Scoot, the new medium and long-haul low-cost division of Singapore Airlines which was formally launched in November, has reached a tentative agreement with Routes to support its network development.

Signed earlier this week at the IATA Slots conference in Singapore, the agreement will see Scoot use the respected Route Exchange platform.

The start-up carrier is currently finalising its plans but will launch a formal Request for Proposals (RFP) through Route Exchange during the first quarter of 2012 for potential routes in China, Asia and into the European market from the second quarter of 2013.

Route Exchange is the online trading zone for new routes which provides airports access to the airlines request for proposals (RFP’s) via their ‘Airline Requirements’ content page.

Individual airlines specify their particular criteria on how an airport should approach a new service agreement and detail their target markets with a particular focus on their essential data/support requirements.

Using the unique Route Exchange messaging system, airports have a secure and trusted platform to deliver their new route proposal directly to the airlines network planning team, who are requesting the data/proposal.

“We at Scoot view Route Exchange as the perfect platform to deliver the significant opportunity that this RFP will provide to airports offering a transparent process to everybody,” said Campbell Wilson, chief executive officer, Scoot.

Scoot is operating as a completely separate entity to its parent SIA and is offering a very different product to the market.

Its network will include some new routes and others that are new to no-frills airline operations.

They will announce their initial routes from Singapore’s Changi International Airport in the coming months.