Jetstar unveils payment and marketing initiatives

15 June 2009
Melbourne (2 pages)

Jetstar unveils new payment and marketing initiatives for travel industry partners

Australia’s low fares airline Jetstar has today announced at the Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE) a series of new payment initiatives as well as heralding a three year multi-million dollar strategic marketing partnership with Tourism NSW to better support key travel industry partners.

As the fastest growing international airline now operating into and from Australia, Jetstar continues to evolve its distribution and settlement processes to more effectively but efficiently support an expanding Pan Asian network.

Jetstar plans to introduce Universal Air Travel Plan (UATP) payment and settlement process, initially in New Zealand, that will help support recently expanded trans Tasman and newly introduced domestic New Zealand low fare services between Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington and Queenstown.

Available within weeks, Jetstar’s offer of UATP services will see it join the low cost global payment network company stable of carrier’s now including its parent company Qantas Airways, Air New Zealand, British Airways, American and Delta Air Lines.

Jetstar Chief Executive Officer Bruce Buchanan said the growing take-up of UATP and its provision of extensive billing services had particular importance within the Japanese and New Zealand travel markets, two primary international and operational strongholds for Jetstar.

“Jetstar now operates the greatest number of services on the Australia-Japan route along with a fast growing New Zealand flying business which makes the introduction of UATP particularly appealing and of strategic importance in our engagement with the travel industry and corporate clients,” Mr Buchanan said.

“UATP lowers the cost of distribution by lowering the cost of accepting credit cards and thousands of travel agencies now accept UATP as a low-cost form of payment for air travel, service fees and net fares.”

In a range of announcements as part of an update to the travel industry at ATE, the Jetstar CEO also unveiled:

0. Formal commencement of interline E-Ticketing with the South Pacific carrier Air Calin, which follows interline arrangements already established with Qantas and Etihad;
0. Jetstar’s Gold Coast Lounge launching today, a one-off passenger lounge concept at the low fare carrier’s major Australian leisure gateway;
0. Unveiling a major new three year, multi-million strategic marketing partnership with Tourism NSW to cooperatively support Jetstar’s international and domestic operations into its NSW ports as well as the Gold Coast Airport gateway into northern NSW tourism markets.

Mr Buchanan said despite the continued success of Jetstar.com as its major distribution channel with over 4 million unique visitors monthly, the airline had become increasingly attuned to ensuring it had the commercial tools to best meet the constant level of change within both wholesale and retail travel markets.

He said the airline’s renewed partnership with Tourism NSW equating to a substantive three year cooperative marketing agreement would support both Jetstar domestic and international services into Sydney, the Hunter Region (Newcastle Airport) and North Coast (Ballina Byron Airport) markets.

“Both Japan and New Zealand will be target visitor markets with our dollar for dollar future marketing initiatives designed to be all about driving greater customer conversion and aligned to now greater levels of Jetstar international services from both countries into Sydney and northern NSW via our Gold Coast Airport gateway,” Mr Buchanan said.

“Our previous cooperative campaigns with Tourism NSW have delivered results been ahead of expectation in terms of converting travel sales and visitation numbers to New South Wales.

“This new three year partnership will strengthen our relationship and offer both parties
greater opportunities to extend the reach and effectiveness of tourism campaigns and
promotional programs.”

Jetstar’s Gold Coast Lounge has capacity for 120 people and features a range of benefits, including a designated children’s play area and children’s cinema, complimentary food and beverages, Internet access and plasma screens showing movies, music videos and television news.

Mr Buchanan said Gold Coast Lounge is a welcome addition for Jetstar passengers travelling from Gold Coast Airport on one of the airline’s existing 120 weekly domestic and 23 weekly international return services to Japan and New Zealand.

“Gold Coast Lounge is the latest example of Jetstar’s commitment to offering even greater choice to our customers both in the air and now on the ground in our largest holiday port,” Mr Buchanan said.

“The unique opportunity at Gold Coast Airport allows us to offer Jetstar passengers the choice of a passenger lounge. This lounge will support our ever growing domestic and international services operating to and from our Gold Coast flying hub.”

Entry to the Gold Coast Lounge is available for purchase at Jetstar.com as part of a seamless process when booking a flight from the Gold Coast. Entry can also be purchased via the Jetstar Telephone Reservations Centre or at Gold Coast Airport.

A special introductory rate of $5 is now available when pre-purchased from Jetstar.com or on 131 538 before travel, or $10 at the door (from 15 June 2009). It will be available until midnight Tuesday 30 June 2009 unless sold out prior and the offer may be extended.

Passengers flying StarClass on Jetstar’s direct flights to Japan from the Gold Coast will receive free entry into the Gold Coast Lounge.


ENDS

© Scoop Media