Australia – Jetstar Asia, the Singapore-based low-cost subsidiary of Qantas, has announced that it will be shutting down on July 31, citing growing operational challenges and rising competition in the aviation industry across the region.

In a press statement, Qantas said that only 16 intra-Asia routes will be impacted by the closure of Jetstar Asia, with no changes to Jetstar Airways and Jetstar Japan services into Asia. All of Jetstar Airways international services in and out of Australia remain unchanged.

Moreover, 13 Jetstar Asia Airbus A320 aircraft to be progressively redeployed to Australia and New Zealand bringing more low fares and more local jobs

Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson said, “Jetstar Asia has been a pioneering force in the Asian aviation market for more than 20 years, making air travel accessible to millions of customers across Southeast Asia.”

She added, “We are incredibly proud of the Jetstar Asia team and the work they have done to deliver low fares, strong operational performance and exceptional customer service. This is a very tough day for them. Despite their best efforts, we have seen some of Jetstar Asia’s supplier costs increase by up to 200 per cent, which has materially changed its cost base.”

Jetstar Asia customers with existing bookings on cancelled flights will be offered full refunds and the Group will look to reaccommodate customers onto other airlines where possible.

All affected Jetstar Asia employees will be provided redundancy benefits as well as employment support services. Qantas is also actively working to find job opportunities across the Group and with other airlines in the region.

The airline is expected to post a $35 million underlying EBIT loss this financial year, prior to the closure decision.

“Despite delivering exceptional customer service and operational reliability; Jetstar Asia has been impacted by rising supplier costs, high airport fees, and intensified competition in the region. This has fundamentally challenged the low-cost airline’s ability to deliver returns comparable to the stronger performing core markets in the Group,” the company stated.

Jetstar Asia was launched in 2004, as a partnership between Qantas, Singaporean businessmen Tony Chew (22%) and FF Wong (10%) and the Singapore government’s investment company, Temasek Holdings (Private) Limited (19%). Currently, Westbrook Investments serves as majority shareholder with 51% share.

Singapore – Australian low-cost airline JetStar has announced a new brand platform, urging travellers to ‘Make It Count’ in 2024. Notably, this marks the next chapter of an ongoing partnership for Jetstar and The Secret Little Agency (TSLA) crafting the airline’s brand platform, with the last brand proposition, ‘Because You Can,’ created over seven years ago.

The ‘Make It Count’ campaign hopes to encourage people to overcome planning procrastination and put intention behind travel, emphasizing the importance of purposeful journeys. Reflecting strategic shifts in the travel landscape, the campaign also rallies travellers to emphasize the quality of their experiences and the importance of understanding why they travel rather than just where they’re going.

The creation of the new brand platform is accompanied with a new brand toolkit, complete with a library of assets for use across digital, social, and various destinations and occasions. 

This includes a film that takes the audience on a visceral adventure, where viewers will journey through a visual scrapbook, capturing the essence of meaningful travel experiences that linger long after the journey ends. The film, shot in hot travel destinations across Asia featuring Jetstar’s crew, aims to resonate with modern travellers living out their journeys with intention and purpose.

Belinda Allen, regional manager of group marketing and direct sales for Asia at Qantas and Jetstar Airways, said, “Jetstar has always been about more than just reaching a destination; it’s about the journey and the many stories we create along the way. ‘Make It Count’ is not just a campaign; it’s a commitment to meaningful travel experiences, encouraging our passengers to embrace the why behind their journeys, and ensuring every trip is a chapter worth remembering.”

She added, “We are committed to giving everyone the opportunity to enjoy these meaningful travel experiences affordably and to rediscover our destinations over and over again. We’re excited to continue the partnership with The Secret Little Agency to bring this to life – as the creative agency that created our brand platform 7 years ago, we knew there was no better partner to help us in this new wave of travel.”

Meanwhile, Mavis Neo and Nicholas Ye, co-chief creative officers at The Secret Little Agency, commented, “Our goal was to craft a platform that transcends the ordinary, resonates with the modern traveller’s mindset, and showcases Jetstar’s commitment to a new era of purposeful travel. ‘Make It Count’ is not just a tagline; it’s a creative journey that takes the audience beyond the destination, making every moment a canvas for memorable experiences.”

The brand platform launches in celebration of Jetstar’s 19th birthday sale happening 12 December 2023, and is expected to run well into 2024 across digital programmatic, social, and OOH including iconic billboards across Asia Pacific.