Low fares leader Jetstar will continue its growth of international low fares services into China announcing another first with future and first time direct Singapore to Hangzhou services to commence in mid March.
Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang Province on the Chinese mainland east coast, is one of China’s most visited cities by tourists, attracting tens of millions annual visitors including increasing numbers of foreign travelers to its renowned natural beauty and historic and cultural heritage.
Commencing from 22 March 2011 Jetstar will become the first carrier to offer a non-stop Singapore to Hangzhou flights, which will be operated by carrier’s growing A320 fleet.
Initially flying three times weekly, Jetstar’s Singapore-Hangzhou flying will grow to four times weekly by 27 March 2011.
Hangzhou (Shanghai)* will become Jetstar’s seventh Chinese destination and its fourth Chinese market introduced in the past twelve months.
From Singapore Changi Airport Jetstar currently serves Haikou, Shantou and Guilin with multiweekly direct flights, and flies at least daily services from Singapore to Greater China destinations of Hong Kong, Taipei and Macau.
Jetstar Asia CEO Ms Chong Phit Lian joined Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport executives and Chinese Government officials in Hangzhou to announce details of the new service. “Hangzhou has long been in our sights as an important addition to our growing Chinese network served directly from our major Singapore flying hub at Changi,” Ms Chong said. “Hangzhou is one of China’s, if not the region’s, most desirable tourism spots and we have no doubt that our low fare offering will inspire more and more new and repeat travellers not only from Singapore but from other parts of the Jetstar network across the Asia Pacific to visit,” she said.
According to the Hangzhou Tourism Board, more than 500,000 Singaporeans visited Hangzhou last year and more than 300,000 Australians.
“As an emerging player in the Chinese market, we hope to play a positive future role in global aviation’s key future travel market. Our future planned Singapore-Hangzhou services form part of this strategy to further grow our low fare services to China,” Mr Buchanan said.
“This route will be particularly attractive to travellers from Zhejiang Province planning their travel to Singapore and then beyond to Jetstar’s Asia Pacific network of over 50 destinations. We will be focusing on marketing Singapore both as a hub and as a destination.”
