Tiger on flight path to Vietnam

TIGER Airways, the low-cost Asian airline backed by Ryanair founder Tony Ryan, hopes to add services to Vietnam, broadening its growing route network as competition in the sector hots up.

The company - 16% held by Irelandia Investments, Ryan's private investment arm - said it had applied for rights to fly from its base in Singapore to Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon).

'We have the infrastructure and aircraft seat capacity to service the ... route the moment we are given the go-ahead,' said Tiger chief executive Tony Davis, a veteran of Britain's bmibaby.

Tiger, also backed by well-regarded flag-carrier Singapore Airlines which holds 49% of the equity, took to the air last September and serves three destinations in Thailand, including the tsunami-hit resort island of Phuket.

With a few exceptions where open-skies deals prevail, international air rights in Asia are governed by a highly regulated framework of intergovernmental committees.

Tiger said it had applied for Vietnamese rights and was awaiting a decision from the Singapore committee.

Low-cost air travel in Asia has boomed in the past three years with a host of start-ups.