Jetstar to Europe?
 

Sorry if this is old news, but here it is for those who missed it: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/3df46dde-8...nclick_check=1 Looks like the 787s will be put to good use. I can see more SO's lining up ;)

Oops, won't let me access via the link. So here it is,

Jetstar to launch Europe service
By Amy Kazmin in Bangkok

Published: October 22 2007 16:42 | Last updated: October 22 2007 16:42

Jetstar, the low-cost subsidiary of Qantas, plans to launch long-haul routes into Europe in early 2009.

The carrier is also in the process of choosing a south-east Asian airport as its regional hub for the European traffic, a senior Jetstar executive said on Monday.

In the latest sign of increasing competition in the low-cost, long-haul aviation market, Bruce Buchanan, Jetstar group general manager, said the carrier was considering Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore as potential jump-off points for its Europe-bound flights, and will decide by February or March.

The carrier is now studying passenger traffic flows, while awaiting bids from the regional airports. The winning airport could gain an additional 28 long-haul flights a week once all services are launched, although he said Jetstar could opt to launch its Europe-bound flights from several different south-east Asian intermed*iate airports.

“The key for us as a low-cost carrier is to look at the cost of operating,” said Mr Buchanan, during a visit to Bangkok.

In pushing to expand its regional low-cost service into the intercontinental market between Asia and Europe, Jetstar will compete with AirAsia X, a newly formed joint venture between the Malaysian-based budget carrier AirAsia and Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group.

AirAsia X, scheduled to launch its first long-haul service to Australia next month, hopes to start direct services to the UK by October 2008.

Jetstar, which is due to take delivery of 15 Boeing 787 Dreamliners in 2009, has yet to decide on its own European routes but is considering Athens, Rome, Paris, Munich and Amsterdam as potential destinations.

Mr Buchanan said Jetstar had been in discussion with Airports of Thailand, the listed Thai airport operator, about using either its one-year-old Suvarnabhumi Airport, or its older Don Muang Airport, as a hub.

While Thailand’s relative proximity to Europe – compared with the other possible hubs – is a plus, the cost of using either of Bangkok’s two airports is now about twice the cost of using Singapore or Kuala Lumpur, calculated on a per passenger basis.

Even low-cost carriers that have switched some of their flights back to Don Muang from Suvarnabhumi are still being charged the same high landing and passenger fees that apply at the new airport.

But, Mr Buchanan said: “If they can come up with a plan that may involve the old airport, that would be very interesting for us in terms of ‘can we get the cost structure to a level that would be competitive with those other intermediate points?’ ”

Jetstar currently operates flights three times a week between Bangkok and Melbourne, and thrice weekly flights between Sydney and Phuket.

Extract from The Financial Times Limited 2007

Surely Ho Chi Minh would be running first with Pacific and the associated network benefits!

Assuming they get the right deal of course.

This plan has been public for a while now - in particular Athens and Rome.

The main problem for the Leprachaun is finding enough pilots to enable his plans to come to fruition.

Who reckons the pilots for these services will not be Australian based? Vietnam, well I reckon thats easy. Singapore, even easier.
Looks great for pilot opportunities in Australia. Yeah right.

Spot on Fonzarelli!

Basings OS without the Aussie IR hassles. Vietnam is looking even more certain.

The only point I would add is the inability to feed from the QF network in Vietnam. I get the impression from the FT article that SIN is cost competitive. Might be just spin but imagine the value from hooking up with the big QF hub there.

One thing for sure is someone in higher management, who shouldn't be there, will screw it up!!! :ugh:

If they crew this from o/s it may be a different story but I'm not sure they'll get many Aussie crew wanting to live in Singapore if they're offering J* T&Cs. There is a rental boom in Singapore at the moment with a four bedroom place in an average part of town (most Captains would need somewhere close to that to sort out the kids) going for $7000SGD a month. That price is expected to rise again by the new year. It was $6000 just three months ago.

Even with Singapore tax that's still a big first bite at your take home dollars. Of course it may suit the F/Os who will probably have four crew to a place like that.

Of course they may be inundated in the short term by people who want the 787 stamp in the log book and then are going to go and move on elsewhere.

3 ( or is that 4 ) clapped out old 73 classics :}:E benefits :confused:

I wanna know how you get a 6 month delay ( optimistic ) on the 78s and still have that many A/C in service by the same end date.......................
Done much check and training have ya AJ :rolleyes:

Poor old AJ, he is really talking himself into a corner. One day the little thug is actually going to have to come through with the goods. :mad:wit

Let's wait and see what the delivery schedule from Boeing is. Oh, and let's wait and see who is running the show next year. :E

You never know they might make AJ actually deliver some of his bull:mad:.

I wouldn't count on it being called Jetstar though.....;)

Regarding Pacific, I just found this in the Herald Sun in part;

If they can get their hands on Ho Chi Minh - Paris and they use it for Jetstar, they're absolute clowns. Codeshare with Airfrance and then increase capacity by putting in Jetstar :ugh:

The frogs wont be happy. Unless Jetsar strike a codeshare with AirFrance. I am sure thatll make the french happier. Paris a LCC route :D

This company is full of it. When will the shareholders wake up and smell the spin doctor for what he is. :yuk:

Wish he would run the airline instead of protecting his own :oh:

Can the bus make SIN-ATH or FCO? Thought BKK or HCM would be closer especially if they start up Manchester or north-west europe...

Imagine sitting in a J* seat all the way from Sydney to Europe.Honolulu is bad enough but Europe:yuk:

Oh for god's sake. Why don't you all go out to your nearest DFO and treat yourselves to a brand new handbag?

I can't recall reading such monumental drivel since mid-2003, when those of your ilk started to bleat on along the lines of; "Jetstar will be crewed by QF Mainline - end of story" and "Jetstar's having to pay the Cairns refueller with cash - the end is nigh".

Why don't you try something revolutionary like offering a positive opinion for a change - doesn't have to be about JQ. ANYTHING will do.

What a bunch of whining little girls. :ugh:

flyingins,

So you don't mind sitting in the J* seats from Sydney to Europe?

Then again if you buy yourself a handbag whenever your upset maybe you would like fly Jokestar to europe.

people will sit in what ever seat they can afford!!!

if having a lcc travelling to europe or any other o/s destination at a cheap price then good luck to them...

if you want a first class service fly Qantas...(:yuk::yuk: NOT!!!!!!!!!)

Very true even if it means sacrificing their comfort & safety. I gave Jet* a chance a few years ago. Never again. Cramped seating & having to arrive at the airport early to get a good seat. Maybe they will lift their game on the international flights? I doubt it :yuk:

JQ allocated seating came in long ago, also cramped seats??...they are the biggest economy seats in aust!!

Also P P, I think punters are safe on any aust carrier regardless of price!!!

Well Kavorka maybe I'll have to take another flight on Jet* since they have changed things. It's been awhile.....

I am more of a VB guy