Asia's low-cost airline battle heated up yesterday when Singapore-based discount carriers announced special fares on new routes to Australia, Bali and India.
Tiger Airways is selling tickets for a one-way trip to Darwin at S$1 (US$0.60) each to mark the launch of the airline's service to the Australian city next week, the carrier said.
The promotional fare, applicable only on flights from Singapore to Darwin from Dec. 19 until the end of the month, is targeted at travelers planning a short trip over the Christmas holidays, Tiger Airways said in a statement.
Sales of the special fare, which excludes taxes, will end on Friday, the airline said.
Tiger Airways announced last month it would launch a four-times-a week service to Darwin, the capital of Northern Territory.
The carrier, 49-percent owned by Singapore Airlines, has been rapidly expanding its network since starting flights in September last year.
It now flies from Singapore to 10 destinations in Asia, including Bangkok, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Phuket and Clark Field north of Manila with a fleet of four Airbus A320 jets.
Also yesterday, Jetstar Asia and Valuair said they will begin five-times weekly services to Bangalore from Singapore starting on Jan. 23, and thrice-weekly services to Bali from Jan. 27.
Jetstar and Valuair said that between today and next Monday they are offering one-way fares of S$98 to Bangalore and S$99 dollars return to Bali.
Jetstar Asia is backed by Australian flag carrier Qantas. It merged in July with Valuair, but the two airlines still fly under their own names.
Service to Bangalore follows Jetstar's announcement in October of a new service to Phuket, Thailand. It has also announced new routes to Cambodia.
The airline's other routes are to Bangkok, Hong Kong, Taipei, Manila, Calcutta and Yangon, while Valuair flies to Jakarta and Surabaya.
Jetstar Asia first revealed its plans for the Bali route in late September, about one week before the suicide bomb attacks on Oct. 1.
Foreign tourist arrivals to Bali fell 48.4 percent in October after the bombings compared with a month earlier, according to figures from Indonesia's statistics bureau.
Asked about the decision to proceed with the Bali route, Jetstar Asia's acting chief executive officer, Neil Thompson, said: "We think this is the right time to go back in."
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