Australia’s Jetstar to launch flights in Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — Australian budget carrier Jetstar plans to enter the Philippine market in yet another signal of foreign airlines’ growing interest to launch in the country.

The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) said it is set to hear on June 26 a petition filed by Jetstar Airways to mount flights to Perth and Brisbane from Manila and Cebu, respectively.

CAB executive director Carmelo Arcilla said Jetstar wants approval for its filing for a foreign air carrier’s permit (FACP) to operate scheduled flights between the Philippines and Australia.

“Based on its application for FACP, (Jetstar) intends to operate Perth-Manila and Brisbane-Cebu routes. Hearing on the application for a FACP of Jetstar is still ongoing,” Arcilla told The STAR.

CAB scheduled the pre-marking and comparison of documents to be presented in the hearing on June 19.

Jetstar has to submit the marked documents to CAB’s Hearing Examiners’ Division three days after.

Further, CAB asked parties opposed to Jetstar’s plan to mount Manila-Perth and Cebu-Brisbane flights to write an objection and submit it before the pre-marking date.

Jetstar, headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, is owned by Qantas, Australia’s flag carrier.

In March, Qantas filed before Australia’s International Air Services Commission an application for capacity so Jetstar can expand in the Philippines via Manila and Cebu.

If approved, the flights will operate three times a week, with Jetstar assigning 232-seater Airbus A321neos. Jetstar hopes to begin both flights by Nov. 27 in time for peak travel during the Christmas season.

Among local operators, flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) is the lone player offering Manila flights to Perth. PAL also reaches Brisbane on a daily basis, but from Manila, making Jetstar the only carrier to connect Cebu and Australia if it receives regulatory approval.

Low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific also mounts Manila services to Australia, particularly Melbourne and Sydney, on a weekly frequency.

Jetstar’s application for FACP marks its return to the Philippines after a 11-year hiatus following the 2014 closure of its Manila-Darwin flights that lasted for three years.

Meanwhile, Jetstar’s parent Qantas also operates flights out of Manila, linking the city to Sydney on a daily schedule and Brisbane four times a week.

Filipinos make up the fifth largest migrant group in Australia, according to data from Australia’s Department of Home Affairs. As of 2023, there are nearly 362,000 Filipinos living in Australia for either work or studies.

Recently, the Philippines is getting more interest from foreign carriers to operate out of its main gateway in Manila. Arcilla said the country might land more one-stop flights to the US if Japanese and Korean carriers push through with their expansion here.

CAB has wrapped up air talks with Japan and South Korea where it received intent from foreign airlines to launch connecting flights to the US.