Cebu Pacific to Return Tigerair Aircraft Before Third Quarter

Budget carrier Cebu Pacific, owner of Tigerair Philippines, plans to return all five Airbus aircraft currently being operated by Tigerair Philippines to their original owner, Tiger Airways of Singapore by the third quarter of 2014.

Copyright Photo: Angelo Agcamaran/PPSG

According to Jorenz Tanada, Cebu Pacific VP of Corporate Affairs, two of the Tiger Airways' A319 aircraft have already been returned to the Singaporean carrier. But three A320 aircraft still remain in the Tigerair Philippines fleet and these will be returned by the third quarter. 

Cebu Pacific plans to reallocate some of the existing aircraft in its fleet to Tigerair Philippines. The Centre for Aviation reported that Cebu Pacific was unwilling to use the existing fleet of five Airbus aircraft used by Tigerair Philippines because they were powered by different engines than Cebu Pacific's Airbus fleet. 

Cebu Pacific intends to continue operating Tigerair Philippines with a fleet of four A320 aircraft. The country's largest budget carrier spent $15 million earlier this year to purchase 100 percent of Tigerair Philippines. The transaction was officially completed on March 22. It remains unclear whether Cebu Pacific will continue to use the Tigerair brand. Industry speculation suggests that the airline is considering rebranding the Tigerair Philippines as Go Air.

Tigerair Philippines currently operates 118 flights per week to eleven domestic and international destinations, while its parent, Cebu Pacific, operates more than 2,200 flights per week to 24 international destinations and 33 destinations in the Philippines.