In a somewhat unsurprising turn of events, Budget Aviation Holdings (the company that owns both Scoot and Tigerair) have announced the removal of the Tigerair brand in favour of consolidating both Scoot and Tigerair under one, single carrier.

The Low Cost Carrier (LCC) market is a highly profitable and ever-growing sector of aviation, with many major premium carriers now starting or purchasing their own LCCs. Singapore Airlines started Scoot in 2012, and has evolved the airline into a chic, attractive and all-787 airline that is constantly expanding routes and capacity.

The airline has been very closely tied to Tigerair Singapore, as the two are owned by the same company and led by the same CEO, Mr Lee Like Hsin. Recently, Mr Lee announced that the group would begin to rebrand Tigerair and formalise a merger with Scoot, unifying routes, scheduling and pricing.

Mr Goh Choon Phong, Singapore Airlines CEO and Budget Aviation Holdings Chairman said, “Following a review, we have determined that the logical next step is to pursue a common operating licence and common brand identity to enable a more seamless travel experience for customers.” The process will take place over the second half of 2017.

The re-brand should see all Tigerair aircraft repainted in Scoot livery, as well as having crew operating in Scoot uniforms. It is unclear what will become of Tigerair Australia and Tigerair Taiwan, who are owned by Virgin Australia and China Airlines respectively. As these carriers are now independent, re-branding under the Scoot name is possibly some time away, especially given the regulatory restrictions in place.