Taiwanese airline kicks off Macau route with ultra-cheap fares

Travelers looking to visit Macau from Taiwan will be able to do so practically for free if they can manage to grab one of 5,000 one-way tickets being sold by Tigerair Taiwan for just NT$88 (MOP22).
The low-cost carrier, a joint venture between Taiwan’s China Airlines and Singapore’s Tiger Airways, said yesterday the ultra-cheap tickets would go on sale at noon today.
According to Central News Agency, Tigerair Taiwan is scheduled to launch Taoyuan-Macau flights Dec. 17, followed the next day by Kaohsiung-Macau services.
The MOP22 tickets, which do not include tax, can be used through March 2015, but passengers will not be allowed to use the deeply discounted tickets over the Lunar New Year holiday of Feb. 13-24.
Tigerair Taiwan suggested potential passengers first acquaint themselves with the airline’s online ticketing system before jumping into the fray today, in order to beat the expected influx of people trying to nab the tickets.
Tigerair Taiwan, which is the first Taiwan-based budget carrier to take to the skies since becoming operational in September, has launched flights to Singapore and Bangkok and Chiang Mai in Thailand. Macau will be the carrier’s fourth international destination.
Service from Taoyuan International Airport to Macau will be provided in seven round-trip flights per week until the end of January. The number of weekly flights will rise to 10 from Feb. 1.
As for services between Kaohsiung and Macau, Tigerair Taiwan will provide three round-trip flights a week.
V Air, another local low-cost airline and subsidiary of Taiwan’s TransAsia Airways, is scheduled to launch its maiden flight to Bangkok Dec. 17.
In 2004, Singapore’s JetStar became the first budget carrier to enter the Taiwan market. Since then, the number has grown to 14, including airlines from Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and China.