Jetstar Cairns-Osaka route revival dependent on Japan

Jetstar announced yesterday plans to revive its Cairns-Osaka route in December this year when it finalises commercial airport arrangements in Japan.

The reopening of the route, which was terminated last December, will give a boost to Far North Queensland’s tourism industry with four times weekly A330 services between Cairns and Osaka’s Kansai International Airport.If the plan goes ahead, the move will grow its Queensland to Japan services to 25 weekly return frequencies by the end of the year and continue Jetstar’s reign as the largest airline serving the Australia-Japan route.

Jetstar Chief Executive Officer Bruce Buchanan said the service would only go ahead if satisfactory commercial arrangements were made with Kansai International Airport.

He said, “We have a positive relationship with Kansai International Airport, and are continuing our negotiations in relation to this proposed new service. We look forward to concluding this with a positive outcome”

Buchanan added that if arrangements were not successful, Jetstar still had alternative international capacity options for Cairns with Queensland Airports Limited.

The Japanese market, according to Buchanan, is strong with the airline’s Japan-Australia services “experiencing upwards of one in five first time international travellers” and 40 percent of Tokyo market bookings coming through directly from Jetstar.com.

“Such factors and Jetstar’s marketing investment of up to $30 million annually in Japan reflect a heightened ability by us to better convert Japanese consumers and their existing awareness and preference to visit Australia into actual holiday bookings.”

The budget airline is currently offering special sale fares for travel ex Japan to Australia from 7000 yen return for travel between mid April and mid July 2009 in celebration of its two year anniversary on the Australia-Japan route.