Jetstar launches Melbourne-Tokyo flights, axes Gold Coast-Osaka
By David Flynn, December 11 2013
Jetstar will launch non-stop flights between Melbourne and Tokyo's Narita airport but axe its Gold Coast-Osaka service in a reshuffle of the low-cost airline's Japanese network.
The new Melbourne-Tokyo service will see four flights each week on Jetstar's Airbus A330 beginning from 29 April 2014, with flight schedules and fares expected to be released before Christmas.
This is the first Melbourne-Tokyo service since 2008 and will feed travellers into the Jetstar Japan network for flights to nine other Japanese cities including Osaka, Fukuoka and Sapporo.
"We know this is one of the largest unserved international markets in Australia and our bookings show that many Victorian customers are travelling to Tokyo via other ports in the network,” said Jetstar Australia and New Zealand CEO David Hall.
However, Jetstar's thrice-weekly flights between the Gold Coast and Osaka will be dropped as of 8 May 2014, although Gold Coast-Tokyo flights will remain and at some stage be upgraded from the current Airbus A330 to Jetstar's new Boeing 787.
“Once the 787 is introduced on the Gold Coast-Tokyo route we will be offering an extra 23,000 seats a year more than what is currently offered on our A330 flights,” Hall said.
“While we recognise that the Gold Coast is a major tourism destination for Japanese visitors, demand from Osaka was not as strong as that from Tokyo" Hall explained.
“The suspension of the service is part of our response to the current state of the Australian aviation market and a realignment of Jetstar’s international network.
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David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
28 Oct 2011
Total posts 645
good move...non stop to MEL .Japan airports offer quality rail services between them..and less distances..so it's easier/less hassle to catch flights between various Japan airports...but funneling those flights to the GC mainly was a mistake..which inevitably leads to a domestic connection or sub standard looooong OZ train/bus travel down south.
28 Oct 2011
Total posts 645
sorry..i meant 'travel' between various Japan airports..
21 Apr 2012
Total posts 3006
I'd rather trek to Sydney and catch that QF flight than fly Jetstar...
Or more likely since I have to transit, I'll fly with Cathay!
AJ, you missed the plot yet again... *facepalm*
Qantas - QFF Platinum
20 Mar 2012
Total posts 211
Kind of thought the exact same thing.... if only it was an A332/3 with new biz suite
QantasFF
16 Nov 2012
Total posts 59
Went to Tokyo with Qantas PE in September, thought it was great. Will Jetstar have business - still not qiote as cmfortable as QF PE?
12 Dec 2012
Total posts 1029
It will be with A330/787 so yes.
12 Dec 2012
Total posts 1029
I would have prefered for QF to reopen the MEL-NRT route. :( I was meant to be on QF NRT-MEL in late 2008 as the last sector of a oneworld round the world, but they dropped the flight after ticketing and I ended up having to reroute via SYD.
There was talk over the last few weeks of JL taking up the route. But I guess those rumors turned out to be JQ.
I wonder when someone will start using the available Australia - HND slots.
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