Qantas’ short-haul fleet plan
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A Bloomberg report said the airline would buy 68 Airbus A320 family aircraft and 31 Boeing 737-800s. Qantas and its Jetstar low-fare airline unit also have options for 40 more A320s and 49 additional 737s, it added.
The aircraft will be used to defend a minimum 65 percent Group share of the Australian domestic market and to expand low cost services to Southeast Asia, a statement from Qantas said.
Jetstar will set up bases in Darwin and Perth to expand into Southeast Asia as Tiger Airways and Virgin Blue Holdings add flights in Australia to challenge Qantas.
“With Tiger Airways’ entry coming any day now and Virgin Blue doing well, the domestic space is getting crowded,” Adam Kirkpatrick, general manager of CAPA Consulting, was quoted saying.
“The smaller planes will give Qantas greater market accessibility and tax and fuel advantages.”
Qantas Chief Executive Geoff Dixon said the first aircraft to arrive in February next year will be an A321 and “we expect to take at least 17 of those aircraft to expand Jetstar’s opportunities in its fastest growing markets”.
The Boeing planes will arrive during a six-year period starting in early 2009.
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