Jetstar Asia Airways

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Jetstar Asia Airways

IATA 3K	ICAO JSA	Callsign JetStarAsia
Founded		2004
Hubs		Singapore Changi Airport
Fleet size		4
Destinations		10
Parent company		Orange Star
Headquarters		Singapore
Key people		Chong Phit Lian (CEO) Barathan Pasupathi (CFO)
Website: http://www.jetstar.com

Jetstar Asia Airways Private Limited (Chinese: 捷星亚洲航空公司; Thai: เจ็ทสตาร์เอเชีย) is a low cost airline based in Singapore. It is the Asian offshoot of Qantas's Jetstar Airways. The airline flies the Airbus A320s with charcoal-grey leather seating. While food and beverage need to be paid on board, there is assigned seating and a 20 kg baggage allowance for all passengers.

1 History
- 1.1 Jetstar Asia-Valuair Merger
2 Destinations
3 Fleet
4 External links
5 References

[edit] History

The airline got off the ground with the blessings of Qantas with a 49% stake in the airline, with the other stakes held by the Singapore government's Temasek Holdings (Private) Limited (19%) and two prominent Singaporean businessmen, Tony Chew (22%) and FF Wong (10%). It received its air operator's certificate from the Singapore government on 19 November 2004.^[1]

Due to its belated entry into the market, the airline intended to differentiate itself from its competitors by flying further anywhere within a 5-hour radius from Singapore. On 25 November 2004, the airline announced seven routes to Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taipei, Pattaya, Jakarta, Surabaya and Manila, the most ambitious startup plan compared to any of its Asian rivals, which would have given it the widest international coverage.

Online ticketing commenced at 0800 hours (8GMT) on December 7, 2004, a day after the first three routings and their promotional prices were announced, namely S$48 (HK$228) to Hong Kong, S$88 (NT1788) to Taipei and S$28 (Bht725) to Pattaya on a one-way ticket for all seats in the first week of operations as each routing is launched.

Jetstar Asia Airways Airbus A320 at Singapore Changi Airport.

Despite facing a difficult market, Jetstar Asia said it will take delivery of a fifth aircraft in 2005, and is seeking approval for new routes. Jetstar planned to lease the aircraft from Atlasjet Airways, but the plane has been withdrawn from the lease arrangement. Discussions are also being held with Qantas to source additional aircraft. The budget carrier is seeking approval from Cambodian authorities to fly to Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.

On 19 September 2005 it was announced that Jetstar Asia will fly four-times weekly service to Phuket commencing on October 25, 2005. Jetstar Asia service 3K 517 will depart from Changi Airport at 7:05am arriving in Phuket at 7:45am every Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The return leg will depart Phuket at 8:45am, arriving in Singapore at 11:25am.

On 2 December 2005 Jetstar Asia announced that its CEO for 8 months, Ken Ryan, is stepping down to return to Australia. Mr Ryan will take on a new management role at Jetstar Asia's majority shareholder Qantas, and has been replaced at the helm by Neil Thompson.

On 9 February 2006 Jetstar Asia appointed Singaporean Chong Phit Lian as the airline's new chief executive officer, replacing interim CEO Neil Thompson.

On 26 July 2006, Jetstar Asia and Jetstar will be re-positioned as one single brand "JETSTAR". It also announced the launch of Jetstar's long-haul international operations to 6 destinations in South East Asia, Japan and the Pacific after the re-positioned as a single brand.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Jetstar Asia-Valuair Merger

Jetstar Asia and Valuair merged on the 24 July 2005, in the first major consolidation of Southeast Asia's crowded low-cost airline industry. Jetstar Asia and Valuair said they would continue to operate their normal routes under their own brands in the meantime, with little or no change to the service offered by either airline. Qantas chief executive officer and Jetstar Asia chairman Geoff Dixon chairs the new company. Jetstar Asia chief executive officer Ken Ryan has been appointed as the chief executive of both airlines. The new company is to expect a cash injection of around more than 50 million Singapore dollars in fresh capital into the new entity, largely to be provided by Qantas. Shareholders of Valuair, including airline industry veteran Lim Chin Beng, Malaysia's Star Cruises and Asiatravel.com, have now become minority shareholders in the merged company, Orange Star.