Hi --

I'm researching flights from Melbourne to Sydney and found the best price at Tiger Airways -- $49.95 AUD (one-way). Baggage fees are additional.

Any feedback on this carrier? That's less than 1/2 the price of Jetstar--which is the next lowest price.

Tiger does not enjoy the best reputation in Australia. Their fleet was grounded for three weeks for safety violations about a monmth ago.


Their on-time performance is not too good.

I'd spend the extra and go Jetstar. Make sure that your booking is from Melbourne (Tullamarine) not Melbourne (Avalon).

Not a good option, Songdoc. Virgin, Jetstar or Qantas are the go.

Tiger's reputation is as Peter says; and their add-ons bring the ticket price up to par with the other two budget carriers.

I've never flown Tiger but it seems to have frequent cancellations and trying to reclaim money seems to be difficult. I had already heard a lot about this in the media when I had a German houseguest who had actually booked on Tiger. Her flight occurred at the time they were grounded and she just jettisoned the ticket (having heard much the same as I had about refunds) and bought a Jetstar ticket instead. Jetstar is budget too, but at least you might get your money back.

Lavandula

U pays your money and you takes your chances...

Aug 12, 2011

Tiger's first domestic flight has taken off since the aviation safety authority grounded the airline six weeks ago.

TT558 from Melbourne to Sydney took off at midday, 10 minutes late. Tiger's newly installed chief executive Tony Davis and about 120 other passengers were aboard.

Passengers spoken to by Fairfax Media said they were confident problems with the airline's safety had been resolved.

The flight comes as a relief to Tiger after the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) lifted the airline's flying ban on Wednesday following a six-week grounding and safety investigation.

Flight TT558 is one of three return flights to Sydney the airline will operate today, as it gradually gets back to its feet.

The safety authority has imposed strict new licence conditions that limit it to flying 18 flights a day for the rest of the month. Any increase in services is subject to the safety regulator's approval.

At a modest gathering at its equally modest departure terminal, invited dignitaries, including aviation safety crusader independent Senator Nick Xenophon, Victoria's Aviation Minister Gordon Rich-Phillips, Tiger's newly appointed safety adviser Chris Manning and Melbourne Airport chief executive Chris Woodruff welcomed Tiger's return to the air.

But there were no illusions about the task ahead to rebuild confidence in the airline.

"Going forward, the priority is to regain confidence," Mr Davis said.

We flew Syd to Melbourne once. It was only a $29 flight, but even at the price, never again!! My husbands seat was completely covered with a trash bag.....ewwww...who knows what had happened in that seat previously!!

Wow! I thought I was being silly to even ask the question. I guess it's a good thing I did.

Thanks for the responses.

Amazing, when I used Tiger out of Singapore it was fantastic ( only went to Thailand
not Aus)

Their international flights might be ok Smeagol, but their domestic operation in Australia was far less than stellar.

I have flown Tiger to Darwin and it was fine but that was along time ago. There seems to be lots of problems getting refunds, getting answers to emails etc as well as the latest closing down due to safety concerns

I am planning to book at tiger airways too. However, yes the price is very cheap.

Is this the same carrier that left a bunch of passengers stranded in Tasmania because they couldn't figure how to get a replacement crew there?

The incident was further back than I thought (2009), but they stranded a planeload of people for 3 days in Hobart because one flight attendant was ill.

http://www.theage.com.au/travel/trav...1026-hg17.html

But after googling "tiger airways stranded passengers" for the incident I was thinking of, I am amazed by how many other articles there were for the same topic. Different places, same airline, bad enough to warrant press coverage.