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Singapore-backed budget carrier Tiger Airways has been fined A$110,000 for spamming customers, it was reported here.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) took action against the airline for failing to unsubscribe customers from marketing emails despite repeated requests to be removed from mailing lists and warnings from the ACMA.

"This is one of a number of investigations in which the ACMA has found businesses have allowed faulty unsubscribe facilities to continue, in spite of repeated customer complaints,'' ACMA deputy chairman Richard Bean is quoted by the Herald Sun newspaper as saying.

"This action is another reminder to businesses that that they should pay attention to what their customers are saying, test their email unsubscribe facilities regularly, and not simply set and forget them.''

Tiger has now committed to making sure its unsubscribe facilities were functional and effective.

Bean said marketing to customers who have unsubscribed was not only against the law but also causes consumer frustration, which damages a business's reputation.

Breaches of enforceable undertakings can also result in Federal Court action.

A Tiger Airways spokeswoman told the newspaper the company understands that some customers were upset and inconvenienced when they decided to opt out of the service but still continued to receive correspondence after the time period that Australian law requires, and the airline deeply regrets this.

"Tiger has reviewed and re-designed our processes to ensure regulatory compliance and is committed to working with an independent consultant to assess and make improvements to all aspects of the electronic direct marketing process where appropriate,'' she said.