Ryanair founder ups pressure in Asia air war

TIGER Airways, the Asian low-cost carrier backed by Ryanair's Tony Ryan, is beefing up its fleet and, from tomorrow, launching a sales drive as competition grows for cheap seats in the skies.

The Singapore-based company - which is 16% held by Irelandia Investments, the private investment vehicle for Ryan and his family - said it would add two leased Airbus A320s from next month, doubling its fleet.

The new planes will be used to provide more services to Bangkok, the Thai capital, and to that country's resort island of Phuket. Tiger, which is also backed by Singapore Airlines, started flying in September.

Low-cost air travel in Asia is expanding fast with the most intense competition in the city state of Singapore. This has sparked a vicious price war, with copycat discounting by long-established carriers.

Tony Davis, Tiger's chief executive designate, said the group would offer 10,000 oneway seats from Singapore next month for S$49 (£15.32) each.

'The new flights will be a windfall for savvy travellers,' said Davis, a veteran of British no-frills operator bmibaby who will take the reins at Tiger in January.