Low fares leader Jetstar will significantly grow its domestic New Zealand operations over the next year solidifying its position as New Zealand’s second airline.

The airline has announced it will position an additional two A320 aircraft in New Zealand within the next 12 months, bringing its total fleet of NZ based aircraft to eight. A seventh aircraft will enter service in December 2010 with an eighth aircraft anticipated to commence end 2010/early 2011.

Jetstar Group Chief Executive Officer Bruce Buchanan said the positioning of two extra A320 aircraft in New Zealand would further grow Jetstar’s low fare offering for the benefit of Kiwi travellers.

Mr Buchanan said Jetstar would continue to provide a viable and sustained competitive offering in the domestic NZ market and will keep fares low through customer choice.

“Jetstar is to further expand our fledging domestic New Zealand operations,” Mr Buchanan said.

“We plan to further grow our existing domestic NZ routes and will investigate new destinations in line with our strong and expanding market presence since commencing domestic flying in June 2009.

“Jetstar has embedded itself as one of NZ’s two domestic airlines and as the clear low fares leader we will continue to invest in new services and growth.”

Mr Buchanan said Jetstar would look to build more frequencies from existing key ports in Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington with an expanded domestic NZ operation well in place in advance of the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

“Jetstar seeks to offer even more of our every day, low fares to Kiwi passengers to make it easier, more convenient and affordable for them to travel around the country and at the same time connect into our growing international network to and from New Zealand,” Mr Buchanan said.

“Jetstar’s value-for-money fares are backed up by the Jetstar Price Beat Guarantee* whereby we will beat our competitors by 10 per cent. (*Conditions apply).

“Our low fares are combined with award-winning customer service, further strengthened by the launch of the Jetstar Customer Guarantee earlier this year in a first for the aviation industry in this region.”

Jetstar’s seventh A320 aircraft will support more domestic and trans Tasman flying including the launch of Melbourne-Queenstown, Gold Coast-Queenstown and Auckland-Cairns flying, as well as incremental Auckland-Wellington and Auckland-Queenstown services.

Jetstar operates on five existing domestic NZ routes between Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington and Queenstown and a Trans Tasman network commercially supporting ten routes. Announcements regarding aircraft scheduling with additional fleet will be made in the near future.