Riding the Tiger

Singapore Airline's baby, Tiger Airways, is now operating from Darwin and Melbourne in Australia and fares are falling as this new cat on the block goes head to head internationally with Australia's JetStar - and domestically with Virgin as well.
Its a midnight run from Darwin to Singapore's and it looks like a packed plane of returning Singaporean students and holidaying families as well as travellers from Australia. But a system failure means we are delayed three hours at Darwin, not the best airport to hang around after midnight. We finally shuffle sleepy-eyed onto a jet with upright seats, no reclining here, and a South African pilot is apologising for the delay. The hostess is determined the ensure my handbag is stowed in a locker during takeoff, then I doze - off and on - as passengers are given the opportunity to buy drinks and snacks. Arrival at Singapore's Budget Terminal is smooth, Immigration processing rapid - and there's sweets on the desk for you - and baggage unloading is fast. The entire terminal looks like an empty aircraft hangar and, unlike Changi airport, just a 5-minute shuttle bus trip away, there are no on-site rooms to hire or large massaging lounge chairs to sink into if you have a long wait between flights - just pull up an empty space and unroll your sleeping bag or sit in another upright chair. Retail shops include 'adventure' gear, including tents, packs and clothing/boots, 711, travel accessories, down-market gift shops and the usual run of so-so food/drink. My first experience on a Tiger is no frills and fine, but I suspect in the larger world of aviation the claws are out in Asian budget travel.