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SIA passengers could find themselves connecting to destinations offered by Tigerair, as SIA finally brings Tigerair into its fold. SIA, which has been trying to acquire and delist Tigerair for some time, met the threshold for complete acquisition of the carrier last Friday. The group now owns, controls or has agreed to acquire over 95.6% of Tigerair, group CE Goh Choon Phong said Tuesday. With the acquisition of Tigerair, SIA adds it to a stable that already includes SilkAir and Scoot along with the parent carrier itself. "With all these 4 vehicles, we have basically covered the full spectrum of travel segments," Goh said. "We will be able to provide the right vehicle for anyone on any sort of budget or destination." SIA announced its intention to take over and delist Tigerair last November. <br/>

SIA, hurt by competition from opulent Middle Eastern carriers and a rash of budget airlines, is trying to revive its fortunes the way it knows best: wooing flyers with new aircraft. Thursday, the carrier will bring its first Airbus A350 jet to Singapore. While the A350 with its extra-wide cabins and high-tech gadgets such as an entertainment system that will interact with a passenger's mobile phone will set SIA apart from local rivals, it might be too little, too late to turn around its fortunes. SIA needs new passengers to stem a slide in earnings. Operating profit has fallen 76% from a peak 8 years ago. Sales reached a high in the year ended March 2009 as the global financial crisis crimped premium travel. The carrier is counting on cabin comforts to lure higher-end passengers used to its fully flat beds as well as more price-conscious customers. <br/>