Jetstar picks Phuket, China to come
SINGAPORE – The low-cost air wars in Asia continue with Jetstar the latest to flag new aircraft and new routes.
Jetstar Asia chief executive Chong Phit Lian, in an interview with AAP, has flagged that China, India and Laos are on the carrier’s radar.
In Australia, the Herald Sun reports Qantas offshoot Jetstar is about to expand into China with visa-free flights to Haikou and its ritzy resort of Sanya in Hainan Province.
The flights, which will operate four-times a week from Melbourne via an overnight stop in Singapore, are expected to cost less than $500 one-way.
Other Australian destinations served by Jetstar will be linked with the China flights ex Singapore.
Singapore-based Jetstar Asia will offer a special launch fare of $S48 ($A39.76) for the Singapore to Haikou leg of the flight on its Jetstar.com website.
Haikou is the first of a series of new Asian destinations the carrier will unveil over the next 12 months as it takes delivery of three new 180-seat passenger jets.
The airline also is negotiating with various air traffic authorities across Asia to obtain traffic rights to routes that will see India and Laos added to its network of 18 Asian destinations.
With three new aircraft due to be delivered later this year, Chong said, "There’ll be additional capacity and definitely additional ports” once traffic rights are secured.
Additional services to Thailand have been announced with a new double daily Singapore to Phuket starting December 15 and an extra daily service to Bangkok.
"Based on the current market – and the (Asian) markets that we have been surveying – Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Indochina will be opportunities for us in terms of growth," Chong said.
Ian Jarrett
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