New-look Jetstar Debuts in Asia
By Steve Creedy, The Australian | Oct. 27, 2006
As Jetstar International's A330-200 aircraft get the finishing touches to their swish new silver livery, the airline is breaking new ground this weekend with its first flights to Asia.
Jetstar will start daily services on the Cairns-Darwin-Singapore route on Sunday when it takes over existing Qantas operations.
The flights will be operated by Jetstar Asia A320s on behalf of Jetstar under the local brand, with the Australian operations taking responsibility for marketing the services.
Qantas, which now operates five times weekly on the route, will codeshare on all flights.
Jetstar said its new service boosted seat capacity on the route by 10 per cent.
It would also offer increased access to inbound passengers, the airline said.
Tickets from Australia will only be sold to outbound international passengers.
Jetstar chief executive Alan Joyce said the service would see integrated Jetstar operations in the Australian market for the first time.
It followed the consolidation of all Jetstar branding and sales distribution in July.
"With both airline entities under the one brand and working together on commercial initiatives, the end result is an expanded, co-ordinated network that we believe can better service Australian and Asian markets for the Qantas Group," Mr Joyce said. The long-haul operations are due to join the mix on November 23, with the new livery set to be officially unveiled next week.