Jetstar unveils Pan Asia growth

Jetstar has revealed its Pan Asia growth plans, with the announcement set to increase its Singapore hub by up to 50 percent.Announced late last week, the airline said it would add five additional A320s and two A330s to its Singapore hub which will allow it to fly an extra 40 weekly flights from the country by the end of 2011.

Among the new services, Jetstar said it will include daily flights between Singapore to Beijing from 24 November 2011, a three times weekly service between Singapore and Ningbo from 9 September as well as four time weekly flights between Singapore and Hanoi from 15 December.

Other additional services include flights to Taipei, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Ho Chi Minh City and Jakarta.Jetstar Asia chief executive Chong Phit Lian said the carrier’s continued growth in the region would offer business and holiday travellers increased connectivity.

“Our growing Pan Asian hub in Singapore helps Jetstar customers to connect to 28 destinations from Singapore including Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Phuket, Perth, Darwin, Melbourne and Auckland,” Ms Chong said.“Singapore is the gateway to a wide variety of destinations across the Jetstar network, and our low fares are making it easier for travellers to reach them.”

According to the carrier’s chief executive Bruce Buchanan, the announcement will extend the carrier’s lead in Asia after it claimed the title of the largest low cost operator serving Singapore last year.

The additional aircraft will increase the carrier’s A320s based in Singapore to 17 by the end of this year and its A330s up to four.While its overall operations will ride to up to 3,000 flights per week to more than 60 destinations. 

Source - etravelblackboard.co.nz