Jetstar reshuffles Japan flights

Jetstar reshuffles Japan flights
By admin


Jetstar will suspend its under-performing three weekly flights between the Gold Coast and Osaka from May after insisting that every long haul flight must generate a "strong economic return".

But the carrier said it will launch direct services between Melbourne and Tokyo, with four weekly A330 flights starting in April.

Jetstar Australia and New Zealand chief executive, David Hall, said the Gold Coast route was not performing in line with expectations. He stressed Gold Coast-Tokyo services will remain.

“We need to ensure that every flight that we operate, particularly on our long haul international network, provides a strong economic return and strengthens the position of the entire Jetstar Group,” he said. “While we recognise that the Gold Coast is a major tourism destination for Japanese visitors, demand from Osaka was not as strong as that from Tokyo.”

He said Jetstar will continue to serve the Gold Coast-Osaka market through its seven weekly flights via Cairns and Tokyo.

The carrier’s new Melbourne-Tokyo flights, which launch on April 29 pending regulatory approval, will link the two cities with direct services for the first time since 2008.

“We know this is one of the largest unserved international markets in Australia and our bookings show that many Victorian customers are travelling to Tokyo via other ports in the network,” Hall said.

Schedules and fares will be released before Christmas.

Jetstar expects the flights to bring 50,000 Japanese visitors to Melbourne each year.

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