New routes and services will see Jetstar kick off 2012 with an additional 8,500 seats for its Singapore based hub. The extra capacity includes over 40 new weekly services added to popular destinations in Australia, Japan, Vietnam and Greater China.

Jetstar is adding a second daily service on the Singapore-Taipei-Osaka route and three new weekly services between Singapore and Darwin, bringing the weekly offering to 10. The airline is also adding a new Darwin-Manila-Narita service.

This new capacity follows the commencement last month of new routes to Guangzhou and Hanoi and additional services to Ho Chi Minh City.
Jetstar Group CEO Bruce Buchanan said adding services on popular routes was contributing to the low cost carrier’s “critical mass” across Asia Pacific.

“The growth in low fare services from our Singapore hub is creating new travel demand in the region, which then fuels more growth and gives us economies of scale to keep the low fares coming,” he said.

“In 2012 we’ll be focused on joining more dots on our route map, particularly in terms of a revitalised Vietnam presence and a new network with Jetstar Japan.

“Our goal is to be the number one low cost carrier in all of the markets we operate by combining low fares, customer choice and great service,” added Mr Buchanan.

Ms Chong Phit Lian, Jetstar Asia CEO, said new fleet capacity had allowed the carrier to focus both on expanding capacity on existing routes but also on new market opportunities.

“Boosting services on our popular routes like Singapore–Taipei–Osaka will give Jetstar Asia great momentum to start 2012,” she said.

As part of network changes announced today, Jetstar will suspended services between Singapore and Macau from 5 February 2012.

Jetstar, which flies to almost 60 destinations in 17 countries, is the fastest growing low-cost airline in the Asia Pacific region.