Commitment Includes 78 A320neo Aircraft

Qantas, Japan Airlines, and Mitsubishi said Tuesday they plan to launch a budget airline called Jetstar by the end of 2012. The new carrier plans to offer short-haul international service to selected Asian cities. The French news service AFP reports that the new airline will be owned equally by the three entities, and will begin service using three new A320 airliners.

The unveiling of plans for the new airline comes at the same time as an announcement that for the first time, Qantas has selected the Airbus A320 aircraft to launch its new as-yet-unnamed premium airline to service routes to and from Australia and the Asian region. The commitment to order a minimum of 106 A320 Family aircraft includes 78 A320neo jets.

In a news release, Qantas said the decision to go with Airbus for its short to medium haul operations underpins the Qantas long term strategy to build up a fleet of the world's most fuel efficient and reliable aircraft.

The A320neo is a new engine option for the A320 Family to enter service in 2015. It incorporates latest generation engines and large "Sharklet" wing tip devices, which together will deliver 15 percent in fuel and CO2 emission savings. In parallel with this new order, Qantas has decided to adapt deliveries of the last six of its twenty A380s to the airline's new business plan. This affects deliveries after 2013.

At present, Qantas' A380 fleet stands at ten, making the carrier the third largest A380 operator worldwide.

Qantas will make its engine decision at a later date

FMI: www.qantas.com, www.airbus.com