Now, fly to Australia, Bangkok China, Taiwan on same ticket

LUCKNOW: The state capital will soon have air connectivity with Australia, New Zealand, Narita, Tokyo, Taiwan and China. What is even better, frequent fliers would have to shell out less money for air fares by around 20% to 50%. Tigerair, a budget airline and a subsidiary of the Singapore Airlines, has made this possible.This would also end the hassle of boarding another carrier of a different airliner during a break- journey and purchasing multiple tickets.

The state capital will soon have air connectivity with Australia, New Zealand , Narita, Tokyo, Taiwan and China. What is even better, frequent fliers would have to shell out less money for air fares by around 20% to 50%. Tigerair, a budget airline and a subsidiary of the Singapore Airlines, has made this possible.

This would also end the hassle of boarding another carrier of a different airliner during a break- journey and purchasing multiple tickets .

Tigerair and Scoot Airlines, a medium and long distance low cost carrier, have started a joint venture, under which Tigerairwould be booking tickets for Australia , Japan, China, Korea and Singapore. Lucknowites would board Tigerair flights from Lucknow for these destinations . However, they would be transferred to the flight of Scoot in Singapore,.said manager marketing, Tigerair for South-East Asia, Surya Radhvendra Kutchibotla.

“The tickets of these destinations would be 20 to 50% less costly because it is a venture of two budget airlines which charge less and also because the passengers would not have to board the flight from other destinations. It would save a lot of time and be of great convenience.”

To the question as to why Tigerair could not start a direct flight to these destinations, Kutchibotla said only small and medium aircraft could land in Lucknow so these planes could fly to destinations which were not that far off. Smaller aircraft meant smaller fuel tanks and smaller distances. The day Lucknow airport would be able to hold large aircraft like Boeing 747- 757, direct flights to these destinations would be possible. Till then, people would have to change the flight in Singapore and go to other destinations, he said.

CEO, Tigerair Leslie Thng said Scoot and Tigerair would have a new joint management team because the merger would result in synergies on the cost side, as well as better alignment of commercial activities.

Large tour groups from Lucknow going to these destinations for holidaying , business and corporate trips would benefit the most. Previously a large number of passengers from Lucknow had to purchase multiple tickets or had to catch a flight from Delhi or Mumbai. But with merger of Scoot Lucknowites have a cheaper option to fly and be able to catch a flight directly from Lucknow on a single ticket. Return would be similar. .

Leslie Thng said the flights would start operating in September. Director, Lucknow Airport, PK Srivastava said that the aviation sector was booming again and foot fall at Lucknow airport was increasing by 20 %. “The AAI is in talks with some of the airlines to start flights for Europe too. Besides, Tigerair is extending its reach to other countries, ” he said .

LUCKNOW: EARLIER PASSENGERS FROM LUCKNOW HAD TO PURCHASE MULTIPLE TICKETS OR CATCH FLIGHTS FROM DELHI OR MUMBAI