SINGAPORE-BASED budget airline Jetstar Asia will permanently stop operations by July 31, citing rising airport fees and other aviation charges that have made it too costly to continue flying.
Jetstar Asia, a subsidiary of the Qantas Group, made the announcement on Wednesday.
The carrier currently operates 18 weekly flights between Singapore and Manila, and about four weekly roundtrip services to Clark.
“Despite our best efforts to offset these rising costs, they are expected to continue into the foreseeable future, putting unsustainable pressure on Jetstar Asia’s ability to offer low fares,” it said in a statement.
The airline currently serves 16 intra-Asia routes and will continue operations through the end of July, albeit with reduced frequency.
According to its website, the decision to wind down operations does not affect Jetstar Airways services between Australia and Southeast Asia, or Jetstar Japan flights.
“For customers with bookings prior to 31 July 2025, there will be some changes to Jetstar Asia’s usual schedule, and we will reach out directly if there are any changes to your upcoming flight,” it said.
Passengers with bookings from July 31 onwards will be entitled to a full refund to their original form of payment.
“Unfortunately, this goes beyond us, as Qantas, its owner, has decided to close its entire Jetstar Asia flying out of Australia to Singapore and our region, and identified skyrocketing supplier costs and higher airport fees in the region,” Mr. Nigel Paul C. Villarete, senior adviser on public-private partnerships (PPP) at technical advisory group Libra Konsult, Inc., said via Viber.
This development will affect the Philippines’ tourism sector as well as connectivity across Southeast Asia, Mr. Villarete also said, adding that services should be replaced by flights operated by other budget carriers. — Ashley Erika O. Jose