SINGAPORE'S two low-cost carriers - Tiger Airways and Jetstar Asia - will each get one flight a day when Singapore-Kuala Lumpur air links are liberalised in February.

The Transport Ministry on Friday announced the decision of the Singapore Air Traffic Rights Committee (ATRC), which is the authority responsible for allocating air rights to Singapore carriers.

The opening of the Singapore-KL market to low-cost carriers from Feb 1 follows many years of lobbying from travellers and airlines on both sides of the Causeway.

A breakthrough came when Singapore and Malaysia announced last month that at least one low-cost carrier from each side will be allowed to operate two daily flights - a total of four extra services a day.

All restrictions on the lucrative sector will be lifted on Dec 1, 2008, to allow airlines on both sides of the Causeway to fly as often as they want between the two points.

The Singapore-Malaysia air services pact was last expanded in 1980.

A separate commercial deal between the two national carriers, Singapore Airlines and Malaysia Airlines (MAS), which currently dominate the Singapore-KL sector, allows them to set fares, plan schedules and split revenues equally.

SIA and MAS operate about 85 per cent of the over 200 flights a week, charging about $400 for a return flight that lasts 45 minutes each way.

The rest goes to a handful of other carriers that fly via Singapore to KL under 'fifth freedom' rights, which allow foreign airlines to pick up passengers in transit, as negotiated by their respective countries.

These include Japan Airlines and Air Mauritius.

In less tightly-regulated markets like the Singapore-Bangkok one, for example, travellers pay about $200 for an all-inclusive return fare.