[Brendan Lawrence]

Can't answer where the A320 for this route will be based, but all staff were emailed the media release about the announcement on October 16th; which is here in full (with the relevant stuff and a lot of babble as usual for a media release) ...

Jetstar to reintroduce air link between Cairns and western Japan via new domestic flight connection

Cairns-Gold Coast service to better connect international travellers into Cairns

Australia’s low fares airline Jetstar is to reinstate air access from western Japan to Cairns through a new Cairns-Gold Coast domestic service that will directly connect with the carrier’s daily Gold Coast – Osaka two class international operation.

Commencing 3 February 2009 the three times weekly Cairns-Gold Coast A320 service will reintroduce Qantas Group service access between Osaka and Cairns via Jetstar’s Gold Coast flying hub, following a prior decision to conclude A330-200 direct services between western Japan and Cairns by mid December.

As Jetstar’s newest domestic route, Cairns-Gold Coast grows the carrier’s future Cairns operations to 66 weekly domestic and international services by early 2009, and expands its Cairns operations to directly serve six domestic markets in addition to operating daily international frequencies from Cairns to Singapore (via Darwin) and future Tokyo* A330-200 services.

Operating each Tuesday, Friday and Saturday the domestic tag Cairns-Gold Coast service will coincide with primary days of travel for Japanese visitors arriving or departing Australia and enable access into Cairns via a connection on Jetstar at Gold Coast Airport.

Jetstar today welcomed an agreement with Cairns Port Authority, the existing owners of Cairns International Airport, and a joint marketing support package from Tourism Queensland (TQ), Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ) and Tourism Australia that assists in underpinning the reintroduction of air access by the Qantas Group between Cairns and the Kansai region.

Queensland Airports, owner of Gold Coast International Airport, have also reached agreement with Jetstar to support its future Cairns-Gold Coast service that will allow it to better optimise existing and future domestic and international connections through its expanding Gold Coast hub to include Cairns.

Jetstar is now offering special one way JetSaver Light sale fares at Jetstar.com for Cairns-Gold Coast from $59AUD one way starting at 1400hrs (2pm) AEST 16 October 2008 and ending 1700hrs (5pm) AEST 17 October 2008 unless fares sell out prior.

The offer is for travel between two periods: 3 February 2009 – 27 March 2009 and 28 April 2009 – 16 June 2009. Conditions apply (fares subject to availability, selected days & flights excluding public & school holidays).

Jetstar’s every day one way web fares (JetSaver Light) between Cairns-Gold Coast start from $99 AUD at Jetstar.com.

Jetstar’s announcement headlined a Qantas Group delegation visit to Cairns, led by Qantas Group CEO Geoff Dixon, Qantas Group CEO Designate Alan Joyce and Jetstar Chief Executive Officer Bruce Buchanan that met with senior Queensland tourism officials and local tourism proprietors to discuss air access issues for Cairns.

Jetstar CEO Bruce Buchanan said that Jetstar’s decision to reintroduce Qantas Group connections between western Japan and Cairns via its Gold Coast hub would introduce future commercial opportunities for Far North Queensland to attract more international and domestic visitors.

“The introduction of our Cairns-Gold Coast service will allow the Jetstar flight network to further link Cairns to a multitude of destinations within Australia and beyond,” Mr Buchanan said.

“Importantly this new service provides an immediate opportunity to reintroduce Qantas Group access to western Japan for Cairns with connectivity options from the Kansai Region from Osaka to travel to Cairns via a connecting Jetstar service at Gold Coast International Airport.

“The three times weekly services will provide over 1000 additional weekly seats by Jetstar for Cairns.”

Mr Buchanan said Jetstar would also become an active participant in a recently established Japan Marketing Committee that includes Tourism Australia, TQ, TTNQ and Gold Coast Tourism that takes a fresh approach to better coordinate and improve resource allocation for tactical and brand marketing activity in market in Japan to benefit Australian tourism.

“The pooled funding approach being adopted by the Committee will see Jetstar, which now invests around $20 million annually in the Japanese market, to commit a further seven figure sum annually in marketing funds to seek to attract greater numbers of Japanese visitors to Australia,” Mr Buchanan said.

“We believe such an approach can also seek to avoid inefficient duplication of marketing activities and initiatives or unnecessarily waste resources amongst the key players promoting Australia to Japan.”

Mr Buchanan said the airline’s announced expansion of trans Tasman operations to Auckland* from late April 2009, would in time through its Gold Coast hub, enhance one stop flight access between New Zealand and Cairns from Auckland* and Christchurch.

“This will be achieved by our future Auckland-Gold Coast* daily service moving to a morning departure from Auckland in late October 2009. We believe the appeal of Cairns, the gateway to tropical Australia and the Great Barrier Reef for New Zealanders is high when supported by a low fare Jetstar offering and a flight connection,” Mr Buchanan said.

From December, Jetstar will operate 19 times weekly two class international services between Queensland and Japan including a daily Cairns-Tokyo (Narita)* service commencing 18 December 2008.

As prior announced Jetstar will codeshare with both Qantas and Japan Airlines on its new Cairns – Tokyo (Narita)* daily service from 18 December 2008.

* Flights subject to regulatory approval.

Flight schedule for Cairns-Gold Coast from 3 February 2009 (Departure times)

Cairns-Gold Coast
Flight JQ 967 Departs: 06:20 am Arrives: 08:35 am Tues, Fri, Sat

Gold Coast-Cairns
Flight JQ 966 Departs: 10:30 am Arrives: 13:05 pm Tues, Fri, Sat