Bangkok--3 Dec--Aziam Burson-Marsteller
Low fares leader Jetstar and Japan Airlines will continue and expand their codeshare arrangement on the important Australia-Japan route following regulatory approval of its extension of the arrangements for a further two years.
The renewed agreement, introduced in 2007 onto some of Jetstar long haul markets between Australia and Japan, will extend for the first time across the entirety of Jetstar’s Australia-Japan route offering.
Jetstar daily markets of Cairns-Tokyo (Narita) and Gold Coast-Osaka (Kansai) along with Cairns-Osaka (four per week) are complemented by first time coverage of the codeshare arrangement on its daily Gold Coast-Tokyo (Narita) service. It commences on Jetstar’s Gold Coast to Tokyo and Osaka services from 25 November 2010.
As the largest operator on the Australia-Japan route, a top five Australian tourism export market, Jetstar maintains access to Japan Airlines’ distribution capability, wholesale and large retail presence in Japan.
Jetstar Group Chief Executive Officer Bruce Buchanan said the airline was pleased to extend its codeshare arrangement with Japan Airlines whilst further broadening it to new flying.
“This outcome is of both strategic importance to the Qantas Group and Australian tourism, allowing Jetstar to better leverage our existing strong brand presence in Japan by partnering with the distribution capability, wholesale and retail presence of Japan Airlines in their home market,” Mr Buchanan said.
“As the largest operator and single biggest investor in marketing Australia-Japan flying today, Jetstar’s relevance with Japanese consumers will only be strengthened by delivering greater choice for them to access affordable overseas travel experiences. During our first year of these services more than 1 in 5 of our Japanese customers were first time international flyers.
“In the past three years Jetstar has invested over AUD$80 million in marketing Jetstar low fare flying from Japan to Australia and increasingly across Asia under our pan Asian strategy. Our partnership with Japan Airlines is a further enabler to supporting these sustainable operations for Australian tourism.”
Mr Buchanan acknowledged the advocacy and support provided by the Queensland tourism industry headed by Tourism Queensland as well as regional tourism authorities and airports in Gold Coast and Cairns to the continuation and expansion of the commercial arrangement.
Japan Airlines customers can purchase a full economy product on Jetstar including Japanese style meals, unlimited soft drinks and hot beverages, in-flight video and music entertainment, along with generous baggage allowances with connections to onward Qantas Group flights. Japanese speaking crew and Japanese language content for in-flight entertainment are also offered on Jetstar.
Jetstar operates up to 25 weekly return international flights between Australia and Japan, utilizing its fleet of two-class A330-200 aircraft including StarClass, Jetstar’s international business class.
A Qantas codeshare arrangement will remain on Jetstar’s Australia-Japan services with its low fare offerings also available at Jetstar.com.
Jetstar Group CEO, Bruce Buchanan; Regional General Manager Japan, Masaru Kataoka; and
Jetstar ambassador Becky.