Tigerair buck has to stop sometime

THE speculation over whether Tigerair CEO Koay Peng Yen jumped or was pushed is irrelevant. The real issue is, after four CEOs and three years of widening losses, how much longer will 40 per cent stakeholder Singapore Airlines (SIA) stomach the red ink.

To be fair, Mr Koay came with strong credentials from the maritime sector. And he did all the right things. He oversaw the reduction of Tigerair's presence in Australia where the business was facing unprecedented competition and institutionalised hostility.

The almost $300 million in funds raised following the sale of a majority stake in Tigerair Australia to Virgin Australia and the subsequent restructuring were directed towards potential growth markets in Indonesia, the Philippines and Taiwan.