Inconsistent Tigerair (Singapore) - Scoot merger from 25 July 2017

[Melburnian1]

On 25 July 2017, Tigerair (Singapore not Australia) and Scoot (both SQ subsidiaries) merge.

While bookings will all from then be made through the Scoot website, the TZ (Scoot) airline code is to be scrapped and instead all flights will have the TR (Tigerair) designator.

This is odd because it will be the Scoot brand that is publicly used from 25 July, not the other one.

Is there some arcane reason such as Tigerair (Singapore) having older air operator certificates, or an easier to recite callsign for the pilots?

 

[moa999]

No idea, but TR has more planes and with much shorter​ distances probably 4+ times the number of daily flights

 

[yohy?!]

They must prefer the "Go Cat" callsign to "Scooter"

Seriously though, the Tiger brand is Asia probably doesn't have as much value as Scoot.

 

[Strategic Aviation]

CAPA provides the answer:-

The Tigerair operator's certificate and TR code will be maintained over the Scoot operator's certificate and TZ code. However, Tigerair will adopt the Scoot brand.

As CAPA has previously outlined, maintaining the Tigerair operator's certificate makes it easier from a regulatory standpoint because Tigerair serves more countries than Scoot.

By keeping the Tigerair operating certificate, Budget Aviation Holdings only needs to secure new foreign air carrier permits from four countries – Australia, Japan, Saudi Arabia and South Korea. If the Scoot operating certificate were to be kept, Budget Aviation Holdings would have needed to secure new permits from eight countries: Bangladesh, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, the Maldives, Myanmar, Philippines and Vietnam. Some of these countries can be difficult when it comes to applying for new permits and swapping slots between airlines.

In Feb-2017 Budget Aviation Holdings moved two of Scoot’s 787s to the Tigerair operator's certificate – although these aircraft continue to be operated by Scoot crews under a wet lease arrangement. Scoot’s remaining fleet of 12 787s will be transferred over to the Tigerair operator's certificate by the 25-Jul-2017 cutover.

 

[Strategic Aviation]

Scoot Completes TigerAir Integration; Announces Hawaii Route - Airways Magazine

While the merged airline will keep the Scoot name and branding, Scoot’s designator code of TZ has changed to TR. The last TigerAir flight was flight 2668 from Singapore to Tiruchirappalli, India. The aircraft took off at 11 p.m. on Monday night and landed at 12:19 a.m. on Tuesday morning.

To celebrate the occasion, the carrier announced plans to begin service to five new destinations including Hawaii. The new routes include Harbin, Kuantan, Kuching, Palembang, and Honolulu.

Scoot would like to start the Honolulu route in late 2017; however, the airline has cautioned that it may be pushed to 2018 as the airline overcomes regulatory hurdles. As such, the route is not currently bookable on the airline’s website. The Honolulu route will be flown via Osaka, Japan on the 787 Dreamliner.

During a ceremony announcing the new routes, Scoot CEO Hsin admitted that the airline was “carefully considering” adding routes to Europe and other parts of the United States within the next 2-3 years.

Currently, Scoot operates a fleet of 14 787 Dreamliners and over 20 A320 family aircraft. Scoot is a low-cost subsidiary of Singapore Airlines.

 

[Strategic Aviation]

Scoot Part 1: New phase of expansion after completing Tigerair merger, to double fleet in five years - CAPA