Jetstar the low cost fares subsidiary of Qantas airways has announced that it will introduce direct flights between Cairns to Osaka Japan, with the service to start flying again from 1 April 2010.

The full media release from Jetstar can be read below:

Australia’s low fares airline Jetstar will further consolidate its market leadership on the important Japan route unveiling a future direct Cairns-Osaka (Kansai International Airport)* service to operate 4 times weekly from 1 April 2010.* (* Subject to Regulatory approval).

The reintroduction by Jetstar of a direct two class A330-200 international service between Cairns and western Japan meets a prior commitment to operate the key air link by having secured a long term operating and pricing agreement with Cairns International Airport that can support sustainable growth.

From 1 April 2010 Jetstar will also grow its significant domestic operations for Cairns by doubling its Melbourne-Cairns services from single to twice daily via a new afternoon A320 return flight. This will complement Jetstar’s daily morning departing Melbourne-Cairns 214 seat, A321 service.

Jetstar is to next year operate a combined 77 domestic and weekly international flights from Cairns International Airport with the additional Cairns-Osaka* and Cairns-Melbourne services helping provide a new high water mark for the low fare leader’s operations in Cairns.

Jetstar will expand its overall direct flights between Cairns and Japan to 11 times weekly adding over 2400 additional weekly seats to support its existing Cairns-Tokyo (Narita) A330-200 service.

Jetstar is the largest airline operator on the Japan to Australia route, a top 5 tourism export market, and will grow its schedule to 25 weekly return frequencies, with all flights direct from Queensland to Japan.

The new Jetstar international services have been supported by the wider tourism industry headed by Cairns International Airport with Tourism Queensland, Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ) and Tourism Australia providing cooperative marketing funding to promote the new route in Japan.

Jetstar commercially launched its future Cairns-Osaka* 4 times weekly service with flights to depart Osaka each Monday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday evening for Cairns. (Subject to regulatory approval)

Jetstar Chief Executive Officer Bruce Buchanan said the airline had commercially launched the flights with a substantive marketing campaign in Japan headlined by an all time special low fare offer of 1000 return fares available for JPY 100# yen return (plus surcharges, fees and taxes, point of sale Japan).

Jetstar’s every day one way web fares on the Cairns-Osaka* route start from AUD $329 (JetSaver Light) at Jetstar.com with a follow-up in market sale in Japan from JPY 8800# yen return.

Mr Buchanan said Jetstar had achieved strong passenger growth for its Japanese international services recording a 20 per cent overall year on year rise for the 2010 financial year first quarter (to 30 September 2009) comparative to the prior year.

Mr Buchanan said Jetstar and its partners had put the building blocks in place to give the service every chance of success however all parties are aware that external factors, outside the control of the airline, such as exchange rates or broader external economic factors can significantly impact the viability of this market.

“In the current climate this reinforces Jetstar’s ongoing commitment to Cairns and the Japan market despite the recent adverse movement in the Australia dollar /Japanese Yen exchange rate and the drop in passenger volumes due to swine flu,” Mr Buchanan said.

“A strong, collaborative and strategic partnership between Jetstar, the Airport and the tourism industry will therefore be vital in seeking to address these challenges and we look forward to working with our key partners to achieve this outcome.

“We thank the Queensland and Federal governments for their continual support of our growth and the employment opportunities these new services will bring to the Cairns region.

“The securing of a long term partnership Agreement with Cairns International Airport was a clear catalyst for these new additional international flights for Cairns and is important for it providing a platform for further sustainable growth opportunities.

“Today’s sales launch in Osaka is underpinned by Jetstar’s brand strength with our significant investment in marketing and active promotion of our every day low fare offerings changing the way many Japanese consumers view travel to Australia.

“Over one in five of our Japanese passengers remain first time international flyers showing Jetstar’s ability to stimulate new markets for travel from Asia to Australia.”

Jetstar currently operates 21 weekly two class international services to Japan between Cairns-Tokyo, Gold Coast-Tokyo and Gold Coast-Osaka (each daily) with its A330-200 fleet including StarClass, Jetstar’s international business class.

Mr Buchanan said the carrier’s existing three times weekly Cairns-Gold Coast A320 service, that allows existing Qantas Group access between western Japan and North Queensland for Japanese travellers via Jetstar’s Gold Coast flying hub would remain, with the introduction of its new Cairns-Osaka* service.

He said the direct A330-200 service would operate on alternate days and provide every day access, either direct or one-stop, for Japanese independent or group travellers wishing to travel from western Japan to or from Cairns.

Jetstar now serves 7 interstate and Queensland intrastate markets with its future doubling in the Northern Summer 2010 season of direct Melbourne weekly frequencies (rising to 14pw) complementing Brisbane (21pw), Sydney (9pw), Darwin (7pw), Adelaide (4pw), Gold Coast (3pw) and Perth (2-3pw).

In excess of 150 Jetstar Group personnel are based in Cairns including Cabin Crew, Technical Crew (Pilots), Engineers, Airport Customer Service and Ramp Handling Services.

* Subject to Regulatory approval              # Plus Surcharges, Fees and Taxes (Japan only)

Jetstar’s Osaka (Kansai) – Cairns* A330 schedule from 1 April 2010 (Departure times shown)

Departs Monday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday from Kansai International Airport

Osaka – Cairns                                                    Cairns – Osaka                                

JQ 16       20.25pm                                              JQ 15                    12.20pm  

Melbourne-Cairns schedule from 1 April 2010 (Departure times shown)

Melbourne-Cairns                                            Cairns-Melbourne

JQ 944     07.00am                                              JQ 947  10.25am

JQ 948     16.00pm                                              JQ 951  18.55pm