Decision on Tiger flying later this week

July 3rd, 2011 | by Matew Dow |

Travellers will have to wait until later this week to learn when grounded airline Tiger Airways will fly again.

Singapore company Tiger Airways Holdings’ group president Tony Davis is expected to head up talks with the aviation regulator in Melbourne on Monday afternoon in a bid to have the grounding lifted.

In an Australian first, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) grounded all Tiger Airways Australia’s domestic flights for a week from 11pm (AEST) on Friday over safety concerns.

A Tiger Airways Holdings spokeswoman said the priority was working with CASA to have the suspension lifted.

“They’re absolutely focused on getting that sorted,” she said.

“That’s the priority to work with CASA at the moment to make sure that the issues are resolved.”

The board of the Singapore company has told Mr Davis to focus on getting the Australian subsidiary back operating as soon as possible.

CASA and Tiger representatives will hold their first formal discussions in Melbourne on Monday afternoon but CASA spokesman Peter Gibson said it would be later this week before the regulator decided whether to seek an extension of the grounding.

“That (Monday’s meeting) will obviously be an important step in the process of investigating the recent several incidents and also canvassing the broader safety issues which we’ve raised with them,” he said.

CASA is still investigating two incidents where Tiger pilots flew too low into Melbourne airports in June, as well as wider safety concerns it previously told the airline to address.

Mr Gibson said it was too early to say if the grounding would be extended.

“We can’t say yet whether we will need to seek a Federal Court approval for an extension of the grounding or whether the matters can all be resolved and the investigations completed during the course of this week,” he said.

“We certainly can’t rush matters but on the other hand we do appreciate the public’s frustration at not being able to know how long this will go on for and will certainly do our best to get through it all as quickly as possible, but safety has to come first.”

Tiger Airways Holdings estimates the suspension will cost $S2 million ($A1.5 million) a week.

In suspending Tiger’s entire Australian fleet of 10 aircraft, CASA said it believed permitting the airline to continue to fly posed a serious and imminent risk to air safety.

Mr Davis has said he does not accept there are immediate risks to air safety.

Passengers are still able to make bookings for Tiger flights from next Sunday.

“As they get more clarity during the week they can make decisions going forward but I think the focus for this week is to work with CASA on getting the suspension lifted,” the Tiger spokeswoman said.

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