Jetstar increasing Darwin-Sydney daytime flights from September 18, 2009; starting night flights from October

Jetstar Airways, the budget carrier based in Melbourne, Australia, has announced that it is raising the number of its weekly services between the Australian cities of Darwin and Sydney.

At present, Jetstar Airways offers 5 flights a week between Darwin, the capital city of Northern Territory in Australia, and Sydney, the largest city in Australia.

In a press release, Jetstar says that, from September 18, 2009, the airline will add 2 flights on the Darwin-Sydney route – taking the total number to 7 flights a week in the daytime.

The daytime flights have been scheduled to leave Darwin International Airport for Sydney Airport around 7.30 a.m.

In addition, Jetstar says it is planning to start 3 additional nighttime flights between Darwin and Sydney by the middle of October 2009 – with the flights taking off at about 1 a.m.

According to Jetstar, these extra flights between Darwin and Sydney will enhance the carrier’s domestic capacity in Darwin by 1,770 seats weekly.
Also, the flights from Sydney to Darwin will be so timed as to connect with other flights of Jetstar Airways to Singapore, Vietnam and Bali.

Bruce Buchanan, chief executive of Jetstar Airways, says in the press release that the extra flights are being introduced notwithstanding the fact that the peak tourist season in Darwin, or the dry season, will come to an end by the time the additional services take off. This venture, Buchanan adds, is proof of Jetstar’s “commitment to making Darwin a top-end hub.”

Providing the passengers from Sydney more access to Darwin, according to Bruce Buchanan, will offer new alternatives for both Darwin and Sydney as well as greater options for tourism in Northern Territory.

Meanwhile, in another development, Jetstar Airways has introduced a new ‘self-tagging” technology at its 4 airports in Australia – Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown.

The self-tagging facility lets passengers print bag-tags at self-check kiosks before depositing luggage at designated points in the 4 airports.

Jetstar Airways claims that the ‘self-tagging” technology will help save time and also give passengers “greater control” at check-in.

Trials conducted at airports in Australia and New Zealand, the airline says, have shown that ‘self-tagging” resulted in reducing processing time for checked baggage by about 50%.