Bangkok--17 Nov--Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation
Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation notes Qantas is aggressively expanding its Jetstar and QantasLink operations, while cutting back its mainline domestic services, creating a template for the future development of its international operation.
Overall, domestic passenger numbers for the three units has risen a healthy 29% since May-04 when Jetstar launched.
QantasLink’s role has also blossomed, according to research conducted by the Centre, with the carrier handling 36% more passengers than in May-04, while the Qantas mainline domestic operation has shrunk almost 10% over the same period. Jetstar now accounts for 27% of the three units’ combined domestic traffic.
Jetstar recently took over the Cairns-Darwin-Singapore route from Qantas and will replace the former Australian Airlines (now Qantas) B767 services to Nagoya and Osaka in 2H07 in a move expected to save Qantas USD31 million annually.
"Jetstar could also play an expanded role on Tasman routes to New Zealand, after the withdrawal of the Qantas-Air New Zealand codeshare application," according to Peter Harbison, the Centre's Executive Chairman.
Aside from taking over marginal routes from its parent, Jetstar is on track to launch Melbourne-Bangkok, Sydney-Phuket and Sydney-Vietnam services in the next two weeks, with Melbourne/Sydney-Denpasar services starting in early Dec-06 and services to Honolulu later that month.
"Airports in Australia and the region will be seeing more orange (Jetstar) tails than red (Qantas) ones in the years ahead," concluded Mr Harbison.