Wirraway
9th Jun 2004, 16:33
Thurs "The Australian"
Net unveiling of new aircraft
By Steve Creedy, Aviation writer
June 10, 2004
JETSTAR'S chances of keeping its new A320 livery under wraps nosedived this week after photographs of one of its planes were posted on the internet.
Airliners.net, which showcases photographs taken by aviation enthusiasts, posted this photograph on Tuesday and had already attracted more than 1200 hits by 4pm yesterday.
Photos have also apppeared on other aviation sites.
The first of the 177-seat all-economy A320s is due to arrive in Australia later this month and is expected to begin service on July 20.
The airline plans to gradually replace the 14 Boeing 717s it inherited from Impulse Airline so that it runs a fleet of 23 A320s by mid-2006.
Jetstar chief executive Alan Joyce will travel to Toulouse next week to "pick up the keys" and return with the aircraft via Dubai and Bangkok, according to a Jetstar spokesman.
"We're going to base it in a hangar in Melbourne for the short term," the spokesman said.
"It's got to do some proving flights with CASA and we'll bring it on the line on July 20."
While the A320's leather seats will be slightly wider than normal, questions still remain about legroom. Jetstar has opted for a 30-inch (76cm) seat pitch - two inches less than the standard 81.2cm seat.
But it claims the slim line design means passengers will still have improved "personal space".
The airline launched on May 25 to 13 eastern seaboard destinations and added Avalon Airport, near Geelong, last week.
Qantas chief executive Geoff Dixon claimed in Singapore this week the start-up was already making money and would be profitable in the coming financial year.
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Net unveiling of new aircraft
By Steve Creedy, Aviation writer
June 10, 2004
JETSTAR'S chances of keeping its new A320 livery under wraps nosedived this week after photographs of one of its planes were posted on the internet.
Airliners.net, which showcases photographs taken by aviation enthusiasts, posted this photograph on Tuesday and had already attracted more than 1200 hits by 4pm yesterday.
Photos have also apppeared on other aviation sites.
The first of the 177-seat all-economy A320s is due to arrive in Australia later this month and is expected to begin service on July 20.
The airline plans to gradually replace the 14 Boeing 717s it inherited from Impulse Airline so that it runs a fleet of 23 A320s by mid-2006.
Jetstar chief executive Alan Joyce will travel to Toulouse next week to "pick up the keys" and return with the aircraft via Dubai and Bangkok, according to a Jetstar spokesman.
"We're going to base it in a hangar in Melbourne for the short term," the spokesman said.
"It's got to do some proving flights with CASA and we'll bring it on the line on July 20."
While the A320's leather seats will be slightly wider than normal, questions still remain about legroom. Jetstar has opted for a 30-inch (76cm) seat pitch - two inches less than the standard 81.2cm seat.
But it claims the slim line design means passengers will still have improved "personal space".
The airline launched on May 25 to 13 eastern seaboard destinations and added Avalon Airport, near Geelong, last week.
Qantas chief executive Geoff Dixon claimed in Singapore this week the start-up was already making money and would be profitable in the coming financial year.
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