Jetstar reconnects Brisbane and Bangkok halving current flight time ...

Jetstar will reconnect Brisbane and Thailand’s capital city from 13 December this year with three weekly flights, halving the current travel time via indirect routes.

The service will bring over 190,000 inbound seats to Queensland over three years adding $116 million in overnight visitor expenditure and over 600 jobs.

“We are delighted to be reconnecting two long-time friends, Queensland and Thailand. This route has been the most frequently requested in comments on Brisbane Airport’s social media accounts over the past two years,” Brisbane Airport CEO Gert-Jan de Graaf said.

“A direct flight makes it easier for families and friends to connect and provides greater opportunities for Queensland exporters with up to 15 tonnes of freight capacity on every service.

“Queenslanders have embraced the great value Jetstar offers, propelling it from Brisbane Airport’s seventh biggest international carrier to number two.”

The new route is part of a major expansion of Jetstar’s Brisbane operations following a landmark partnership with Brisbane Airport in 2023.

“With Jetstar’s three direct flights each week from December and great low fares, it has never been easier or more affordable to get to Bangkok from Brisbane and we expect this new route to be incredibly popular,” Jetstar Group CEO Stephanie Tully said.

The agreement has unlocked half a million new low fares seats a year with direct flights taking off from Brisbane to Tokyo (Narita), Osaka (Kansai), Seoul (Incheon) and Auckland.

The new service will be the first time that Queensland has had a direct connection with Thailand since Thai Airways ceased flights on 29 March 2020.

The route is supported by the Attracting Aviation Investment Fund which is jointly funded by the Queensland Government and the state’s international airports.

“It’s terrific to see Jetstar take flight between Bangkok and Brisbane for the first time,” Tourism Minister Michael Healy said.

“Compared to pre COVID figures, we have recently seen record numbers of visitors from Thailand to Queensland, so it was vital for us to open up a direct route to Bangkok.

“Being a low-cost carrier, Jetstar will help make travel to Brisbane more affordable for international students and passengers travelling from across Asia, the UK, and Europe, using Bangkok as a hub.”