Jetstar Asia takes over Valuair flights to Indonesia

Budget carrier Jetstar Asia will take over operations of Valuair flights between Singapore and its four ports in Indonesia from Sunday (Oct 26).

This follows the lifting of operating restrictions for foreign low cost carriers (LCCs) by the Indonesian government, Jetstar Asia said in a press release on Friday (Oct 24).

It added that it will continue operating up to 52 return services between Singapore and Indonesia, with no changes to the current schedule. Flights operated under the Valuair "VF" flight code will now be operated with the Jetstar Asia "3K" code.

“It’s business as usual for our flights between Singapore and Indonesia,” Jetstar Asia CEO Barathan Pasupathi said.

“Operating under the one brand with one airline code will further streamline and simplify customer communications particularly for our growing number of Indonesia passengers travelling with us through Singapore to one of the other 18 Jetstar Asia destinations.”

Jetstar Asia currently has a fleet of 18 180-seat Airbus A320 aircraft, and flies from Singapore to Jakarta, Medan, Surabaya and Denpasar (Bali). Valuair when launched in 2004 was the first low-cost airline in Singapore, but was acquired the next year by Jetstar Asia.

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Lion Air reportedly in talks to buy Qantas stake in Jetstar

Indonesian carrier Lion Air is reportedly in talks with Australia’s Qantas Airways to buy its stake in Singapore-based budget airline Jetstar Asia.

Reuters reported on Monday that the talks to acquire Qantas’ 49 per cent stake in Jetstar are still at an early stage, citing an unidentified person familiar with the matter.

The source also said any purchase would have to be approved by Singapore regulators. It is not known how much the potential deal would be worth.

According to Reuters, a Qantas spokesperson called the matter “speculation”, while Jetstar and Lion Air declined to comment.

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Self-service check-ins, bag drops on trial at Changi Airport

Travellers departing from Changi Airport can now check in and deposit their bags with Jetstar Asia via self-service kiosks, according to Changi Airport Group (CAG).

The airport operator said in a statement on Friday (May 30) it is currently trialling a number of self-service functions – check in, bag tagging and bag drop – with Jetstar as its airline partner. The trial is ongoing and will run until August 2014, it added.

Two bag drop units and four check-in kiosks have been fitted alongside the Jetstar check-in counters in Terminal 1, and passengers on selected flights will be able to use these self-service options.

Findings from the ongoing trial will be used to assess improvements and adjustments needed for the various systems, while feedback from passengers will also be sought to finetune operations and processes to achieve better user experience, the company said.

The pilot is part of CAG's Fast and Seamless Travel at Changi (FAST@Changi) programme, as the company looks to improve productivity and operational efficiency using technology.

"The implementation of FAST@Changi is in line with a wider global push towards increasing automation at airports to improve producitivity and efficiency, while providing passengers with greater flexibility and convenience," said Mr Tan Lye Teck, Executive Vice President of Airport Management at CAG.

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Republic Polytechnic, Jetstar collaborate to nurture potential aviation professionals

Republic Polytechnic (RP) and Jetstar Asia are collaborating to nurture potential aviation professionals.

RP and the carrier have signed a three-year agreement that will offer regular internship opportunities for RP students.

Students pursuing a Diploma in Civil Aviation will get to fly as full-fledged members of the Jetstar cabin crew to various destinations for 20 weeks of their internship period.

Jetstar Asia will also offer attachments in areas like airline management, engineering and flight operations.

RP students who complete the internship will also be considered for full-time employment by Jetstar Asia.

RP students will also undertake final-year projects defined by Jetstar Asia, with airline staff acting as co-supervisors to provide guidance.

The projects will focus on issues related to flight operations, crew resource management and engineering cost decisions.

Jetstar Asia said it will review these projects for real-world adoption. 

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Very good initiative by the airline, perhaps following the example of SIA who started with the programme of intern cabin crew. Aviation courses in RP will definitely become hotcakes when such opportunities are present. Students are able to receive real industrial experience and the airline is able to get affordable employees. It's a win-win situation for both parties

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