially recruited for the airline.

Charlie Clifton, former director of operations at Ryanair, will establish the base in Singapore and to set up out-stations throughout South East Asia over the coming months.

The airline will operate a substantial fleet of single type, narrow body aircraft but no firm decision has yet been made on aircraft type.