Tigerair Australia Celebrates Inaugural Services Between Sydney And Perth Which Take Flight From Today

 

New services between Sydney and Perth commence today, providing over 112,000 additional visitor seats annually through Perth and Sydney Airports, significantly boosting domestic tourism on the east and west coasts.

Fares between the two cities are now on sale from $129.95* (for travel between 14 and 30 January 2014). Tigerair will fly up to six weekly services on the new route, equating to 2,160 additional visitor seats weekly through Perth and Sydney Airport.

 

The new services between Sydney and Perth represent the sixth new route to commence in 2013, following Sydney – Coffs Harbour, Sydney – Alice Springs, Melbourne – Alice Springs, Sydney – Cairns and Sydney – Sunshine Coast, which were launched earlier in the year.

 

Tigerair Australia CEO Rob Sharp said the inaugural flight and new route is a win-win for the consumers, local tourism and the economy.

 

"Tigerair's great value fares stimulate both competition in the domestic air travel market as well as support the local economies of the destinations that we fly to. 

 

"The commencement of our Sydney – Perth and Perth - Sydney services re-enforces Tigerair's commitment to respond to consumer demand and enable as many people as possible to see more of Australia, for less. Our two daily return Melbourne – Perth services are very popular year round and we're confident our Sydney – Perth services will also prove popular. 

 

"Initial demand for the route has been positive, particularly through the peak December travel period which is encouraging. Now the people of NSW and WA have more choice when it comes to value travel between the east and west coasts of Australia," said Mr Sharp.

 

Perth Airport Chief Executive Officer, Brad Geatches, welcomed the Tigerair announcement.

 

"We congratulate Tigerair on the new service, making travel on this route more convenient and affordable. With 1.8 million passengers travelling between Perth and Sydney during the 2013 financial year, we look forward to offering more options to our customers," said Mr Geatches.

 

Sydney Airport Chief Executive Officer, Kerrie Mather, also welcomed the new route.

 

"We're delighted that Tigerair has chosen to launch a service on the popular Sydney-Perth route. This new Tigerair service will provide passengers with even more choice when travelling between Sydney Airport and the west coast of Australia.

 

"Passengers will be pleased to have the option of additional flights and great value fares to Perth in time for the peak summer period. We're also looking forward to Tigerair commencing its new daily Sydney-Adelaide service and additional flights from Sydney to Melbourne and Brisbane next year," Ms Mather said.

 

Key facts:

·         Tigerair's core schedule has six weekly return services between Sydney and Perth commencing from 19 December 2013. Fares are on sale today from just $129.95* each way.

·         Flights regularly depart Sydney Airport at 19:55 or 21:55 and arrive in Perth at 21:55 or 23:55, returning from Perth at 22:50 or 01:00 (next day) to arrive into Sydney at 0605 or 0815.

·         The new services will provide 2,160 additional visitor seats weekly through Perth Airport and boost Tigerair's already strong presence in Sydney.

·         The airline already operates two daily return services between Melbourne and Perth.

·         Tigerair Australia has already launched five new routes this year including Sydney – Coffs Harbour, Sydney – Cairns, Sydney – Alice Springs, Melbourne –– Alice Springs, and Melbourne – Sunshine Coast. The new Sydney – Perth route will become the airline's sixth new route to be launched in 2013.

·         Tigerair Australia currently employs more than 1,000 people in various roles including cabin crew, pilots and through maintenance and ground handling partnerships.

·         Around 10 new jobs will be created at Perth airport in ground handling roles to facilitate the new services. There will also be further positive impact to employment in Perth and Western Australia given the new route will provide up to 2,160 extra visitor seats weekly through Perth airport.

·         Tigerair Australia currently has 11 A320 aircraft in Australia. Two additional new A320 aircraft will be deployed in early 2014 when the new Brisbane base commences operations in March, taking the airline's fleet to 13.

·         Tigerair currently has 22 popular domestic routes on sale to 14 destinations around Australia.

·         New services between Sydney and Whitsunday Coast (Proserpine), Sydney and Adelaide, Brisbane and Cairns, Brisbane and Adelaide and Brisbane and Darwin all commence in early 2014.

·         Tigerair Australia has flown well over 12 million passengers since domestic operations commenced on 23 November 2007.

·         Further developments from Tigerair Australia will be announced in due course. 

* 'Raw' domestic fares are the lowest available single price fares from Tiger Airways Australia for one-way travel with hand luggage and are fully inclusive of all taxes and charges. 'Raw' domestic fares must be purchased online using a MasterCard debit card issued by an Australian financial institution. The 'Raw' domestic fare does not incur the AUD8.50 booking fee or AUD9.00 for international credit card purchases (per flight, per sector).