Comparison of Services at Jetstar and Qantas Airlines

This essay compares the services at Jetstar and Qantas airlines on the basis of schedule, comfort, convenience, and image. The comparison is based on a flight from Avalon to Sydney Australia.

Running head: PRODUCTS OFFERED IN THE AVIATION INDUSTRY 1
Products offered in the aviation industry.
Student’s Name
Name of Institution

PRODUCTS OFFERED IN THE AVIATION INDUSTRY 2
Introduction
There have been numerous change in the aviation industry in the recent past the biggest
being the increase in the number of low-cost carriers that offer services at a much lower price as
compared to the full-service airlines (Susanne, 2014). Low-cost carriers have brought about a
decrease in fares charged on for a flight to various destinations mainly by doing away with the
complimentary meals and additional luxuries synonymous with full-service airlines (Ching,
2016). The rapid increase in the number of low-cost carriers has brought about an increase in the
level of competition forcing the major industry players to establish subsidiaries that provide
cheap flight services (Sven and Michael, 2016). This essay compares the services at Jetstar and
Qantas airlines on the basis of schedule, comfort, convenience, and image. The comparison is
based on a flight from Avalon to Sydney Australia.
Price
A return ticket on economy class from Avalon to Sydney non-stop on Jetstar costs 264
Australian dollars while the same ticket costs 826 dollars on Qantas Airways (Jetstar Airways
2018). There thus exists a huge price disparity between full-service airlines such as Qantas and
low-cost carriers such as Jetstar. This is mainly because the economy package at Jetstar is not as
sophisticated as the one at Qantas. For instance, Jetstar economy class does not have the recliner
seats offered at Qantas. Additionally, there are fewer meals to choose from. Jetstar thus
minimizes its prices by reducing comforts and sticking to the essentials. Qantas, on the other
hand, serves a variety of expensive foods and snacks such as Barramundi poached coconut sauce.
The economy class also has soft recliner seats as well as video screen entertainment all for the
delight of travelers. Such non-essentials are the main contributors to the higher fares in full-
service airlines as compared to low-cost carriers.

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Jetstar
Flight type Fee
Domestic flights from Melbourne to Sydney AUD 284
Domestic flights in Australia and New Zealand AUD / NZD $32
Domestic flights in Vietnam VND 586,363₫ / USD $29
Domestic flights in Japan JPY ¥2,780
Short haul international flights /
Flights between Australia and New Zealand AUD / NZD $37
Long haul international flights with Jetstar Airways AUD / NZD $42
International flights with Jetstar Asia SGD $30 / IDR 300,000 Rp
International flights with Jetstar Japan JPY ¥3,000
International flights with Jetstar Pacific VND 440,000₫ / USD $22
Qantas
From Melbourne to Wellington 239(one-way ticket)
From Melbourne to Auckland 261(one-way ticket)
From Melbourne to Sydney 826( Return ticket)
From Adelaide to Auckland 383(one-way ticket)
From Adelaide to Queenstown 479(one-way ticket)
Schedule

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Jetstar flies from Avalon to Sydney five to six times a day which makes it convenient for
passengers traveling to these destinations. There is a daily departure from Avalon Melbourne
airport to Sydney at 6.00 am and additional departures at 9.05 am on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and
Saturdays among other daily departures 1:05, 3:45, 5:50 and 8:30 pm. Arrivals from Sydney
occur daily at 8:35 am, and 9:30 am respectively.thre are also arrivals at 12:35 pm on Tuesdays,
Thursdays, and Saturdays. Additionally, there are other daily arrivals at 5:10 pm, 8:00 pm and
11:35 pm respectively (Flightradar, 2018). There are however limited return flights from Avalon
Melbourne to Sydney on Qantas airline as most flights mainly target international destinations.
Jetstar, therefore, has a more time-friendly schedule for domestic travelers to and from Sydney.
Jetstar Avalon to Sydney weekly schedule
Day Arrival Departure
Sunday 8:35 am,9:30 am, 5:10 pm,
8:00 pm, 11:35 pm
6:00 am, 1:05pm, 3:45pm,
5:50pm, 8:30 pm
Monday 8:35 am,9:30 am, :10 pm,
8:00 pm, 11:35 pm
6:00 am, 1:05pm, 3:45pm,
5:50pm, 8:30 pm
Tuesday 8:35 am,9:30 am, 12:35
pm, :10 pm, 8:00 pm, 11:35
pm
6:00 am,9:05 am, 1:05pm,
3:45pm, 5:50pm, 8:30 pm
Wednesday 8:35 am,9:30 am, :10 pm,
8:00 pm, 11:35 pm
6:00 am, 1:05pm, 3:45pm,
5:50pm, 8:30 pm
Thursday 8:35 am,9:30 am, 12:35
pm, :10 pm, 8:00 pm, 11:35
pm
6:00 am,9:05am, 1:05pm,
3:45pm, 5:50pm, 8:30 pm

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Friday 8:35 am,9:30 am, :10 pm,
8:00 pm, 11:35 pm
6:00 am, 1:05pm, 3:45pm,
5:50pm, 8:30 pm
Saturday 8:35 am,9:30 am, 12:35
pm:10 pm, 8:00 pm, 11:35
pm
6:00 am,9:05am, 1:05pm,
5:50pm, 8:30 pm
Comfort
Qantas offers a higher level of comfort as compared to Jetstar airline. This is evidenced
by the variety of meals provided by the international airline. The Qantas menu contains global
cuisines such as mushroom tortellini and Stir Fried Noodles with Black beans & Pepper Sauce
(Mavis, 2015). There even exists recliner seats with side wings and soft cushioning to ensure
comfort during the flight. The economy class also has adjustable headrests as well as
personalized video and audio entertainment for maximum customer satisfaction and experience
during the travel. There are also adjustable mood lights and spacious areas to store personal
luggage. Jetstar also offers a certain level of comfort although it is not complimentary as is the
case for passengers on Qantas airline. For instance, passengers on Jetstar have the option of pre-
purchasing meals while booking the flight.
Convenience
Jetstar is far more convenient than Qantas airways in terms of the travel schedule. Jetstar
offers more flights to and from Sydney on a daily basis, unlike Qantas which provides a limited
number of flights to these destinations. Additionally, Jetstar is more price friendly than Qantas
airlines. What's more, it offers passengers the freedom to purchase non-essential services

PRODUCTS OFFERED IN THE AVIATION INDUSTRY 6
allowing one freedom to enjoy similar services as those in full-service airlines. Qantas airline, on
the other hand, lacks flexibility since it includes prices of non-essential services on to the fare.
The lack of price flexibility thus limits consumer choice as passengers may end up paying for
some frills which they do not intend to use.
Image
Full-service airlines often bare a sophisticated and more appealing image as compared to
low-cost carriers (John, 2016). The attractive image mainly results from the emphasis on
comforts that is synonymous with full-service airlines. The airlines may often come across as
luxurious or a preserve of the rich. Low-cost carriers, on the other hand, seem to bare minimal
flamboyance are thus only attractive due to their cheap fares. Low-cost carriers, however, bear
less appeal compared to full-service airlines (Doganis, 2010).
The passenger segment(s) targeted Jetstar
Jetstar mainly focuses on business and leisure travelers as they make a huge bulk of air
passengers. For travelers seeking leisure, the airline targets mostly singles and young couples
ranging from 18 to 34 years. This is because people in this age bracket are known to spend large
amounts of money on travel, fashion as well as fancy food restaurants. Additionally, around 72%
of this demographic earn more than the Australian annual wage average of 70,000 dollars and
have minimal family responsibilities which means they have more to spare on leisure activities.
Jetstar also targets families between 25-44 years as they are majorly composed of working
professionals who have enough to save for on vacation and holiday activities. Business travelers
between the age of 35 and 59 are also a significant target of Jetstar as they hold executive and
managerial positions and are therefore likely to due to financial and other work-related

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commitments. The above segments earn more than the average annual salary which translates
into high disposable income. High disposable income, therefore, means that the category of
individuals can incur costs in air travel making them potential customers Jetstar is divided
mainly into business and economy classes. Qantas, on the other hand, targets mostly leisure and
business travelers aged 25 because they make up a majority of the Australian middle and high-
income earners. This demographic is likely to afford the high prices charged by full-service
airlines such as Qantas. Qantas also uses behavioral analysis in its passenger segmentation
(Qantas, 2018). For instance, the airline has divided the airplane into various cabins that satisfy
the different needs and wants of the passengers. First class passengers pay the highest amount
and are awarded the most personalized services available. It is then followed by the business
class which offers services that enable the passenger to work and go about his/her official duties
in a serene and conducive environment. Below the business class are the premium economy and
economy classes which offer relatively fewer frills as compared to the first two classes.
Evaluation and Conclusion
Qantas airline mainly operates in international destinations and thus offers services
primarily to international clients that seek comfort and luxury in the course of their travel
(Stephen, 2012). In doing this, Qantas retains its brand and reputation as one of the oldest and
most successful full-service airlines in the world. As a result, the airline maintains its loyal
clients who associate with the brand and nature of products offered by the airline. By
establishing Jet star as a subsidiary, Qantas was able to acquire a huge chunk of the market that
prefers low-cost services. Through Jetstar, Qantas is also able to ward off competition resulting
from the rapidly emerging low-cost carriers in the aviation industry.

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References
Ching, M. (2016). Satisfaction of low-cost carriers. Proceedings of the 24th International
Academic Conference, Barcelona. doi:10.20472/iac.2016.024.018
Doganis R. (2010). Flying Off Course: Airline Economics and Marketing (4th ed.). New York:
Routledge.
Flightradar. (2018). Melbourne Avalon Airport. Retrieved from https://www.flightradar24.com/
Jetstar Airways. (2018). Direct flights to Melbourne. Retrieved from
https://www.jetstar.com/au/en/cheap-flights/melbourne-avalon
John G. (2016). Air Transportation: A Management Perspective (8th ed.). London & New
York: Routledge.
Mavis C. (2015) Target market analysis: Jetstar. Retrieved from
https://www.slideshare.net/MavisChng/target-market-analysis-jetstar-aud-mavis-
chnghttps://www.slideshare.net/MavisChng/target-market-analysis-jetstar-aud-mavis-
chng
Qantas. (2018). International Economy. Retrieved from https://www.qantas.com/au/en/qantas-
experience/travel-classes/economy.html
Stephen H. (2012). Straight and Level: Practical Airline Economics (3rd ed.). Hampshire:
Ashgate Publishing.
Susanne B. (2014). Strategic Marketing Approaches Within Airline Management (1st ed.).
Hamburg: Anchor Academic Publishing.
Sven G and Michael L. (2016). The Low-Cost Carrier Worldwide (2nd ed.). New York:
Routledge publishers.

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Appendices
Qantas vs. Jetstar
Feature Qantas Jetstar verdict
Destinations More than 70
destinations in
Europe, Africa, Asia,
Middle East, Asia,
and Pacific
Over 80 destinations
mainly around Asia
and the Pacific
Although Jetstar
travels to more
destinations, it
seems to have a
smaller
geographical range
in comparison to
Qantas
Rating Four-star Three-star Qantas is rated
higher than Jetstar
Passenger classes First class, business,
premium economy,
and economy class
Business and
economy
Qantas has a higher
number of classes
In-flight meals Are included in the
fare, meals are a
complimentary
service
They are not included
in the fare. In-flight
meals are usually pre-
purchased
Qantas serves
meals for all
passengers
Wi-Fi connectivity Available on select
planes
none Qantas offers Wi-
Fi, Jetstar does not