Tiger Airways is a low cost airline which commenced its operations in Australia in November 2007. Essentially Tiger Airways offers cheap flights on its 12 destinations in Australia. As a budget airline service the ticket cost covers the seat booking and 15kg of check in luggage. The airline also offers upgrades on luggage of 5kg, 10kg and 15kg that is paid for on top of the ticket price.
No food or drink is included in the ticket price however an in-flight service offers food and drinks for sale. Generally these prices are expensive for budget conscious travellers.
Baggage and Flight Check in is Strict! Initially travellers have been caught by the strict check in procedures and been denied check in after the 45 minute cut off time. Here an excerpt from Tigers check in policy so you don’t get caught.
“Baggage check-in opens 2 hours prior to the scheduled time of your departure. Check-in desks close strictly 45 minutes before scheduled departure time.
Tiger Airways recommends that passengers check in two hours prior to scheduled departure. Check-in desks in the Budget Terminal close strictly 45 minutes before scheduled departure, by which time passengers should have completed the check-in process and be in possession of a valid boarding card. We reserve the right to cancel your reservation and deny you boarding if you do not comply with the Check-in Deadline.
Any passenger not having completed check-in formalities and be in receipt of a boarding card within the above time line will forfeit their seat and no compensation will be given. You will be expected to purchase a new ticket on the next available service.”
The hub of Tiger Airways is Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport. Tiger flys to Alice Springs, Adelaide, Hobart, Launceston, Canberra, Newcastle, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Rockhampton and Mackay. Tiger also has flights to Perth and Darwin utilizing these cities as exit points to fly internationally into Singapore.
The flight experience is good with new planes and friendly staff however the baggage collection for Tiger at Melbourne Airport is budget. It is situated next to the large and luxurious Melbourne terminal, in a shed with cyclone mesh fencing open to the elements. The baggage service is fine and bags are available for pick up in a reasonable time frame. This ending to a trip reminds the traveller that they are flying a budget airline. Don’t let this put you off however as the cost savings compared to its competitors more than makes up for this little bug bear.
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Monday, 30. June 2008
Why does Tiger Airways need 45min checkin when all other domestic carries allow 30mins, are they that inept? It’s stupid they dont allow people with even carry-on bags if you are a minute late, when the plane does not depart for more than 45mins, Tiger is never ever be an option with Jetstar and Virgin around.
Tuesday, 15. July 2008
Tiger Airlines would have to be the worst Mickey Mouse settup I have ever had the misfortune to experience. From paying extra for seat allocation only to arrive at airport to be seated somewhere else cause they’d doubled up!!!!, computer system was down!!! TWO broken suitcases!!! early closure of checkin counter due to being short staffed!!! very difficult to contact anyone, end up with heavily accented girl in a call centre with an english vocabularly of 4 lines!!!! the list goes on. NEVER AGAIN, took a chance with a cheap fare, paid for it tenfold. Best to spend a little extra & travel with confidence.
Wednesday, 30. July 2008
Tiger airways are soo F***** stupid!! NEVER gonna fly with them!! rather pay extra $$ and go with JETSTAR!
45mins check in on the dot!!! My younger sister & brother got there 25mins early (They’re usually always about 30mins early for domestic and 2 hrs early for international flights….was abit late that day due to traffic) and they would’nt even allow them on plane!. Freakin plane wont even take off in another 25-35mins atleast! what kind of BS nonsense is this??? At the end both me sis & bro lost there tickets so we went back home and bourght a ticket with JETSTAR next morning.
Tuesday, 5. August 2008
I am frustated and surprised by tiger airways postponing flight from darwin to singapore. I booked ticket from darwin to singapore and singapore to chennai(both tiger airways) in two different itenary in Dec 2008.They are so rude , charged me difference from singapore to chennai( as I have to postponed as tiger changed darwin to singapore due to unknown circumstances). Tiger were rude and roared at me and charged the difference . December is the peak season, how come they ruined the holidays of people with out any suitable compensation or booking some other flights. There is no law in australia which binds them to make decision before they sell tickets. They are cancelling flights for commercial purpose or not for security or technical purpose. Is it not the responsibilily of them to think of operational cost before they issue tickets. Customers have to loose money if they book with diffrent airlines in peak season. I feel it is courtesy or their responsibility to avail tickets for nearest date if they wish to travel on those or nearby dates.
Monday, 18. August 2008
never fly with tiger. flew from Darwin to Singapore. My baby’s stroller was charged as excess luggage. Complained about it in Singapore. They were so rude and unhelpful. Since then, we have never flown Tiger.
Tuesday, 19. August 2008
Comfortable flt. Cbr/Melbourne but long wait for Melbourne/Drw
departure,0200 spoilt it..Ditto for return wheen Tiger canc. our orig.
Melbourne/Cbr. flt. to late afternoon after arriving at 0800..
All staff from checkin to flt. staff very polite and knew what they were
doing..Would utilise there servics again…
Wednesday, 10. September 2008
Never fly with then again on 5 january Darwin Airport closed due to Cyclone, will not refund money, claim I missed flight due to personal circumstances, their website claimed airport closed, did not answer phone number on web site, tried for 6 hours, engaged. Better to pay a few dollars more and know you will not have this BS. Now have to take them to Small Claims Tribunal to get money back, I guess they figure, if we make it hard enough, people will not bother.
Saturday, 20. September 2008
Travelled Tiger Airways a couple of times,the only downer for me is the fact that you have to check in 45 mins before departure time but other than that i find them reasonably priced and for a budget airline i think there service was great.
Monday, 22. September 2008
Three 17 year old girls were declined their schedule flight TT 7402 21/9/08 as it had closed, our party was at MELB terminal T4 at 6.05am flight departure was 7.00am. By the time the queue & got to the Check in Desk it was 6.30am, to be told sorry flight was closed, no accouncement that the flight was closing except for the Rockhampton one which left at 6.55am. The girls were able to rebook on the next flight for an additional $630.00 to the Gold Coast. I have been unable to contact or talk with anyone at Tiger Airways who prompt quality customer service for customers, the check in staff showed no empathy towards our plight and were smirking and smiling during the whole outcome, inside secutirty camera footage would confirm all of this. Ripped Off - Customers have no say or rights anymore.
Thursday, 16. October 2008
Would not recommend anybody to fly with Tiger Airways. 15 minute minimum walk from plane to their shed (I mean terminal) at Melbourne airport. Ages for luggage to turn up at Melbourne and Gold Coast airport. Notification of change in flight times by email (what if I didn’t check my email?). Only a couple of seats at Melbourne luggage carousel area. Only a couple of seats at Gold Coast check in area. Only 2 check in staff at Gold Coast airport causing a long wait in line. Cheap and nasty airline.
Monday, 10. November 2008
Flew from Melbourne to Adelaide. Had a carry on baggage ticket. One bag was too heavy, but was allowed to tranfer items to a suit bag, then allowed through. Found the check in asistant very helpful.
The waiting lounge facilities are very budget in presentation. The flight is a pleasnt experience.
Happy so far.
Tuesday, 18. November 2008
My fiance was 4 minutes late for a flight check in (so there not 45 mins early but 41) to get to a funeral in VIC travelling from QLD, they couldn’t care less abut the funeral and would not let him on the plance. DISGUTSING and appalling. Should be ashamed of yourselves Tiger….scum.
Thursday, 20. November 2008
I think I can sadly top all the previous BLOGS- here is a copy of my complaint letter to Tiger Airways sent to them today.
To the attention of: Commercial Services Dept – Tiger Airways
I am writing to speak to someone regarding the 5 different changes to my flight plans by Tiger Airways over the last 3 months.
I have also attached the previous letter sent regarding what I have been through in the past with Tiger Airways regarding the same issue.
Since writing the original complain my flights have been changed again 4 more times.
Each time Tiger Airways has made it impossible or very inconvenient to catch my connecting flight.
So far as of yesterday 19/11/2008 my Adelaide to Melbourne flight (***) has been changed to the following times,
1. Original flight leaving 7.55am then changed to 11.30am, then changed to 7.40am, then changed to 2.05pm and now finally again changed to 8.45am- this is a total of 5 flights in 3 months.
Secondly my connecting flight from Melbourne to the Gold Coast (***) has also been changed numerous times,
1. Original flight leaving Melbourne at 11.30am, then changed to 7.05pm, then changed to 6.40pm.
My current flight plan as of today (god knows how many more changes Tiger Airways can make in the month to my take off in just over a month) is
Depart Adelaide Thursday 25/12/2008 at 8.45am arriving in Melbourne at 10.30am, then I am stuck in Melbourne for 8hours on Christmas Day until I depart again at 6.40pm arriving in Gold Coast at 7.45pm. You have ruined me Christmas holiday which I had planned to spend with my family.
Sadly I am not the only one involved I have 8 other people going with me that have been inconvenienced- following bookings: ***, ***, ***, ***, ***, ***
This is a total of 11 hours to get from Adelaide to Gold Coast which would normally take 4-5 hours with stop over and flight changes. I would be able to fly overseas for less time than this. This is completely unreasonable and very inconsiderate on behalf of Tiger Airways.
I have had to make a total of 10 (STD) PHONE calls and have been on the phone for a total of 3 hours over the time of originally booking my flights until yesterday with the last call I made.
I would like someone to contact me on ******* between the hours of 9am - 7pm
Australian Eastern standard time, within 24 hours to discuss this matter. I am at the point now that I am considering going to the News Papers, Radio and TV news to voice my disgust at Tiger Airways and the service that I am receiving from your call centre.
Please have someone call me ASAP to discuss this matter before I take this further.