Tiger Airways goes to Phuket, eyes Japan

Budget carrier Tiger Airways Philippines recently began its Manila-Phuket service, initially flying to the popular Thai resort twice a week, the company said on Tuesday, while revealing that it is working on adding flights to Japan to its growing international network.

In a statement, Tigerair said that the flights would originate from Terminal 4 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport—the old domestic airport building— using the airline’s Airbus A320 aircraft.

“We are happy to announce that we are now flying to Phuket every Tuesday and Saturday with return flights every Wednesday and Sunday,” Tigerair Philippines CEO Olive Ramos said, “Base rate costs as low as P999 per way.”

Phuket is the biggest island in Thailand with tourism as its primary industry.

Aside from its beaches in Phi Phi Island and Phang Nga Bay, Phuket is also a popular shopping and culinary destination for tourists.

Other attractions include the Old Phuket Town which gives a glimpse of its rich Sino-Portuguese history with its well-maintained colonial houses, shrines and museums.

Also popular are live fights of muay thai, the national sport of Thailand, with numerous stadiums featuring demonstrations for tourists available.

At the same time, the airline—the local unit of Singapore-based Tigerair Singapore—also said that it planned to soon launch flights between the Philippines and Japan.

“We are working with the Civil Aeronautics Board to seek for seat entitlements for flights to Japan,” Ramos said. “There will be a Japan air consultation meeting from Sept. 11 to 13 in Tokyo. Hopefully after that meeting we can share with you some good news about this.”

“Since our official entry into the Philippine skies as Tigerair last July, we vowed to open routes that will bring guests faster and more conveniently to major destinations and tourist attractions across the region and the Asia-Pacific,” she added.

The company said it continues to offer innovations to improve the travel experience of its Filipino clients. The airline recently launched its mobile app, which allows customers to search for the best flight deals, book flights, select seats and store personal information while on the go in their respective mobile phones. Daxim L. Lucas