JetStar.com.au and
JetStar.com
are websites of the
Australian
Jet Airways
Jetstar Airways is a low-cost airline based in Melbourne, Australia. It
is a subsidiary of Qantas, created in response to the threat posed by
low-cost airline Virgin Blue. It
operates an extensive domestic network and regional and some international
services. Its main base is Melbourne Airport. Jetstar also has stakes in
sister companies Jetstar Asia/Valuair in Singapore and Jetstar Pacific
Airlines in Vietnam.
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The airline
was established by Qantas
in 2003 as a low-cost domestic subsidiary. Qantas had previously
acquired Impulse Airlines and relaunched the airline under the Jetstar
brand. Domestic passenger
services began on 25 May 2004, soon after the sale of tickets for her
inaugural flight in February 2004.
International services to Christchurch,
New Zealand, commenced on 1 December 2005. Although owned by Qantas, its
management operates largely independent of Qantas through the company
formerly known as Impulse Airlines - an airline acquired by Qantas on 20
November 2001. Other International services started in 2005. |
Despite its low-cost ethos, Jetstar currently offers a limited number
of connecting services without through baggage checking - though this has
changed since international flights commenced in November 2006 when
baggage connectivity and connecting services were added as a service
offering for domestic flights connecting with international flights only.
Reserved seating is currently provided on all routes and on 4 October 2006,
Jetstar became the first Australian airline to allow customers to select
their seat upon booking.
The first flight of sister airline Jetstar Asia Airways took off from
its Singapore hub to Hong Kong on 13 December 2004. This marked Qantas'
entry into the Asian low-cost market and signified its intention to battle
key competitor Singapore Airlines on its home ground. Qantas has a 42.5%
stake in Jetstar Asia's ownership. (See Jetstar Asia Airways)
On December 1, 2003, when Qantas Airways Ltd announced this new low-cost
carrier there was a virtual airline named Jetstar International Airlines
already in existence, complete with a web site. As part of their startup
promotion, Qantas sold 100,000 airline tickets for $29, and the virtual
airline's web site was swamped with would-be customers, job-seekers, and
prospective vendors. The virtual airline sued Qantas, claiming Copyright
Infringement, Trademark Infringement, Illegal Cybersquatting, Conversion and
Lanham Act Unfair Competition in United States District Court. Qantas
settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.
On December 1, 2005, Jetstar commenced operations from 4 Australian cities
Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast to Christchurch in New
Zealand. On December 7, 2005, it was announced that Jetstar would establish
the world's first global low cost airline flying initially to destinations
within 10 hours of Australia but later to operate to Europe and the
Americas. At the end of 2005, it was announced that Jetstar would fly to
Perth, Western Australia from Melbourne's Avalon Airport.