Jetstar Airways

Infobox Airline
airline = Jetstar Airways

---

logo_size = 140
fleet_size = 37 [http://qantas.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/qantas.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=462&p_created=1146033999&p_sid=AvTJOCZi&p_accessibility=0&p_redirect=&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ9MiwyJnBfcHJvZHM9JnBfY2F0cz03NyZwX3B2PSZwX2N2PTEuNzcmcF9wYWdlPTEmcF9zZWFyY2hfdGV4dD1mbGVldA**&p_li=&p_topview=1 Qantas FAQ] ] (+86 orders, 40 Options)
destinations = 30
IATA = JQ
ICAO = JST
callsign = JETSTAR
parent = Qantas
company_slogan = "It's All About Choice"
founded = 2004
headquarters = Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
key_people = Bruce Buchanan (executive) (CEO)
hubs =Melbourne Airport
secondary_hubs = Brisbane Airport
Sydney Airport
focus_cities = Darwin International Airport, Gold Coast Airport
frequent_flyer = Qantas Frequent Flyer
lounge = Qantas Club
alliance =
subsidiaries =
website = [http://www.jetstar.com www.jetstar.com]

Jetstar Airways is a low-cost airline based in Melbourne, Australia. It is a subsidiary of Qantas, created in response to the threat posed by low-cost airline Virgin Blue. It operates an extensive domestic network and regional and some international services. Its main base is Melbourne Airport.cite news | title= Directory: World Airlines | work= Flight International | page= 98 | date= 2007-04-03] Jetstar also has stakes in sister companies Jetstar Asia/Valuair in Singapore and Jetstar Pacific Airlines in Vietnam.

History

The airline was established by Qantas in 2003 as a low-cost domestic subsidiary. Qantas had previously acquired Impulse Airlines and relaunched the airline under the Jetstar brand. Domestic passenger services began on 25 May 2004, soon after the sale of tickets for her inaugural flight in February 2004. International services to Christchurch, New Zealand, commenced on 1 December 2005. Although owned by Qantas, its management operates largely independent of Qantas through the company formerly known as Impulse Airlines - an airline acquired by Qantas on 20 November 2001. Other International services started in 2005.

Despite its low-cost ethos, Jetstar currently offers a limited number of connecting services without through baggage checking - though this has changed since international flights commenced in November 2006 when baggage connectivity and connecting services were added as a service offering for domestic flights connecting with international flights only.

Reserved seating is currently provided on all routes and on 4 October 2006, Jetstar became the first Australian airline to allow customers to select their seat upon booking. [cite press release | publisher = Jetstar Airways | date = 19 June2006 | title = Jetstar to move to allocated seating | url=http://www.jetstar.com/pdf/news/20060619a.pdf]

The first flight of sister airline Jetstar Asia Airways took off from its Singapore hub to Hong Kong on 13 December 2004. This marked Qantas' entry into the Asian low-cost market and signified its intention to battle key competitor Singapore Airlines on its home ground. Qantas has a 42.5% stake in Jetstar Asia's ownership. "(See Jetstar Asia Airways)"

On December 1 2003, when Qantas Airways Ltd announced this new low-cost carrier there was a virtual airline named Jetstar International Airlines already in existence, complete with a web site. As part of their startup promotion, Qantas sold 100,000 airline tickets for $29, and the virtual airline's web site was swamped with would-be customers, job-seekers, and prospective vendors. The virtual airline sued Qantas, claiming Copyright Infringement, Trademark Infringement, Illegal Cybersquatting, Conversion and Lanham Act Unfair Competition in United States District Court. Qantas settled out of court for an undisclosed amount. [cite article | publisher = Fly Away Simulations | date = 22 April2003 | title = Jetstar Virtual Airline Sues Qantas Over Trademark Infringement | url=http://flyawaysimulation.com/article851.html]

On December 1 2005, Jetstar commenced operations from 4 Australian cities Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast to Christchurch in New Zealand. On December 7 2005, it was announced that Jetstar would establish the world's first global low cost airline flying initially to destinations within 10 hours of Australia but later to operate to Europe and the Americas. At the end of 2005, it was announced that Jetstar would fly to Perth, Western Australia from Melbourne's Avalon Airport.

In July 2006, Jetstar and Jetstar Asia were brought together under the Jetstar brand. [cite press release | publisher = Jetstar Airways | date = 26 July 2006 | title = Jetstar move to single brand and distribution approach to support growth in Asia | url=http://www.jetstar.com/pdf/news/20060726d.pdf] Jetstar, Jetstar Asia Airways and Valuair customers now make all online bookings through Jetstar.com.

In July 2007, Qantas acquired a 18% stake in Vietnam's Pacific Airways, to increase to 30% by 2010. The airline was relaunched on 23 May 2008 as Jetstar Pacific.

On August 1 2008 Jetstar announced that it had signed an agreement with the Territory Government to make Darwin International Airport an international hub with plans of seven aircraft to be based in Darwin. Under the agreement Jetstar would be required to be base three aircraft at Darwin by June 2009 with a further four by June 2012 with the Territory Government provide AU$5 million to set up the hub and a further AU$3 million for promotion of the new routes. [cite news | publisher = Northern Territory News | date = 2008-08-02 | title = Jetstar wings in for Darwin hub | url=http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2008/08/02/4930_ntnews.html]

Destinations

Jetstar Airways operate scheduled flights between 21 Australian destinations: [ [http://www.jetstar.com/au/index/travel-info/destinations.html Destinations ] ]

**flagcountry|New South Wales
***Ballina (Ballina Airport))
***Newcastle (Williamtown Airport)
***Sydney (Sydney Airport) flights depart from Terminal 2
**flagcountry|Northern Territory
***Darwin (Darwin International Airport)
**flagcountry|Queensland
***Brisbane (Brisbane Airport)
***Cairns (Cairns International Airport)
***Hervey Bay (Hervey Bay Airport)
***Gold Coast (Gold Coast Airport)
***Hamilton Island (Hamilton Island Airport)
***Mackay (Mackay Airport)
***Maroochydore (Sunshine Coast Airport)
***Proserpine (Proserpine Airport)
***Rockhampton (Rockhampton Airport)
***Townsville (Townsville International Airport)
**flagcountry|South Australia
***Adelaide (Adelaide International Airport)
**flagcountry|Tasmania
***Hobart (Hobart International Airport)
***Launceston (Launceston Airport)
**flagcountry|Victoria
***Melbourne (Avalon Airport)
***Melbourne (Melbourne Airport) ~Main Hub
**flagcountry|Western Australia
***Perth (Perth Airport)

Possible future routes

Currently, Jetstar is investigating a number of new routes which include:
* Brisbane, Darwin and Melbourne to Kuala Lumpur cite web|title =Jetstar keen to add new routes |publisher = The Star |accessdate=2008-02-18|url=http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/2/18/business/20347165&sec=business ]
* Melbourne to Rome and Athens utilising Boeing 787 aircraft cite web|title =Jetstar to Drop Melbourne Flights to Hawaii|publisher=The Age|accessdate=2008-04-09|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/business/jetstar-to-drop-melbourne-flights-to-hawaii/2007/08/07/1186252706500.html ]

Fleet

As of February 2008, Jetstar's average fleet age is 2.7 years. [ [http://www.airfleets.net/ageflotte/Jetstar.htm Jetstar Airways Fleet Age] ]

Previously operated

The launch fleet of Boeing 717s with 125 seats has been replaced with new Airbus A320s, fitted with 177 leather seats. This has since been augmented with the addition of Airbus A330s, operating on international services.

Marketing and sponsorship

From 2004-2006, the airline's former mascot, "Julie The Jetstar Girl" was played by actress Magda Szubanskifact|date=May 2008.

The advertising slogan of Jetstar is "All day every day low fares". Two additional slogans have recently been used in its marketing campaigns; "Let's Fly Jetstar" (2004-2006) & "It's All About Choice / Fly Away" (July 1. 2006-future)

In 2007, Jetstar won the low-cost carrier section of the Skytrax World Airline Awards. [ [http://www.worldairlineawards.com/Awards_2007/Lowcost.htm Jetstar wins Best Low-Cost Airline Award for 2007] ]

Jetstar Airways is the major sponsor of the National Rugby League team, the Gold Coast Titans.fact|date=May 2008

Incidents

Since commencing operation, the airline has encountered two in-flight incidents:
* On July 23 2007, Jetstar Flight 30 flying from Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi to Melbourne Airport was forced to make an emergency landing at Bali/Denpasar (DPS) after an in-flight diagnostic shut down engine 1. The Airbus A330-200 VH-EBE was only three weeks old, and Jetstar is investigating the cause of the issue with Airbus. [ [http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/07/23/1185042982638.html Jetstar passengers take a holiday - Travel - smh.com.au ] ]
* On September 25 2007, Jetstar Flight 1 flying from Melbourne Airport to Honolulu International Airport ten passengers became ill. The passengers, 3 seated in Starclass and the remainder in Economy, became sick within 2 and 4 1/2 hours into the flight. One of the passengers was taken to hospital on arrival in Honolulu and the remainder held in quarantine. No link between the food service and the mystery illness has been established. [ [http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22483269-2862,00.html Jetstar flyers hit by mystery bug | Herald Sun ] ]

Discrimination controversy

On December 13, 2007, Jetstar barred Willy Law, a wheelchair-bound man, from a flight from Hong Kong to Singapore. The airline explained that his inability to walk would cause problems if the plane landed in an airport without an air bridge. Jetstar did not provide a refund, but Law chose to repurchase tickets on a different airline, which accommodated his disability. [ [http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=4c07f6f44a4d6110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&ss=Hong+Kong&s=News Wheelchair traveller barred from flight] ]

Television series

:main|Going Places (Australian TV series)The Nine Network began airing the series "Going Places" from October 2007. The 8-part series depicts the everyday lives of selected staff members of Jetstar, Sydney and Melbourne airport staff. The show follows the dramas of the check-in staff, mid-flight staff, and the induction program for new international recruits.

They also give away two return tickets to the destination of their choice each week.

References

External links

* [http://www.jetstar.com/ Jetstar Airways official website]
* [http://www.jetstarmagazine.com/ Jetstar magazine]
* [http://www.qantas.com/ Qantas Airways/ Qantas Group]