• New Darwin-Singapore-Osaka service from 1 November 2012*
• Boosts Northern Territory and Singapore links to new Jetstar Japan domestic network
• Creates fourth long haul destination from Singapore hub

Jetstar has announced a new international link to its domestic network in Japan, with a Darwin-Singapore-Osaka* service on sale from today.

Operated by Jetstar Airways, the existing Darwin-Singapore service will now continue on from Singapore to Osaka three times a week from 1 November 2012.

The everyday lead-in fare for the new route is AUD$359. A sale fare of AUD$259 is on offer for a limited time (see sale conditions, below).

The Darwin-Singapore leg will be operated by an A321 while the long haul Singapore-Osaka sector will be operated by an A330 with both economy and business class.

Jetstar Group CEO, Jayne Hrdlicka, said the new service would capitalise on the Jetstar Group’s growing presence in the Japanese market following the start of domestic services earlier this month.

“We always look for opportunities across the Jetstar Group to join the dots in our existing network to improve what we can offer travellers,” Ms Hrdlicka said.

“This new service means Darwin will be connected to Osaka as well as Tokyo, and by extension, to three other major Japanese cities via Jetstar Japan’s domestic network.

“For Australian and Singaporean tourists this new connection will make it easier to explore everything Japan has to offer.

“We expect this new link to encourage more outbound tourism from Japan, particularly combined with a domestic network that makes it more affordable to reach international flights to Darwin and Singapore.”

Jetstar Japan’s domestic fares are an average of up to 50 per cent cheaper than full service alternatives as part of what is regarded as a new era of air travel in the world’s third largest economy.

Japan is Australia’s fifth largest source of international tourists. Arrivals grew 7.5 per cent over the first four months of 2012 year on year. Similarly, visitors from Japan to Singapore jumped by about 20 per cent over the same period.**

The number of people visiting Japan is also climbing. Figures for the first five months of 2012 show a 45 per cent increase in visitors from Singapore to Japan and a 15 per cent increase from Australia.***

With this new service, the Jetstar Group will operate up to 31 international services per week to Osaka including long haul services from Cairns and the Gold Coast in Australia with Jetstar Airways and short haul international services from Singapore via Taipei and Manila with Jetstar Asia. Jetstar Airways also operates a A330 service from Melbourne to Singapore, which can then connect to the Osaka flight.

*Jetstar schedule Darwin-Singapore-Osaka from 1 November 2012

• Darwin-Singapore - JQ 64 18.20 – 21.20
• Singapore-Osaka - JQ 64 22.30 – 06.00 Thurs, Fri, Sun, (inc Mon from 17 Dec 12)
• Osaka-Singapore - JQ 63 10.30 – 16.20
• Singapore-Darwin - JQ 63 22.20 – 04.30 Mon, Fri, Sat, (inc Tues from 18 Dec 12)

*Flights subject to final regulatory approval.

** http://www.tourism.jp/english/statistics/outbound.php

*** http://www.tourism.jp/english/statistics/inbound.php

About the sale

Jetstar is on sale from 00.01 am AEST on 17 July 2012 (23.00 JP time 16/07/12 and 22.00 SIN time 16/07/12) until 18 July 23.59 JP time/ 22.59 SIN time and 1.01 +1 AEST. Sale fares between Singapore-Osaka are on sale for 5,000 yen/ SGD168 for travel between 1 November 2012 and 18 December 2012 and 8 January 2013 and 4 February 2013. Fares between Darwin-Osaka are on sale for AUD259/15,000 yen for travel between 1 November and 5 December 2012. Sale fares are subject to availability are not available on all flights, all days. Prices are based on direct payment methods which are for Australia; direct deposit / POLi, voucher, Jetstar MasterCard or Jetstar Platinum MasterCard for bookings through jetstar.com. For all other bookings, a Booking and Service Fee of $12.50 per passenger, per fare applies. For Singapore, direct payment methods include payment via 7-Eleven or SingPost or by Jetstar Voucher for bookings through jetstar.com. For all other bookings, a booking and service fee of $10 per passenger, per flight will apply. $35 extra per passenger, per flight applies to bookings through 800 852 9507. For Japan direct payments are via direct deposit or voucher for bookings through Jetstar.com. For all other bookings, a booking and service Fee of 650-1000 yen per passenger, per fare applies. Checked baggage and extra legroom etc are available for an additional fee. See terms and conditions.

About Jetstar Group

The Jetstar Group is Asia Pacific’s fastest growing and largest low fares network by revenue. It is made up of Jetstar Airways in Australia and New Zealand (subsidiary of the Qantas Group) together with Jetstar branded airlines, Jetstar Asia in Singapore, Jetstar Pacific in Vietnam, Jetstar Japan in Japan and by 2013 (subject to regulatory approval) Jetstar Hong Kong. Jetstar-branded carriers operate up to 3,000 flights a week to around 60 destinations. The Jetstar Group is on track to carry more than 20 million people in FY12.

About Jetstar Japan

Jetstar Japan is a low fares airline which started flying in July 2012 to Tokyo, Osaka, Sapporo, Fukuoka and Okinawa. Short haul international flights are expected to start during 2013 subject to regulatory approval. The airline has a fleet of three new Airbus A320s configured for 180 passengers, expected to grow to 24 aircraft within the first few years. Jetstar Japan is a joint venture between the Qantas Group, Japan Airlines, Mitsubishi Corporation and Century Tokyo Leasing Corporation.