Happy 15th Birthday Jetstar

Jetstar Airways Pty Ltd, trading as Jetstar, is an Australian low-cost airline wholly owned subsidiary of Qantas. In 2001 QANTAS bought out Newcastle based Impulse Airlines and began operating its fleet of Boeing 717-200 aircraft under the QANTAS Link banner. On 1st December 2003 QANTAS announced the decision to launch a low-cost carrier called "Jetstar" to take on the rapidly expanding Virgin Blue and decided to use the Impulse AOC to speed up the launch. At the official launch of the new carrier QANTAS announced they have placed an order for 23 Airbus A320s. With headquarters at Avalon airport Jetstar began services on 25th May 2004 using Boeing 717-200 from the Impulse fleet. Fifteen years ago today a Boeing 717-231 VH-VQI (CN 55095) touched down in Melbourne from Newcastle as JQ371. Airbus A320 services were launched later that year. On the 1st December 2005, Jetstar commenced operations from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast to Christchurch in New Zealand. On 7 December 2005, it was announced that Jetstar would establish the world's first global low-cost airline. At the end of 2005, it was announced that Jetstar would fly to Perth, from Avalon Airport. 

In June 2015, Jetstar announced that it would commence regional services in New Zealand, beginning in December that same year. The new services would be flown by five turboprop Bombardier Dash 8s operated by Eastern Australia Airlines, one of Qantas' subsidiary regional airlines, under the Jetstar brand. At least four new destinations would be served initially, with Hamilton, Rotorua, New Plymouth, Napier, Palmerston North, Nelson and Invercargill named as the cities under consideration. On 31 August 2015, Jetstar announced it had selected the first four regional centres it would serve at the commencement of operations on the 1st December; these were Napier, Nelson, New Plymouth and Palmerston North. All four cities have services to Auckland; Nelson also has services to Wellington.

JETSTAR DASH 8 Q300 VH-TQD (CN 598)

JETSTAR DASH 8 Q300 VH-TQK (CN 600)

Jetstar has had different aircraft and many different liveries; below are some of the images I have taken over the years.

JETSTAR B717-231 VH-VQJ (CN 55096) BUDGET LIVERY

JETSTAR B717-231 VH-YQH (CN 55096) DOMINOS PIZZA LIVERY

THIS AIRCRAFT WAS PREVIOUSLY REGISTERED AS VH-VQJ

AS SEEN ABOVE; IT IS NOW CURRENTLY REGISTERED AS VH-NXN

JETSTAR A320-232 VH-JQX (CN 2197)

JETSTAR A320-232 VH-VGP (CN 4343)

CELEBRATING "POWDERFINDERS" AUSTRALIAN TOUR

JETSTAR A320-232 VH-VGZ (CN 3917) QUICKSILVER LIVERY

JETSTAR A320-232 VH-VQH (CN 55094)

CELEBRATING OUR AUSTRALIAN RUGBY LEAGUE TEAM

THE KANGAROOS

JETSTAR A320-232 VH-VQQ (CN 2573) SEA WORLD LIVERY

JETSTAR A320-232 VH-VQP (CN 2573) GOLD COAST "TITANS"

JETSTAR A320-232 VH-VFL (CN 5489)

"HELPING LITTLE ATHS REACH FOR THE STARS"

JETSTAR A320-232 VH-VGF (CN 4497)

BRIGHT ORANGE TO CELEBRATE THIER 10th BIRTHDAY

JETSTAR A320-232 VH-VQK (CN 2651)

SPORTING THE LAUNCESTON AIRPORT LIVERY

JETSTAR A330-202 VH-EBC (CN 506) PAINTED WHITE

THIS AIRCRAFT HAS NOW RETURNED TO QANTAS

JETSTAR A330-202 VH-EBD (CN 513)

JETSTAR B787-800 VH-VKG (CN 36232)

As of August 2018 the Jetstar Airways fleet consists of the following aircraft:

Jetstar Airways fleet

Aircraft	In service	Orders	Passengers			Notes
			J	Y	Total
Airbus A320-200	52	—	—	180	180
Airbus A320neo	—		—	186	186
Airbus A321-200	8	—	—	220	220
			—	230	230
Airbus A321neo	—		—	232	232
Airbus A321LR	—	18				Deliveries from mid-2020
Boeing 787-8	11	—	21	314	335
Total	71