Japan Airlines Expands Codeshare Agreement With Australia's Jetstar

Japan Airlines (JAL) has announced a new code-share partnership with Jetstar Airways on the Japan - Australia route. The announcement was made on 24th of November and it comes into effect from 25th for both sales and flights.

The arrangement incorporates flights run by Jetstar on routes linking Japan's major cities - Tokyo and Osaka with Gold Coast in Queensland Australia.

JAL, in a bid to stay afloat, has announced a number of code-shares in the recent past on routes that it no longer operates on and in the process effectively becoming a booking agent for partner airlines.

Jetstar flights operating daily and linking Japan and Australia will now feature JAL’s designator. The codeshare agreement only incorporates the economy class on these flights.

Fares offered by JAL under the arrangement will be inclusive of on board meals and soft drinks. For additional alcoholic drinks and snacks one has to pay onboard the flights to and from Australia.

JAL suspended its own cheap flights to and from Australia in 2007. This new codeshare arrangement with the Jetstar Airways allows JAL to uphold its network between Osaka and Australia.

However, this is not the first business deal between JAL and Jetstar. In the year 2007, JAL has marketed flights operated by Jetstar that connect Tokyo and Osaka with Australian city of Cairns. JAL offers air tickets on Qantas flights to Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne served by codeshare flights with Qantas Airways via Singapore.

JAL presently operates one daily flight between Tokyo and Brisbane, and between Tokyo and Sydney. It also features codeshare flights operated by Qantas between Japan and Australia.

Jetstar Airways, a subsidiary of Qantas, is an Australian low-cost airline that offers cheap flights. Jetstar’s major hub is the Melbourne Airport while its focus cities are Perth, Hobart, Auckland and Darwin.