Jetstar adds Yangon and extra frequencies to its Singapore network

January 2021 is set to be another month of growth for Singapore-based low-cost carrier Jetstar Asia, which is slowly rebuilding its network across South East Asian cities. The airline will see a 61% increase in flights programmed in the first month of next year compared to early December 2020.

The increases come as the airline enters its second month of approval to carry passengers on transit itineraries through Singapore Changi Airport, no doubt assisting with load factors.

January 2021

From 18th January 2021, Jetstar Asia will add twice weekly Yangon flights to its passenger network. This will make Jetstar the sole operator between Singapore and Myanmar.

At the same time the airline will increase frequencies to daily or greater on some other routes like Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta.

However, flights to and from Bangkok have already ceased, with this route now served exclusively by Singapore Airlines and Scoot, so Jetstar’s total destination count will remain at nine.

Based on FlightRadar24 data over the last week, Jetstar Asia continues to fly just three of its 18 Airbus A320s. The airline has already completed a downsizing exercise, which will see five of these 18 aircraft leaving the company by 2021, for a resized total of 13 jets post-COVID.

Overall Jetstar Asia will operate 74 flights per week in late January 2021, a 61% increase on early December 2020’s 46 flights per week. The airline usually operates around 620 flights per week, based on January 2020 data.

That lifts the airline’s capacity by flight volumes in the first month of next year to around 12% of January 2020 levels, just before COVID-19 hit.

Assuming the airline will recover to around 72% of its original size post-COVID-19 with a fleet of 13 Airbus A320s, in theory over 16% of its ultimate future schedule is already being operated.

Here’s how the frequency changes by late January 2021 look compared to early December 2020.

  Newly added

Destination	Frequency
	Dec		Jan
Clark	2/wk		2/wk
Ho Chi Minh	3/wk		5/wk
Jakarta	5/wk		9/wk
Kuala Lumpur	6/wk		7/wk
Manila	5/wk		5/wk
Penang	3/wk		3/wk
Phnom Penh	1/wk		2/wk
Surabaya	1/wk		2/wk
Yangon	—		2/wk

By mid-January 2021, Jetstar will be flying 37 weekly departures from Changi. Five of these, to Ho Chi Minh, will continue to carry cargo only due to government restrictions, however all returning flights to Singapore (including those from Ho Chi Minh) carry passengers.

With this expanded schedule, we expect Jetstar will probably have to reactivate a fourth Airbus A320 aircraft next month.

Flight schedules

Here is Jetstar’s flight schedule to and from Singapore for the month of January 2021, including days of operation.

Clark
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ CRK 3K775								320
CRK ➔ SIN 3K776								320
SIN ➔ CRK 3K779								320
CRK ➔ SIN 3K780								320

Ho Chi Minh
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ SGN 3K555								320
SGN ➔ SIN 3K556								320

Singapore to Ho Chi Minh flights (3K555) are cargo-only due to Vietnam government restrictions.

Jakarta
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ CGK 3K201								320
CGK ➔ SIN 3K202								320
SIN ➔ CGK 3K205								320
CGK ➔ SIN 3K206								320

Kuala Lumpur
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ KUL 3K663								320
KUL ➔ SIN 3K664								320
SIN ➔ KUL 3K685								320
KUL ➔ SIN 3K686								320
SIN ➔ KUL 3K687								320
KUL ➔ SIN 3K688								320

Manila
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ MNL 3K761								320
MNL ➔ SIN 3K762								320
SIN ➔ MNL 3K765								320
MNL ➔ SIN 3K766								320

Penang
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ PEN 3K675								320
PEN ➔ SIN 3K676								320

Phnom Penh
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ PNH 3K593								320
PNH ➔ SIN 3K594								320

Surabaya
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ SUB 3K249								320
SUB ➔ SIN 3K250								320

Yangon (from 18 January)
	Days							Acft
	M	T	W	T	F	S	S
SIN ➔ RGN 3K581								320
RGN ➔ SIN 3K582								320

You can keep up to date with the latest Jetstar Asia schedules, which are subject to change, at the following link:

  Jetstar Asia Flight Schedules

Transit approval

Since 1st December 2020, Jetstar has approval to carry transit passengers connecting between its own services through Changi Airport, with those originating from the following five cities eligible:

• Ho Chi Minh City
• Jakarta
• Kuala Lumpur
• Penang
• Phnom Penh

Transit passengers can be destined for any current destination on the Jetstar Asia network, including Clark, Manila, Surabaya and Yangon, but cannot originate in those cities.

Transits are possible provided you book the full journey on one booking and check with the relevant authorities to ensure you meet the entry requirements for your final destination.

With the exception of those originating in Vietnam, Jetstar transit passengers must adhere to the following measures:

• At port of origin check-in, transit passengers will be provided a wristband they must wear for the duration of their journey to allow identification by the airport and airline staff
• On board, transit passengers will be seated at the front of the aircraft and will disembark first
• On arrival in Singapore, all transit passengers will be met by airport staff and guided to a Transit Holding Area or Transit Hotel:
  • Aerotel (T1)
  • Ambassador Transit Hotel (T3)
• Transit passengers with a tight connection time will be ushered to the departure gate directly
• When the onward flight is ready for boarding, transit passengers will be escorted to their departure gate and ushered to a designated zone before boarding and will board the aircraft after all other passengers

Passengers arriving from Ho Chi Minh in transit are free to move around the transit departure area and access shops, F&B establishments and lounges as normal.

The maximum transit time at Changi is 48 hours.

What if your Jetstar flight has been cancelled?

Jetstar is offering travel credit vouchers to customers whose flights have been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Request your voucher through the Manage My Booking portal here, by following these steps:

• Enter your booking number and last name
• Click on the ‘find out more’ button
• Select ‘check flight options’ button
• Click ‘view other options’ button
• Select ‘request reimbursement’

The travel credit voucher is a multi-use voucher and can be redeemed up to the value stated on the voucher across multiple Jetstar bookings, within 12 months of issue. A fare difference, if any, will apply. Customers will receive a voucher within two weeks of making the request.

If you booked through a travel agent or third-party website, you need to contact them directly.

February 2021 onwards

Jetstar is still loading almost its full normal flight schedule from 1st February 2021, however this is subject to significant further reductions based on the COVID-19 situation closer to the time.

We expect a similar schedule of limited routes and frequencies will continue to operate, with no imminent border relaxations on the horizon.

Summary

Jetstar has stopped flying to and from Bangkok, but will start flying to Yangon from mid-January 2021, retaining nine destinations and becoming the first carrier to restart regular passenger services between Singapore and Myanmar.

The airline continues to increase frequencies on many of its existing capital city routes during January 2021, when compared to early December 2020, especially to Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur which will now be served nine and seven times per week respectively.

These routes benefit from business and essential travel reciprocal ‘green lanes’, and no doubt are also picking up increased demand from the airline’s recent approval to carry transit traffic through Changi.

Overall Jetstar Asia has expanded to around 12% of its usual capacity by flight volumes and will serve nine cities next month, albeit on a much reduced schedule compared to normal.

(Cover Photo: Alex Wilson)