Jetstar ramps up on high demand for flights

Jetstar forecasts a 110 per cent plus increase in its pre-COVID domestic flight schedule.

Jetstar forecasts a 110 per cent plus increase in its pre-COVID domestic flight schedule. Picture: Brendan Radke

The strong take-up of cheap airfares, whether for business flights from Melbourne to Sydney or holiday flights to the Whitsunday Coast, has propelled budget carrier Jetstar to forecast a 110 per cent plus increase in its pre-COVID domestic flight schedule.

By March the carrier reckons it will be operating more than 850 return weekly flights to 55 cities and regions, given its offer of one-way fares from Perth to the Gold Coast for $129 to $256 plus extra costs for a range of services including additional baggage, meals and seat allocations.

Jetstar chief executive Gareth Evans said while international borders remain closed, more Australians are set to explore places they have never visited in great news for local hospitality and tourism operators.

The airline’s market research shows nearly 90 per cent of Australians plan to travel domestically in 2021.

“We have a lot of repair work to do given the huge toll the COVID-19 crisis took on airlines,” Mr Evans said in a statement on Tuesday.

Jetstar’s research of more than 1500 travellers reveals that Melbourne and Hobart are experiencing the biggest rise in popularity, while Cairns and the Gold Coast are particularly popular with families.

As part of its annual Christmas sale Jetstar on Tuesday tipped more than 300,000 domestic flights onto the market which will be operated by its Airbus A320s, which normally fly its Bali and Singapore routes.

Meanwhile, Virgin Australia is fending off an attack on its loyalty points by Qantas and yesterday expanded its Velocity gold status match offer to include members from oneworld partner airlines such as Emirates, Air New Zealand and Fiji Airways.

Virgin said the expanded eligibility follows an overwhelming number of requests from oneworld airline partner members.

Virgin Australia chief executive Jayne Hrdlicka said the airline had received thousands of applications from Qantas Frequent Flyer members wanting to take advantage of cheaper fares.

Virgin Australia has also re-opened its lounges in Sydney and Melbourne, adding that its Perth, Adelaide and Gold Coast lounges would shortly follow suit.

Virgin Australia is also waiving change fees on domestic bookings for up to January 31.

Hoteliers are also offering cheap travel deals with average daily room rates down nearly 37 per cent in November, compared with November, 2019 according to STR. The data house said the average daily room rate for a Sydney hotel was now $154.75.