Wirraway
13th Jan 2005, 14:05
Fri "The Australian"
Jetstar slashes to bone in fare war
Steve Creedy, Aviation writer
January 14, 2005
JETSTAR has turned up the heat in the domestic fare war with a 300,000-seat sale with one-way tickets starting at $9 plus taxes.
The $9 base fare is available on about 15 routes, including Sydney-Sunshine Coast, Sydney-Gold Coast, Newcastle-Melbourne, Melbourne-Hobart and Brisbane-Newcastle.
Other routes in the airline's network offer base fares of $29 to $69.
Jetstar said yesterday the four-day sale, for flights between January 25 and May 31, was aimed at filling planes in a traditionally quiet period and raising awareness of some routes.
It was also part of the airline's drive to get more people flying by offering low fares. Spokesman Simon Westaway denied the sale was necessary because people had failed to respond to a pre-Christmas promotion touting tickets from $19 plus taxes.
"We are absolutely rock solid determined to be the lowest fare operator in the domestic market," Mr Westaway said.
"We were very satisfied with the uptake and the volume of fares sold and the traffic volumes we'll be carrying as part of that sale we did prior to Christmas.
"What we are trying to do is incentivise more travel during what are traditionally lower patronised periods such as February."
Virgin yesterday matched fares on select routes but a spokeswoman said many of the airline's sale seats had already been filled through previous offerings. One consequence of the sale was to highlight the disparity in taxes and charges on Jetstar's 29-destination network.
When taxes and charges were added, the cheapest inclusive fares varied from $39 to $53.
The levies, which include a $12 per sector fuel surcharge imposed by the airline, varied from $60 for a Hamilton Island-Sydney flight, to $23 for Adelaide-Avalon.
Taxes and charges topped $50 on all the airline's Hamilton Island services with other expensive routes including Sydney-Mackay ($50), Brisbane-Mackay ($47), Sydney-Rockhampton ($46), Sydney-Sunshine Coast ($44) and Brisbane-Rockhampton ($43).
Jetstar is due to start flying from Adelaide on February 1.
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Fri "Melbourne Age"
Jetstar gives low-ball fares a second go
By Scott Rochfort
Sydney
January 14, 2005
In an attempt to counter the expected post-Christmas holiday slump in passenger demand, Qantas' low-cost domestic underling Jetstar has announced its second 300,000-seat sale in four weeks.
The airline said the four-day sale, which is offering one-way fares ranging from $39, was part of its "determined" push to entrench itself below Virgin Blue as Australia's lowest-cost airline.
Jetstar spokesman Simon Westaway dismissed suggestions the sale tickets were recycled from the previous 300,000-seat sale, which expired late last month.
Mr Westaway said Jetstar had sold the bulk of the previous 300,000 tickets. "What we're trying to do is incentivise additional travel during periods which are traditionally lower volume," he said.
Although Jetstar has widely spruiked the cheaper airport costs it achieves flying into Avalon, Mr Westaway failed clearly to explain why the fees on Jetstar's tickets into Avalon ($33) are the same as Qantas' into Melbourne Airport at Tullamarine.
"At the end of the day the prices we're talking about are very, very competitive. The travelling public is paying the end fare," he said.
The fees on some of the tickets have also increased since the last sale, which was announced in mid-December. Aside from Sydney-to-Avalon charges rising $3 to $33, fees from Sydney to Gold Coast have risen $14 to $44.
Virgin Blue, after launching its own sale last week, said it would respond to the Jetstar sale with a similar sale, noting it already had some tickets on the market.
"Yes, we are matching on selected routes," Virgin spokeswoman Amanda Bolger said.
QantasLink, meanwhile, has announced plans to buy 10 72-seat Bombardier Q400s for $200 million. The Q400s will enter service next year.
Qantas shares lost 1¢ to $3.65 and Virgin Blue shares rose 7 ¢ to $1.96.
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Jetstar slashes to bone in fare war
Steve Creedy, Aviation writer
January 14, 2005
JETSTAR has turned up the heat in the domestic fare war with a 300,000-seat sale with one-way tickets starting at $9 plus taxes.
The $9 base fare is available on about 15 routes, including Sydney-Sunshine Coast, Sydney-Gold Coast, Newcastle-Melbourne, Melbourne-Hobart and Brisbane-Newcastle.
Other routes in the airline's network offer base fares of $29 to $69.
Jetstar said yesterday the four-day sale, for flights between January 25 and May 31, was aimed at filling planes in a traditionally quiet period and raising awareness of some routes.
It was also part of the airline's drive to get more people flying by offering low fares. Spokesman Simon Westaway denied the sale was necessary because people had failed to respond to a pre-Christmas promotion touting tickets from $19 plus taxes.
"We are absolutely rock solid determined to be the lowest fare operator in the domestic market," Mr Westaway said.
"We were very satisfied with the uptake and the volume of fares sold and the traffic volumes we'll be carrying as part of that sale we did prior to Christmas.
"What we are trying to do is incentivise more travel during what are traditionally lower patronised periods such as February."
Virgin yesterday matched fares on select routes but a spokeswoman said many of the airline's sale seats had already been filled through previous offerings. One consequence of the sale was to highlight the disparity in taxes and charges on Jetstar's 29-destination network.
When taxes and charges were added, the cheapest inclusive fares varied from $39 to $53.
The levies, which include a $12 per sector fuel surcharge imposed by the airline, varied from $60 for a Hamilton Island-Sydney flight, to $23 for Adelaide-Avalon.
Taxes and charges topped $50 on all the airline's Hamilton Island services with other expensive routes including Sydney-Mackay ($50), Brisbane-Mackay ($47), Sydney-Rockhampton ($46), Sydney-Sunshine Coast ($44) and Brisbane-Rockhampton ($43).
Jetstar is due to start flying from Adelaide on February 1.
============================================
Fri "Melbourne Age"
Jetstar gives low-ball fares a second go
By Scott Rochfort
Sydney
January 14, 2005
In an attempt to counter the expected post-Christmas holiday slump in passenger demand, Qantas' low-cost domestic underling Jetstar has announced its second 300,000-seat sale in four weeks.
The airline said the four-day sale, which is offering one-way fares ranging from $39, was part of its "determined" push to entrench itself below Virgin Blue as Australia's lowest-cost airline.
Jetstar spokesman Simon Westaway dismissed suggestions the sale tickets were recycled from the previous 300,000-seat sale, which expired late last month.
Mr Westaway said Jetstar had sold the bulk of the previous 300,000 tickets. "What we're trying to do is incentivise additional travel during periods which are traditionally lower volume," he said.
Although Jetstar has widely spruiked the cheaper airport costs it achieves flying into Avalon, Mr Westaway failed clearly to explain why the fees on Jetstar's tickets into Avalon ($33) are the same as Qantas' into Melbourne Airport at Tullamarine.
"At the end of the day the prices we're talking about are very, very competitive. The travelling public is paying the end fare," he said.
The fees on some of the tickets have also increased since the last sale, which was announced in mid-December. Aside from Sydney-to-Avalon charges rising $3 to $33, fees from Sydney to Gold Coast have risen $14 to $44.
Virgin Blue, after launching its own sale last week, said it would respond to the Jetstar sale with a similar sale, noting it already had some tickets on the market.
"Yes, we are matching on selected routes," Virgin spokeswoman Amanda Bolger said.
QantasLink, meanwhile, has announced plans to buy 10 72-seat Bombardier Q400s for $200 million. The Q400s will enter service next year.
Qantas shares lost 1¢ to $3.65 and Virgin Blue shares rose 7 ¢ to $1.96.
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