Sale fares from NZ$449 one-way at Jetstar.com

Low fares leader Jetstar will offer passengers traveling on the airline’s daily services from both Tokyo and Osaka a seamless connection to Auckland via its Gold Coast hub commencing 25 October 2009.

Jetstar has timed its daily Auckland-Gold Coast A320 service and is selling connecting fares to meet its separate daily international two class operations between Gold Coast-Tokyo and Gold Coast-Osaka.

The new scheduling arrangement enables same day access between Japan and New Zealand and has the potential to result in thousands of additional Japanese tourists being able to conveniently visit New Zealand each year.

Jetstar’s domestic New Zealand flight network also offers the opportunity for arriving and departing Japanese nationals in Auckland to fly onto Christchurch, Wellington and Queenstown, whilst also providing a fresh choice in same day flight access to Japan for Kiwi travelers.

To mark the commencement of the new connections Jetstar is offering JetSaver Light sale fares Auckland – Tokyo and Auckland – Osaka from NZ$449 all-inclusive at Jetstar.com for a limited period.

The fare will be on sale until midnight on Monday 18 August 2009 and is valid for travel 25 October 2009 – 09 December 2009. Terms and conditions apply, for full details visit Jetstar.com. (Not available on all flights or days and limited availability during public holiday weekends. Point of sale NZ only).

Jetstar Chief Executive Officer Bruce Buchanan said the airline aimed to encourage more Japanese visitors to New Zealand through newly introduced convenient and affordable links and innovative product offering especially designed for the important Japanese market.

“Jetstar is the largest airline operating between Australia and Japan with 21 weekly A330-200 services from Tokyo and Osaka, including daily flights from both cites to the Gold Coast,” Mr Buchanan said.

“Japan is a key tourism export market for both Australia and New Zealand and we are now offering our Japanese customers greater choice when travelling to Australasia to more conveniently access Jetstar and broader Qantas Group services to and from New Zealand.

“We believe our timed Auckland-Gold Coast daily service will pose an attractive proposition and represent a fresh choice in accessing low fare flying between Japan and New Zealand via our Gold Coast flying hub.

“There is no underestimating the potential appeal of new same day flight access for New Zealand international travelers to fly to Japan on Jetstar which will now be made available.”

Japan is New Zealand’s fifth largest international market, with 88,474 Japanese visitors in the year ending June 2009, according to NZ Ministry of Tourism research. Each visitor spends on average NZ$4,698 during a median six day stay. This equates to more than NZ$422 million for the NZ economy for the year ending June 2009.

Jetstar’s every day JetSaver Light fares at Jetstar.com are now available for NZ$549 all-inclusive and 33,000 yen (excluding surcharges, fees and taxes).

Mr Buchanan said Jetstar aimed to stimulate growing levels of traffic between Japan and New Zealand, and in time reflect its Australian experience, by tapping into new segments of the market.

“We have found that up to 22 per cent of Japanese travelers on Jetstar are either first time or infrequent international travelers, whilst online bookings are continuing to grow, further opening a new customer market in Japan for New Zealand’s tourism industry to attract,” Mr Buchanan said.

“We’re looking forward to replicating this trend to create similar results over time for travel to New Zealand and help grow overall visitation from Japan as we have invested heavily in the Japanese market to the extent that Jetstar is now one of the most recognized travel brands in the country.

“Jetstar has spent considerable resources to ensure our product is attractive to Japanese travelers, and this includes Japanese speaking cabin crew on board all our flights, Japanese menu options and Japanese-language entertainment.

“Our airline now represents 55 per cent of capacity between Australia and Japan.

“Jetstar’s presence and success in Japan is continuing to grow, for the benefit of the Australian, and now New Zealand tourism,” Mr Buchanan said.

Passengers traveling with Jetstar between New Zealand and Japan will transfer flights while in transit at the international terminal of the Gold Coast Airport. Upon check-in in either New Zealand or Japan, passengers will be presented with their boarding pass for both sectors, and their bags will be checked-in for collection at their end destination.

Jetstar’s Tokyo-Auckland schedule (via the Gold Coast) from 25 October 2009

Departure times shown

• Tokyo – Gold Coast - JQ12 20.25 – 07.00 (+1)
• Gold Coast - Tokyo - JQ11 10.50 – 18.55
• Gold Coast – Auckland - JQ239 09.00 – 15.00
• Auckland – Gold Coast - JQ238 07.15 – 07.45

Jetstar’s Osaka-Auckland schedule (via the Gold Coast) from 25 October 2009

• Osaka – Gold Coast - JQ20 20.05 – 06.10 (+1)
• Gold Coast – Osaka - JQ19 10.05 – 18.20
• Gold Coast – Auckland - JQ239 09.00 – 15.00
• Auckland – Gold Coast - JQ238 07.15 – 07.45