From deBeer

PostID 373877 On Wednesday, December 29, 2004 (EST) at 10:48:00 AM

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I found this article a week or so ago and as it contradicted what the article I posted about Jetstar using digEplayers, I wrote both reporters (the writer of this article as well as the article of the Jetstar /digEplayer story) for clarification. The writer from the article below stood by his story that tests using various handheld devices were going to take place and he felt the use of the term ``digEplayer`` by the other reporter was in a generic way. The original reporter did not respond.

Anyway, a correction of the original article appeared today.

Sorry for the confusion and false reporting on Jetstar.

Jetstar expands horizons

By Steve Creedy

December 21, 2004

JETSTAR is looking to widen the way it sells fares to give customers booking options beyond the internet, call centres and SMS.

Jetstar spokesman Simon Westaway said yesterday the low-cost carrier was looking at ``other distribution outlets`` to sell fares.

``I guess what we`re trying to do is find touch points our customer base interacts with,`` Mr Westaway said.

``There are some potential further web-based opportunities for us and there are opportunities through a number of third parties.``

Asked whether this included the Asian model of selling tickets through convenience stores, Mr Westaway said: ``We`re having a look at a few different things.

``I think, though, simplicity is important and Jetstar.com has been our driver of ticket sales and for information ... so we want to be very disciplined to the model and we`re not going to do anything too whacky.``

The airline is continuing its expansion and yesterday doubled capacity on the Newcastle-Brisbane route to twice daily and launched a direct Launceston-Brisbane flight.

The carrier brought in its fifth 177-seat A320 last week and a sixth arrives this week.

Two additional new A320s will go into service in January and two more arrive from Jetstar Asia in March.

This will allow a new schedule in late March that will make Hamilton Island, where the airline has been criticised by well-heeled residents as too downmarket, the carrier`s first all-Airbus port.

``I guess for a product perspective, that`s a very strong signal ... that we`re putting our best aircraft product on that market,`` he said.

Mr Westaway said Jetstar was also looking at technology that, from early next year, would allow business travellers to buy an excess baggage allowance and meal vouchers through their web or phone booking.

``We are getting a segment of regular business traffic now - on some routes it`s upwards of 20 per cent,`` he said.

Mr Westaway said the airline had not yet decided on how it would introduce hand-held entertainment units capable of storing films, TV programs and games.

He said the airline was assessing different models and would need to conduct a trial to see how the technology affected its operations, particularly on shorter routes.

The trial would look at how the units could be loaded on and off the plane, handed out and recharged efficiently.

``The integrity of our aircraft turn and the integrity of our cost base is always something we will have an eye to,`` he said.

He said a hot food service was being trialled and the airline was looking how it could best be introduced.

Jetstar again topped the on-time statistics for the major carriers in October, although overall on-time performance dropped slightly due to volatile weather conditions.

Jetstar`s flights arrived within 15 minutes of schedule 86.5 per cent of the time compared with 83.6 per cent by Qantas and an improved 81 per cent at Virgin Blue.

In the regional category, 91.1 per cent of flights at Perth-based airline Skywest arrived on time, compared with 90.1 per cent at Regional Express and 84.6 per cent at Qantaslink.

Jetstar Asia handhelds: we jumped the gun

December 29, 2004 – IT seems that reports of an APS digEplayer win in the competition to supply new Singapore-based low-cost carrier Jetstar Asia with handheld IFE were a trifle premature (Inflight Online, December 20).

Impeccable industry sources indicate that all three potential suppliers – IMS Consultants (with PEA) and General Dynamics (YES!), as well as APS – are still in the running, with a decision due in February.

The clarification also reveals that the selection process is in fact being driven by Australian-based Jetstar, sister company of Jetstar Asia, member of the Qantas Group and nose-to-nose rival to Virgin Blue. Jetstar’s use of handheld IFE has been approved at high level, and other Qantas-related companies such as Jetstar Asia and Australian Airlines are being encouraged to look at the technology.

A Jetstar request for proposals was to have been issued to all three suppliers by the end of this month, with responses due in the second half of January. The airline expects to conclude negotiations with the preferred supplier in February before proceeding to an in-service trial.