Tiger Airways, the South-East Asian budget carrier is to entrust Swissport with its entire ground handling at Singapore Airport for the next five years. The deal is a major breakthrough for the world’s leading aviation services group, all the more so since the Singapore market has so far been largely in the hands of two other ground services providers.

“We are delighted to have brought our intensive negotiations with Tiger Airways to a successful conclusion,” says Nigel Daniel, Executive Vice President Commercial & Sales at Swissport International. Swissport has earned itself a firm and attractive position in the Singapore market over the past twelve months. The parties declined to comment on the precise value of the agreement, but the revenue deriving from the new business will be substantial. Tiger Airways will be the first tenant at the first dedicated low cost terminal in Asia, the new Budget Terminal at Changi Airport and will launch its first flights from this terminal on March 26. Under the new accord, Tiger Airways will buy-in all its ground services at Singapore Airport from Swissport.

The present Tiger Airways fleet of four Airbus A320s is set to expand to six aircraft over the next few months (with further large growth in 2007), to meet ever-rising demand in the South-East Asian market. Tiger Airways already serves key destinations such as Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Hanoi, Macau and Darwin, and further network expansion is planned.

Tony Davis, CEO of Tiger Airways, is equally pleased with the new Swissport partnership. “We’re in the midst of very dynamic growth right now,” he explains. “And in phases like this, it’s vital to have your ground services run professionally and at a competitive price. Swissport have impressed us with their knowledge of the low-cost carrier sector and with their flexible and customer-minded approach, which is something we value very highly indeed. I look forward to Swissport bringing their world-class expertise to the Tiger Airways Operation”.