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Jetstar has officially launched its new route connecting Melbourne with Sri Lanka.
The low-cost carrier’s inaugural Colombo flight, JQ5, took off from Melbourne just after 12:30pm on Tuesday aboard the 787-8 Dreamliner VH-VKA. Jetstar is the first Australian airline to operate the route, and will compete with SriLankan Airlines.
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“Sri Lanka has so much to offer, and we’re excited to make it more affordable for Australians to experience its beautiful beaches, incredible wildlife, rich culture and world-class food,” said Jetstar CEO Stephanie Tully.
“With Jetstar’s low fares, our new Melbourne to Colombo service will make Sri Lanka more accessible than ever for Australians.
“We’ve already seen strong demand for flights, and Victoria is home to Australia’s largest Sri Lankan community, so we’re expecting the route to be popular with holidaymakers and those visiting family and friends.
“This route showcases just how far our refreshed Dreamliner fleet can take us, opening the door to even more long-haul destinations in the future.”
Colombo is Jetstar’s 10th international destination from Melbourne, and Melbourne Airport CEO Lorie Argus said it will add more choice and competition.
“This direct service is about connecting people, not just places, with more than 50 per cent of Sri-Lankan born Australian residents calling Victoria home,” she said.
“We’re delighted to see Jetstar expand its long-haul network from Melbourne, giving Victorians easier, more affordable access to one of Asia’s most vibrant destinations in Colombo.
“Every new direct route we add strengthens Melbourne’s global connections and gives our passengers and exporters more choice.”
The route is enabled by the ongoing internal refresh of Jetstar’s 787-8 fleet, with the addition of a new crew rest area extending the Dreamliners’ range to around 16 hours.
Speaking in April, Ted Knight, head of network and fleet strategy for the airline, the upgrade is “about providing flexibility so that people can pay for what they choose and get a tailored product to suit their needs”.
“Our 787s have an extensive network across Asia. They already fly to Japan, to Korea, to Vietnam and Thailand and Singapore,” he said.
“Part of what we’re doing with this new cabin enhancement, and the extended range that we get from the crew rest, is it means we can potentially expand that to further destinations.”
All 11 of Jetstar’s 787s are in line for the overhaul.
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