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In a move that could heighten competition among airlines on the India-Singapore route, Singapore-based budget carrier Tiger Airways has announced it would launch its operations from Kolkata, while its rival Jetstar Asia said it would increase services from the eastern metropolis.
While Tiger Airways would launch five flights a week from Kolkata in the winter schedule starting October, Jetstar Asia would add an additional service to Kolkata taking the total number to four flights a week.
Jetstar also announced a five-time weekly service between Bangalore and Singapore and said that the schedules and prices for the new services to the IT city and Kolkata would be published soon.
Besides India's public sector carriers Air-India and Indian Airlines, two private carriers -- Jet Airways and Air Sahara are already operating to Singapore with an average passenger load factor of between 70-80 per cent.
The entry of no-frills carrier Tiger and Jetstar with low fares could trigger a further cut in fares on the India-Singapore sector on which there is no dearth of travellers.
Within a year of launching its operations, Tiger Airways has decided to fly to Kolkata and has secured the rights for the new route from the Singapore Air Traffic Rights Committee.
Singapore Airlines owns 49 per cent of Tiger Airways and state-linked investment company Temasek Holdings, which controls SIA, holds another 11 per cent. The rest is held by foreign investors including Tony Ryan, founder of European low-cost travel pioneer Ryanair.