Jetstar to offer overseas flights

[NM]

From News.com.au

JETSTAR is to launch its own international flights to Asia and Europe, according to plans drawn up by Geoff Dixon, the chief executive of parent company Qantas.
At a meeting of the Qantas board on Wednesday, Mr Dixon will propose that Jetstar be expanded, in a move that could make it the world's first global cut-price airline.

 

[Dave Noble]

From News.com.au

JETSTAR is to launch its own international flights to Asia and Europe, according to plans drawn up by Geoff Dixon, the chief executive of parent company Qantas.
At a meeting of the Qantas board on Wednesday, Mr Dixon will propose that Jetstar be expanded, in a move that could make it the world's first global cut-price airline.

Nice to see that they will be using supersonic aircraft in order to do Europe in 10 hours

Dave

 

[pacblue]

I heard this in an interview with Qantas CFO Peter Gregg last week on ABC Radio National.

He said then that it would be put to the board Wednesday this week and was pretty confident it would get up.

Gregg said it would be off the ground "as soon as was practicable" (if, or)after the board gave the green light.

Apparently flying routes that Qantas used to fly but were no longer profitable - and also some new sectors.

I think he said it would be limited to flights of 10 hours duration or less.

Interesting when he was asked directly about where this left Australian Airlines, he simply said Australian had served Qantas and the public well.

So it looks like Australian may be incorporated into Jetstar international.

Pacblue

 

[Yada Yada]

Interesting when he was asked directly about where this left Australian Airlines, he simply said Australian had served Qantas and the public well.

So it looks like Australian may be incorporated into Jetstar international.

Here are some quotes from Geoff Dixon (full article here)

"We think we have got it right domestically and we believe it's a product and an idea that can go international,'' Dixon told Australian Broadcasting Corp.'s Inside Business television program. "If we can get permission'' for international services for Jetstar, "I would imagine we would want it up either by December next year or early 2007."

"Then it would go to markets that are close, that includes leisure destinations like Thailand's coughet,'' he said. "Routes that Qantas has either withdrawn from over the past 10 years or may have withdrawn over the last year or so, and also new routes."

"We want to try to find ones that Qantas and Australian airlines do not fly to.''

Sydney-based Qantas's share of international passengers was 30 percent in 2004, 11 percent less than 10 years ago, according to Australia's Bureau of Transport and Regional Economics. Singapore Airlines Ltd., its closet competitor, increased its share by 4 percent over the same period.

"We certainly intend Jetstar to fly up into the European area but not in the first tranche of the flying,'' Dixon said.

He said Jetstar wouldn't compete on routes that are profitable to Qantas and the budget airline would probably never be more than 20 percent the size of Qantas.

"Our whole DNA is to make sure that Qantas, the Qantas group, but particularly the Qantas brand is very successful,'' he said.

I read somewhere over the weekend (can't remember where) that Geoff Dixon had written to AO employees to advise them that no changes were planned at this stage and they could rest easy. Perhaps I saw this on FT? Can't remember now.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Nice to see that they will be using supersonic aircraft in order to do Europe in 10 hours

Dave

Nah just redefine Europe to include everywhere not Australia or NZ.

 

[NM]

Nice to see that they will be using supersonic aircraft in order to do Europe in 10 hours

It all depends on how you define 10 hours .

Currently, London is 10 hours behind Brisbane. So in Australian summer, they need to operate from places other than SYD/MEL since they are 11 hours ahead of London time due to daylight saving timezones.

Also note that according to OneWorld definitions, Dubai is in Europe and is 5600 miles from Perth, thus requiring an average ground speed of 560 mph to get there in 10 hours flight time. That is still subsonic 8) .

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Nice to see that they will be using supersonic aircraft in order to do Europe in 10 hours

It all depends on how you define 10 hours .

Currently, London is 10 hours behind Brisbane. So in Australian summer, they need to operate from places other than SYD/MEL since they are 11 hours ahead of London time due to daylight saving timezones.

So JQ can fly to Europe (or North America) but not back. Hope they've got buyers for all the a/c that build up over there.

 

[JohnK]

Nice to see that they will be using supersonic aircraft in order to do Europe in 10 hours

It all depends on how you define 10 hours .

If they were using metric time I think they could do it in under 10 hours.

 

[Dave Noble]

So JQ can fly to Europe (or North America) but not back. Hope they've got buyers for all the a/c that build up over there.

It's ok, they come back via North America and Hawaii

Dave

 

[Yada Yada]

If they were using metric time I think they could do it in under 10 hours.

But aren't there 100 minutes in a metric hour?

I'm sure I will regret asking that. :mrgreen:

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

So JQ can fly to Europe (or North America) but not back. Hope they've got buyers for all the a/c that build up over there.

It's ok, they come back via North America and Hawaii

Dave

A JQ round the world.

SYD-CNS-DPS-BKK-CCU-DXB-LHR-PMI-MCO-SNA-HNL-NAN-SYD

Now that is something I wouldnt want to experience first hand.

 

[Dave Noble]

SYD-CNS-DPS-BKK-CCU-DXB-LHR-PMI-MCO-SNA-HNL-NAN-SYD

Now that is something I wouldnt want to experience first hand.

I expect that they'll use the more interesting locations... SYD is expensive... perhaps start at Avalon and replace LHR with somewhere like Newcastle upon Tyne. MCO doesn't fit its low cost nature, so perhaps SFB might be better. OGG is probably a cheaper spot to land than HNL and you missed the typical cheapie airline refuelling stop at Gander in Newfoundland

Dave

 

[MetroAir]

Its just getting more and more horrible.

 

[NM]

Naah, they will purchase a 777-200ULR and install a few extra fuel tanks. Then if you start in HBA and fly a triangle overflying PUQ and CPT. That is a total of under 14,000nm. So they could be the first LCC airline to introduce a non-stop direct around the world service. Of course you have to fly eastbund to make the distance with a strong tailwind.

So you think there will be much demand?

 

[Dave Noble]

So you think there will be much demand?

I don't know... Im sure that the marketing people will be able to convince those that would be prepared to fly JQ around the would that to fly around the world non-stop would be an excellent option.

Dave

 

[MetroAir]

I don't know... Im sure that the marketing people will be able to convince those that would be prepared to fly JQ around the would that to fly around the world non-stop would be an excellent option.

Dave

How true, the marketing guys will spin the 'LCC's appeal to the LCD's'.

 

[macca172]

My gut feeling is that if Geoff Dixon's proposal comes off, it will be at the expense of Australian Airlines! I consider that Australian Airlines was never the success story that it was invisaged it would be and hence slapping a JS paint scheme on to the current fleet would be to Qantas's advantage.

 

[JohnK]

My gut feeling is that if Geoff Dixon's proposal comes off, it will be at the expense of Australian Airlines! I consider that Australian Airlines was never the success story that it was invisaged it would be and hence slapping a JS paint scheme on to the current fleet would be to Qantas's advantage.

Does it really matter. :!:

Jetstar or Australian Airlines. :?: LCC with no ff points or SC's.

Just a name change, same service.

 

[Dave Noble]

My gut feeling is that if Geoff Dixon's proposal comes off, it will be at the expense of Australian Airlines! I consider that Australian Airlines was never the success story that it was invisaged it would be and hence slapping a JS paint scheme on to the current fleet would be to Qantas's advantage.

Does it really matter. :!:

Jetstar or Australian Airlines. :?: LCC with no ff points or SC's.

Just a name change, same service.

AO is sposed to be a full service airline , just that it has only economy class , rather than a LCC

Dabe

 

[NM]

AO is sposed to be a full service airline , just that it has only economy class , rather than a LCC

Dabe

And soon to be 2-class, but still an all-economy service.

I am assuming that a JQ flight of 10 hours will still be a full-service operation similar to the current AO model. Maybe they will have some aspects of the domestic JQ model such as no allocated seating and pay-for-alcohol, but I would expect they will provide at least basic food/drinks and main screen IFE (perhaps with headphones for sale). Hmm, sounds like an AA international domestic service :roll: (except for the allocated seating, but lets not go there).