Tiger Airways, the low-cost airline, has signed its first major sponsorship - with the appropriately named Wests Tigers NRL team.

To launch the deal, six Tigers players hauled the plane that will fly the airline's new Sydney to Melbourne route out of the hangar at Melbourne airport. The initial partnership will last for the rest of 2009.

The Tigers are one of the best supported teams in the NRL.

"Tiger Airways are a strong brand who is the fastest growing in the Australian airline industry and we are looking forward to assisting them in achieving further growth," said Brett Clarke, Wests Tigers general manager of sales and marketing. "There are obvious synergies between our two brands, however it is a great endorsement for Wests Tigers that Tiger Airways have identified our brand as the leader in our market. We unashamedly boast the highest crowds in Sydney for the past three seasons, the highest away crowds across the NRL last season, and Roy Morgan research shows we have the third largest supporter base in the game behind one-team one-town clubs in Brisbane and Melbourne. We are more than willing to provide Tiger Airways with this fantastic audience. "

"Not only will our members and fans be able to travel for less and to convenient airport locations, they will also be able to support our club airline partner in the process," he added. "Whilst this initial sponsorship is for the remainder of 2009, we are already in the process of working on a partnership that will see this relationship foster in 2010 and beyond."

Tiger Airways managing director Shelley Roberts said: "Tiger Airways' rapid expansion across Australia is very exciting as not only are we able to offer travellers the lowest fares on the world's third busiest route, but we're creating jobs in both cities."