Jetstar Asia launches low-cost Bangalore-Singapore flights

One-way fare fixed at Rs 6,000

Jetstar Asia, the Singapore-based low-cost international airline, today began direct operations between Singapore and Bangalore. The one-way fare has been fixed at Rs 6,000. The carrier has appointed Bird Travels as its general sales agent for India.

The carrier plans to tap small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and leisure travellers from southern India out of Bangalore. The airline runs a similar low-cost direct flights between Kolkata and Singapore.

Addressing the media here on Monday, Neil Thomson, acting CEO of Jetstar Asia, said, "being the first value for money carrier between Southeast Asia and Bangalore, we are keen to tap into a combination of SME business travellers and the growing tourist trade that's coming from India to Singapore and onwards."

Jetstar Asia is a year-old low-cost carrier based in Singapore and is a partnership between Qantas (49%), Tony Chew (22%), FF Wong (10%) and Temasek Holdings (19%).

According to Thomson, India is the fifth largest visitor-generating market for Singapore, which is growing annually at 25 per cent, dominated mainly by the travel and leisure segments. In 2004, about 583,000 tourists from India visited Singapore.

"With a fare as low as Rs 6,000, we are confident that we will not only be able to take market share but also tap into the latent demand that exists in the market," he added.

The direct air link between Singapore and Bangalore has been made possible by the bilateral treaty signed by the two countries. With this, Jetstar Asia will operate five days a week (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday). Departure from Bangalore has been scheduled at 3.35 am and arrival at Singapore's Changi airport at 10.25 am the same day. The flight from Singapore departs at 1.05 am and arrives in Bangalore at 2.45 am.

Jetstar Asia has fixed its Bangalore-Singapore fare 20 per cent lower than those of full service carriers. "We were delighted by the early response to fly to Bangalore, and our forward bookings during a campaign at $98 in December saw record bookings. Keeping all this in mind, we have arrived at Rs 6,000," Thomson said.

To strengthen airport infrastructure, Bird Information Systems, the technology arm of the Bird group, has provided technology to empower Jetstar Asia with solutions like departure control module and reservation system solution.