Jetstar Asia will introduce a number of initiatives to give passengers increased peace-of-mind as travel restrictions start to ease and Jetstar Asia increases the number of services it operates.To be launched on 7 September 2020, the Fly Well program brings together a host of measures, in line with government regulations, best-practice medical advice and feedback from customers.
Fly Well Program
The Fly Well program will include the following assurance measures:
Pre-flight:
• Social distancing to be practiced throughout the airport
• Temperature checking pre-boarding
• Sequenced boarding to minimise crowding
• Working with airports on other safeguards in the terminal, including regular disinfection of security screening points and installing hygiene screens at airline customer service desks wherever practical
• In line with public health advice, anyone with cold and flu-like symptoms will be denied boarding and offered extra flexibility to enable them to rebook their travel
On board:
• A sanitizing wipe to be distributed to each passenger upon boarding
• Masks to be worn on board by all passengers and crew – passengers must supply their own mask
• Regular enhanced cleaning of aircraft during flight, transit and at the end of each day, using a
disinfectant effective against COVID-19, with a focus on high contact areas including seats, seatbelts, overhead lockers, air vents and toilets
• Limited on-board services to minimise contact between crew and passengers
• Rows blocked to create “isolation zones” on board
• Sequenced disembarkation to minimise crowding
• The air conditioning systems of all Jetstar aircraft are already fitted with hospital-grade HEPA filters, which remove 99.9% of all particles including viruses. The air inside the cabin is also refreshed every few minutes, ensuring the highest possible quality of cabin air.
• All airline employees are required to follow strict personal hygiene protocols, for the benefit of
themselves and others
Fly Flexible Program
In addition, Jetstar’s Fly Flexible program will continue to provide customers the confidence to book by offering increased booking flexibility.
As part of the Fly Flexible program, passengers are eligible to make one free change* on all Jetstar Asia bookings made between 7 March and 31 October 2020 for travel before 31 December 2020.
Jetstar Asia has also extended the validity of travel vouchers from six months to 12 months and vouchers are now for multi-use, allowing the voucher to be used on more than one booking.
Increased flying Jetstar Asia has recently increased the number of services it operates to key Southeast Asian ports creating more essential travel links and assisting with freight in the region.
In addition to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Manila, Jetstar Asia has reintroduced services to Clark, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, and Penang, with Phnom Penh to join the network from 18 September. The low-cost carrier now operates up to 26 services a week for citizens and permanent residents returning home, or those with prior approval for travel.
COMMENTS
Jetstar Asia CEO Bara Pasupathi said: “At Jetstar Asia, safety is our first priority and we have implemented a number of measures so people can book and fly with confidence.
“These measures, in addition to the high standards of service we already offer, include extra hygiene practices in place throughout the customers’ journey to ensure we create a safe cabin environment for passengers and crew.
“And with changing border restrictions, we wanted to give customers’ greater peace of mind by introducing more flexibility when booking especially as we start to resume more services in our Network.
“We thank customers for their support and cooperation as we roll out these measures.”
Qantas Group Medical Director, Dr Ian Hosegood, said: “The data shows that the actual risk of catching Coronavirus on an aircraft is already extremely low. That is due to a combination of factors, including the cabin air filtration system, the fact people don’t sit face-to-face and the high backs of aircraft seats acting as a physical barrier. As far as the virus goes, an aircraft cabin is a very different environment to other forms of public transport.
“The extra measures we’re putting in place will reduce the risk even further,” added Dr Hosegood.
The Fly Well program will be reviewed periodically and shaped by customer feedback and medical advice.
* Fare Difference applies