Low-cost carrier Jetstar Asia will receive its first Airbus A330 by year-end, and plans to launch long-haul flights from Singapore before Christmas.
It is in talks with several authorities and airports in north Asia, Australia and Europe to secure rights to fly there, says Jetstar Asia's CEO Chong Phit Lian.
The airline, which operates nine A320s, expects to receive its first A330 in December and a second A330 in the first quarter of 2011, she adds.
"The two aircraft will give us an additional 400,000 seats per year out of Singapore," says Chong. The aircraft will be leased by Jetstar's parent Qantas Airways, which said last year that it planned to allocate some A330s to Jetstar.
Chong says Jetstar Asia is in talks with authorities and airports to secure landing rights and slots for flights, and adds that these will be firmed up in "the coming weeks".
On the list of potential destinations is Tokyo Narita, which Jetstar Asia has already secured rights for.
The carrier is also considering destinations in China, Korea, France, Italy and Greece, says Chong.
"We are looking at Rome and Athens, but with the situation in Greece at the moment, it might not be feasible," she adds, referring to the ongoing debt crisis in Greece.
A Jetstar spokesman says the carrier will likely launch double daily flights from Singapore with the A330s to two destinations.
"There is a relatively high utilisation rate with the A330s, which can fly up to 16 hours a day," he says.
Jetstar had announced in January that it is making Singapore its main hub in Asia, and plans to start more flights from the country. It will commence flights between Singapore and Osaka via Taipei from 5 July.
Qantas is expected to receive three more leased A330s next year, on top of the two that have been set aside for Jetstar Asia. However, it is not clear yet if Jetstar Asia will receive more A330s in the future, says a Jetstar spokesman.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
