Jetstar to fly to Fiji from April

[Dave Noble]

THE Qantas low-cost offshoot Jetstar has confirmed its plans to fly to Fiji from next April, in a move set to undermine V Australia's planned entry on the route but expected to serve an even more debilitating blow on Air Pacific, part-owned by Qantas.

The move has fuelled suspicions Qantas is looking to sell its stake in the Fijian national airline, which is 51 per cent owned by the Fijian Government.

Full article at Qantas set to take flight from Air Pacific

Dave

 

[Pvcmenace]

Hi This is my first post on this site, Hello all.

Seems a shame that Jetstar would cut into Air pacific's and indirectly their own slice of cheese.

I am in fact leaving tommorow 2nd sept MEL QF133 - AKL, AKL NZ862 - APW, APW FJ252 - NAN, NAN FJ931 - MEL. J class all the way.

To make my point i would rather pay less money get better inflight service both food and beverage and better seating especially Tabua class over Starclass (if its even offered). You get QFF points and status credits no matter class of travel and its cheap, i'll take Air Pacific over Jetstar anyday.

Note, Tabua class fare from NAN - MEL $540.00, 50" seat pitch, thats little more $ than a J class fare MEL - SYD. compare that 35" qantas domestic business to 38" Jetstar Starclass.

Why?

 

[Slats7]

Qantas and Virgin Blue in Fiji fight

Qantas and Virgin Blue in Fiji fight | The Australian

QANTAS and Virgin Blue are in a dogfight over Fiji after the bigger airline moved to protect its patch and unveiled plans to launch Jetstar on the route.

The flying kangaroo, which also owns 46 per cent of Fijian carrier Air Pacific, lodged an application late last week with the International Air Services Commission for almost 1500 seats on the route after Virgin applied for 1260 more seats and to transfer another 1260 from Pacific Blue to V Australia.

Virgin wants to fly V Australia's 360-seat Boeing 777-300ERs to Nadi as part of moves to work the widebody jets harder.



The daily service would allow a plane that currently spends 12 hours on the ground in Sydney in between flights to the US to be used on the nine-hour return trip to Fiji.

 

[docjames]

A big non-surprise as a leisure route to have Jetstar on this one


Will be interesting to see how they go up against V Aus. JQ will no doubt try and undercut on price, but i know which a/c i'd rather be on if the prices are anywhere close.

 

[fortymilliondaggers]

A perfect route to have both Jetstar and Qantas operating on because there are multiple markets to be served.

 

[Danger]

Does this mean the Qantas codeshare on Air Pacific will disappear, in favour of a JQ codeshare?

 

[N860CR]

I would think that for as long as QF have a share in FJ, they will maintain the FJ codeshare and run FJ as the "full service" and dump the lowest yields onto what will be a JQ A320.

Interesting move though... we'll now have full service widebodies (777 and 747) competing against a low-cost narrow body and I dare say the fares won't be too different.

 

[serfty]

Interesting, from my "September eNewsletter and points balance" email received today:

Earn and redeem points on more Air Pacific flights

You can now earn and redeem Qantas Frequent Flyer points on selected Air Pacific domestic flights within Fiji, effective for travel from 8 July 2009. Members can earn 1 point per mile on selected fares# and can redeem points for Classic Awards on eligible flights‡‡ between Nadi and Suva; Nadi and Labasa; and Suva and Labasa.

 

[Mal]

I can almost hear the execs at Jetstar with their mantra:

"We're gonna do what Virgin do".

I think that route has been under-served though. Now lots of excess capacity to dump on the market.