Jetstar Japan launches international services
03-Dec-2014 Jetstar Japan, the largest domestic low cost carrier operating in Japan, has announced it will commence international operations, with the first route between Osaka's Kansai International Airport and Hong Kong*.
Jetstar Japan will operate a service between Kansai (Osaka) and Hong Kong* from the 28th February 2015 with its fleet of Airbus A320 aircraft.
Jetstar Japan Chief Executive Officer Miyuki Suzuki said the announcement of international services was a major milestone in the growth of Jetstar Japan.
"The announcement of international services is a very positive next step in the evolution of our presence in Japan as the country's largest low cost carrier," Ms Suzuki said.
"Just like low fares have transformed how Japanese consumers travel domestically, we are excited to stimulate new travel demand to Japan from Hong Kong and provide our Japanese customers new international options.
"These services build on the international network of other Jetstar branded airlines operating to Japan."
Jetstar Japan will operate a fleet of 20 A320 aircraft by the end of 2014 and currently services 11 domestic ports with more than 100 flights daily.
The carrier is now the second largest Jetstar branded airline in the Group after Jetstar Airways in Australia and is on track to carry seven million passengers by the end of this year. Jetstar Japan already occupies almost 60 per cent of the domestic low cost carrier market.
Ms Suzuki said international services will make an important contribution to the strengthening of the carrier's operations and financial performance.
"Japanese travellers have embraced low fares travel domestically since our launch in 2012. Internationally, low cost carriers only represent 4.4 per cent of the market showing us there is a lot of room for international services to grow," she said.
Kansai International Airport was the first international Japanese port for Jetstar with Jetstar Airways commencing services from Queensland to the city in 2007.
Currently Jetstar Airways operates services from Cairns and the Gold Coast to Kansai and Jetstar Asia operates services to Kansai from Singapore via Taipei and Manila. Jetstar Airways also operates international services from Tokyo (Narita) to the Gold Coast, Melbourne and Cairns.
Jetstar Asia operates up to three daily services between Singapore and Hong Kong. Jetstar Hong Kong is awaiting regulatory approval to establish a locally based low cost carrier.
Customers can purchase flights on the service from Kansai to Hong Kong in Japan from today, with tickets to go on sale from Hong Kong early next year.
Jetstar Japan is a joint venture between major shareholders Qantas Group and Japan Airlines as well as Mitsubishi Corporation and Century Tokyo Leasing Corporation.
Qantas recently announced a new codeshare with Jetstar Japan. From mid-January, Qantas customers will be able to travel on Jetstar Japan services from Narita to nine new destinations in Japan Sapporo, Fukuoka, Oita, Okinawa, Osaka, Takamatsu, Matsuyama, Kumamoto and Kagoshima.
*subject to regulatory approval.