Jetstar Japan Launches Low-Cost Flights from Manila to Three Japanese Cities

Budget carrier Jetstar Japan launched the first of three routes from Manila to Japan on March 15 with the introduction of new low-cost flights between Manila and Tokyo Narita. Earlier this year, the carrier also announced that it will be launching low-cost flights to Nagoya and Osaka.

jetstar japan manila
Image Source: Jetstar Airways/Flickr
The Japanese carrier is battling to win passengers over from competing Philippine budget carrier, Cebu Pacific, which also operates low-cost flights to the same three Japanese cities from Manila. According to Jetstar Japan's Chairman, Masaru Kataoka, passengers can expect even lower fares. 

"Our tagline is all day, every day low fares," said Kataoka. "We have a computerized system that studies the fares offered by our competitors on a daily basis and we will adjust to that by finding the lowest fare in the market and pricing ours even lower."

Jetstar Japan will operate one daily flight between Manila and Tokyo Narita. Daily low-cost flights from Manila to Nagoya will begin on April 1, while flights from Manila to Osaka will launch on April 7. Sister carrier, Jetstar Asia, already operates four weekly flights between Manila and Osaka, while Jetstar Japan will also operate up to four weekly flights. 

All flights will be operated by three Airbus A320 aircraft in a 180-seat configuration. Kataoka noted that there is much potential in the Philippines. However, the carrier is not targeting business travellers. "We're not targeting business travellers, but the young generation, those around the age of 30," stated Kataoka. "There is a big potential in the tourist flow between the Philippines and Japan."

Kataoka cited statistics, which indicate that 230,000 Filipinos visited Japan in 2015. Meanwhile, the Philippines hosted 400,000 tourists from Japan. The numbers of travellers between the two countries is expected to rise, particularly following Japan's move to relax visa restrictions on Filipinos. 

Although the Philippines is a thriving low-cost carrier market with strong local players such as Cebu Pacific, Kataoka remains confident that the market has room for more. "Since 2004, Jetstar has built our reputation for providing low fares and making travel more affordable," said Kataoka. "We hold true to that commitment and this is what we are bringing with us with this latest international offering. We offer the lowest fare in the market." 

While Jetstar Japan intends to spend the remainder of this year concentrating on its new operations in Manila, the carrier has ambitions to launch direct flights from Japan to other destinations in the Philippines in the future.

Jetstar Japan is the largest low-cost carrier in Japan with a fleet of twenty Airbus A320 aircraft. The carrier is a joint venture between Qantas and Japan Airlines, operating more than 100 flights to 17 domestic and 5 international destinations. All Jetstar Japan flights will arrive and depart from Terminal 1 at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila.

3 comments:

  1. The Japanese love to go to Philippines during their winter, I imagine

    ReplyDelete
  2. did they discontinued their flights?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Airplanes are like metal birds, gracefully defying gravity and taking us to new heights. AV8 Prep private pilot license

    ReplyDelete

Powered by Blogger.