Jetstar Inks Interline Agreements With Cathay Pacific And Dragonair

Jetstar, the Australian budget airline, has launched two new interline agreements, with Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific and Dragonair that will allow customers to purchase a Jetstar or Jetstar Pacific flight as part of a single integrated transaction and travel itinerary.

Cathay Pacific operates up to 18 daily services between Hong Kong and Australia, New Zealand, and Vietnam, while Dragonair offers an extensive North Asian network and connects into Jetstar Pacific in Vietnam via Hanoi.

For passengers connecting international to international under the agreement, Jetstar will provide Cathay Pacific and Dragonair customers baggage allowances, through bag-tagging and on select services, complimentary onboard offerings such as meals and comfort packs.

David Koczkar, Jetstar's chief commercial officer, commented that the new agreements were part of Jetstar's ongoing expansion into the China market.

Koczkar said this would provide a new and important connection for inbound Hong Kong and Chinese travelers to and around Australia, as well as within Asia on its Pan Asian network.

He added that these agreements will allow Cathay Pacific and Dragonair customers to access and book a Jetstar domestic or international sector as part of a single seamless reservation. And this would be particularly attractive for Hong Kong and Chinese flyers planning travel to and within Australia and New Zealand, as well as on the carrier's growing domestic Vietnamese operations.

According to a recent international visitors survey, China is now Australia's largest source market in terms of economic value, with 408,000 Chinese visiting Australia in the year to September 2010 and contributing tourism revenues of USD3 billion.

The agreements mark the 16th and 17th established interline airline agreements in Jetstar's growing network of carrier partnerships including those with Qantas, Air France/KLM, American Airlines, Air Canada, and Japan Airlines.