Tigerair Australia low-cost alliance: how will it change services?
New technology to sell single-transaction connecting fares.
Tigerair Australia has partnered with seven other low-cost airlines across Asia-Pacific to form the Value Alliance, allowing customers to book fares from each airline’s website.
The budget airline will incorporate new technology, developed by Air Black Box, to sell single-transaction connecting fares from partner airlines Cebu Pacific, Jeju Air, Nok Air, NokScoot, Scoot, Tigerair Singapore and VanillaAir.
This means customers booking from any alliance partner website will have access to available fares to more than 160 destinations across the Asia Pacific region.
Customers will also be able to purchase optional extras, such as baggage, insurance, meals and seat selection, in the same transaction.
However, this does not mean that customers who, for example, book connecting flights on two different airlines can simply transit from one flight to the next.
Passengers will still have to clear customs, collect any baggage and check-in to their connecting flight.
The booking technology is expected to be available on the Tiger Australia website in the next few months.
Cebu Pacific chief executive Lance Gokongwei told the SMH that the alliance could introduce a frequent flyer program but currently there are no plans to develop this initiative.
Scoot, Nok Air and NokScoot are already offering each other’s flights and fares.
In 2015, the eight airlines collectively served more than 47 million travellers from 17 hubs.
Earlier this month Tigerair Australia introduced a "MoveMe" option for customers, which lets you switch to an earlier flight if you show up ahead of time and there's a seat available.
Picture: Shuttershock
