Another new type in Australian skies as Jetstar introduces A321s

Jetstar will launch its new 213-seat Airbus A321s on routes between Melbourne and Queensland in March as part of an aggressive expansion that will add 18 weekly flights to and from the Victorian capital.

Melbourne gets the first three A321s and, subject to regulatory approval, is planning to launch the new aircraft type on an expanded Melbourne-Cairns service on March 18.

A second A321 service will start between Melbourne and the Gold Coast on April 8.

Jetstar is due to get 17 A321s as part of its recent order of up to 108 aircraft.

The new planes are in addition to a previous order of nine A320s that are due to start feeding into the fleet from next month.

The A321s are expected to create more than 150 jobs in Melbourne and will be part of an expansion that will add 8500 weekly seats to the airline’s Melbourne domestic operations.

The build-up will bring the number of weekly return services out of the city to 200 by April and will see capacity added to key tourist Queensland destinations as new entrant Tiger Airways ramps up its operations.

The increases will see Melbourne-Cairns move from seven to 11 times weekly and additional daily services added to Hobart and the Sunshine Coast.

Three of the eight daily return services between Melbourne and the Gold Coast will be operated by A321s.

Jetstar chief executive Alan Joyce said the new capacity would add almost 2500 weekly seats to each of the Melbourne-Hobart and Melbourne-Sunshine Coast markets.

It would inject a further 2100 seats a week into the Melbourne-Cairns route and 1400 additional seats on the Melbourne-Gold Coast services.

“Our introduction of an A321 fleet firstly on to some of our strongest domestic routes from Melbourne is in direct response to existing growth opportunities,” Mr Joyce said.

“As the largest member of the A320 family, the A321 offers Jetstar a suite of benefits to meet the demands of a growing market and to maintain our low-fares leadership position.”

The Jetstar announcement came as Tiger yesterday launched services between Melbourne and Launceston.

The airline marked the launch with the sale of 7500 seats starting at $19.95 one way for travel next year.

Launceston joins the Gold Coast, Rockhampton, Mackay, Perth and the Sunshine Coast as Tiger routes launched since Friday.

Six other destinations will join Tiger’s Melbourne-based network by early next year.