Jetstar Pacific completes plane replacement

January 19, 2013 | 10:12

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Vietnam’s low-cost Jetstar Pacific Airlines has replaced all Boeing B737-400 planes with new Airbus A320 aircrafts as part of its strategy to improve performance in the face of increasing competition right in the domestic market.

Jetstar Pacific has operated a fleet of all five Airbus A320 aircraft now after the carrier removed its last Boeing B737-400 from services last Monday. The airline told the Daily on the phone on Wednesday that the single-aisle Airbus plane enabled it to transport more passengers as it was configured with 180 seats while the Boeing B737 had only 168 seats.

Le Hong Ha, chief executive officer of Jetstar Pacific, said in a statement that the plane replacement proved the carrier’s efforts to better meet passengers’ needs for travel and to offer more low fares to customers.

Jetstar Pacific was able to wrap up the plane replacement within less than six months with support of two major shareholders, Vietnam Airlines Corp. and Australia’s Qantas Group in line with its shareholder reshuffling as approved by the Prime Minister in Decision 94/QD.

Jetstar Pacific started to operate as a no-frills carrier in May 2008 and now conducts more than 200 flights connecting HCMC, Hanoi, Danang, Vinh and Haiphong.

CEO Ha said the airline transported nearly 1.9 million passengers on 11,445 domestic flights last year, with an average seat occupancy rate of 91 pct and revenue excluding fare sales up 50 pct compared to 2011.

In Vietnam, another budget carrier VietJetAir currently offers domestic flights and will fly between HCMC and Bangkok from February.

Hanoi Times

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