Jetstar receives international aviation award

Australia’s low fares airline Jetstar has won Airline Business magazine’s award for Operational  excellence for 2007, with the announcement being made at the 6th annual Airline Strategy Awards for Airline Business magazine as part of a gala event in London on 15 July 2007.

Jetstar was selected by the judging panel as the award winner in the Operations category and their  assessment for the award concluded:

“An outstanding execution of the low-cost/low-fare airline model within the context of an existing legacy carrier, setting the company up for international long-haul expansion”.

Jetstar Group General Manager – Operations Gerry Turner was present to accept the award on behalf of  the fledging Australian domestic and international carrier, which in the past year maintained profitable  and growing domestic operations in Australia whilst also launching what remains the world’s largest value based long haul airline operation.

Previous winners of the Operations award included American Airlines in 2004, Ryanair in 2005 and  Continental Airlines in 2006.

As outlined by Aviation Business the Operations award went to a wholly owned airline subsidiary in Jetstar for the first time for any of its six award categories since the event’s inception in 2002.  It summarised:

“The winner (Jetstar) has executed the low-cost airline model by the book under the watchful eye of parent Qantas Airways and not only has it rapidly ramped up its domestic operations, in the past year it has taken the significant step of introducing international services with wide body jets.”

“Where many others failed, Jetstar has succeeded as a so-called “baby” low-cost carrier owned by a legacy airline.”

“Mimicry is the strongest form of praise as other airlines now study how Jetstar has sustained a healthy  balance between its independence from and synergies with Qantas.” 

The Qantas Group subsidiary Jetstar has now carried in excess of 17 million passengers since start-up and has successfully executed profitable and sustainable growth in the Australian domestic market, on some short haul international services from Australia including the trans Tasman route and to Singapore and commenced its long haul services from 23 November 2006 now serving an existing 6 international destinations from Australia.

This will grow to eight overseas destinations by September 2007, subject to final regulatory approval.

Jetstar Chief Executive Officer Alan Joyce said the award was due recognition to the commitment shown by the carrier’s management team and 1600 strong workforce for the continued sound execution of an attractive value based airline product across a fast expanding route network.

“Recognition by industry peers is the ultimate acknowledgement for any organisation and this award is dedicated to the impressive work ethic and innovative approach that continues to pervade across the Jetstar organisation,” Mr Joyce said.

“Jetstar is part of two future growth brands for the Qantas Group and our performance has led the way towards obtaining both additional narrow body A320s and a fleet of 15 Boeing 787 wide body aircraft to support future growth plans. “

“Jetstar’s international flying business will be grown aggressively, whilst complementing further expanding Qantas international operations, whilst in the Australian domestic market the introduction of nine additional A320 aircraft commencing from December 2007 will grow domestic operations by a further 40 per cent.”

The Airline Business award winners were selected by an independent panel of industry experts which included Sir Rod Eddington and Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) Managing Director Peter Harbison.

Further details are available at www.strategyawards2007.com/judging.

Report by The Mole