All day, every day, low fares across New Zealand

Jetstar introduces all day, every day, low fares across New Zealand

Low fares leader Jetstar has today commenced operations as New Zealand’s newest domestic airline, introducing every day low fares to make air travel within New Zealand even more accessible and offering New Zealanders an exciting new choice in air travel.

Jetstar has unveiled its innovative product offering to consumers travelling within New Zealand by reasserting its commitment to delivering the lowest every day fares of any of its competitors.

Jetstar backs its every day low fares commitment to its New Zealand customers with the Jetstar Price Beat Guarantee, which means when booking on Jetstar at a similar date and time the airline will beat any competitor by 10 per cent^.

The airline’s every day one way web fares are available at Jetstar.com from NZD$49 (JetSaver Light).

Jetstar will become the second largest airline in the domestic New Zealand market in capacity terms with a modern fleet of three 177 seat Airbus A320 aircraft serving four destinations and operating a future five-route network of 84 weekly return flights.

Jetstar’s domestic New Zealand network will offer almost 30,000 weekly seats providing significant new levels of capacity by the Qantas Group and increased access to affordable, hassle-free and convenient travel for both leisure and business flyers.

The new services highlight Jetstar’s ongoing investment in the New Zealand market having also recently commenced trans Tasman operations from Auckland, which combined with its Christchurch trans Tasman services now total 42 weekly return flights. Its domestic New Zealand operations comprise:

Destination / Frequency (Return services) (From 10 June 2009) / Frequency (Return services) (From 24 June 2009)

Auckland – Christchurch / 5 times daily / 6 times daily
Auckland – Wellington / 2 times daily / 3 times daily
Auckland – Queenstown / Daily / Daily
Christchurch – Wellington / - / Daily
Christchurch – Queenstown / Daily / Daily

The airline will reintroduce Qantas Group operations between Christchurch-Wellington from 24 June.

Jetstar Chief Executive Officer Bruce Buchanan said as the Asia Pacific region’s leading low fares airline, Jetstar would offer New Zealand consumers award-winning service, efficient modern A320 aircraft with comfy leather seats, new and innovative products and the lowest fares in the market.

“Now New Zealand has greater choice with Jetstar’s domestic market arrival with our proven low cost business model supporting constant innovation and low fare flying for consumers,” Mr Buchanan said.

“Jetstar will take a price leadership position in the domestic New Zealand market backed by our Price Beat Guarantee and offer an attractive value for money travel proposition.

“Jetstar has reshaped air travel across our region by sustainably providing greater access to low fares that enable people to fly more often or for the first time. By example in Jetstar’s first year of domestic operations in Australia 10 per cent of our passengers were first time flyers creating an entire new market.

“We believe we can have a real impact in the New Zealand domestic market given our already well established brand and operational presence on the highly competitive trans Tasman route.”

Mr Buchanan said Jetstar provided people greater choice in how they fly through a diverse product offering including JetSaver Light fares, where you travel for a lower fare with carry on baggage only, Extra Leg Room^ seats and by allowing passengers to choose what is most important to them.

“We offer the highest cabin baggage allowance of 10 kilograms per passenger for added convenience and to make travel hassle-free,”Mr Buchanan said.

“Jetstar provides the choice of seamless Web Check-in at Jetstar.com up to 24 hours before departure, convenient Self-Check Kiosks at all domestic ports in New Zealand and Qantas Club lounge access for eligible customers travelling from Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington.

“Travelers will also soon be able to utilise self tagging technology for baggage check-in on all domestic New Zealand flights, saving further time at check-in and producing cost savings to keep fares low.”

Celebrations were held today across Jetstar’s four New Zealand ports with the Jetstar CEO and airline Executives joined by tourism leaders in welcoming the new low fare services.

Since May 2004, Jetstar has carried 45 million passengers across Australia, New Zealand and the Asia Pacific including 15 million for less than AUD$50 one way.

Mr Buchanan said Jetstar’s entry into the domestic New Zealand aviation market was creating up to 250 direct jobs under an established subsidiary and NZ flying business.

“By stimulating travel through low fares Jetstar can generate significant economic benefit through encouraging more people to fly internally on a leisure or business trip,” Mr Buchanan said.

“Jetstar will also open up greater flight and market access to attract more international visitors to New Zealand. Almost one million Australians visited New Zealand last year, spending on average NZD$1,800 per visit (excluding their airfare).

“Jetstar’s increasingly global distribution reach now includes existing interline ticketing agreements with a growing list of international carriers including Qantas and Etihad and an integrated Pan Asian network that will bring additional visitors to New Zealand.

“To support international visitation to New Zealand, Jetstar and Qantas will offer a seamless connection through Auckland to other Qantas and Jetstar international services, as well as inbound international one-stop connections through Auckland to Queenstown, Christchurch and Wellington.”

The full implementation of Jetstar’s domestic New Zealand operation and existing trans Tasman services will support a fleet of six A320s based evenly between Auckland and Christchurch.

Qantas Frequent Flyer members can earn points and status credits when travelling on Jetstar on JetFlex fares within New Zealand. Qantas Frequent Flyer members can choose to use their points for flight awards on Jetstar services in two ways; via Qantas and Partner Classic Awards or Jetstar Any Seat Awards.

A Qantas code share will be offered on all Jetstar domestic and trans Tasman New Zealand services, including Qantas customers who hold a Qantas International and/or Tasman sector in the same itinerary.

Jetstar is operating its domestic New Zealand operations under the airline’s Australian Air Operator Certificate (AOC) using Australia New Zealand Aviation (ANZA) privileges.
^ Conditions apply

*Media release with backgrounder attached.

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