Singapore - Jetstar Asia prepared to face more market competition

SINGAPORE: Jetstar Asia intends to fly more than four million passengers from Changi Airport in the 2012-2013 financial year.

In the last financial year, the low cost carrier, a subsidiary of Qantas Airways, carried more than 3.4 million passengers.

The airline remains optimistic of achieving its target despite the rising competition in the low cost carrier market.

Competition in that segment rose a notch higher following the recent tie-up between Singapore Airlines and Virgin Australia and Etihad's collaboration with Garuda.

Jetstar Asia's CEO said the carrier will the face the competition by incrementally servicing current markets and selectively looking for new markets to tap on.

"This only proves that the dual-brand strategy that Qantas has set up with Qantas and Jetstar is a fantastic model, a successful model and now the rest of the market wants to emulate this," said Mr Barathan Pasupathi, the CEO of Jetstar Asia.

According to Mr Pasupathi, Jetstar is ramping up flight frequencies over the next six months.

70,000 seats have been added to the market monthly.

Jetstar is also increasing services to Malaysia and Myanmar.

"Our Phuket services are now thrice daily. We're incrementally servicing the markets we're in and selectively looking where else we need to go," said Mr Pasupathi.

Jetstar also launched its inaugural direct flight to Osaka on Thursday.

Previously, passengers had to fly to Osaka via Manila or Taipei.

The new direct service will be operated by Jetstar's long-haul fleet based in Singapore and will be its fourth long haul destination, besides Melbourne, Beijing and Auckland.

It will also enable passengers to connect with Jetstar Japan from Osaka to Tokyo, Sapporo, Fukuoka and Okinawa.

- CNA/xq

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