The FINANCIAL — Jetstar has this morning welcomed its first nonstop flight from mainland China to Australia.
The low fares airline’s inaugural Wuhan-Gold Coast service landed at Gold Coast Airport with more than 300 Chinese visitors onboard to mark a strong start to the new route, according to Jetstar.
Jetstar Group CEO Jayne Hrdlicka said the airline was delighted to be linking central China’s largest city with one of Australia’s most popular tourism destinations.
“We’re proud to bring the Gold Coast its first ever nonstop service from China with the introduction of our twice-weekly flights from Wuhan,” Ms Hrdlicka said.
“We know how important the Chinese market is to Queensland’s tourism sector and these new services will deliver 70,000 seats a year between Wuhan and the Gold Coast.
“Wuhan is a city of 10 million people, based in a province of 60 million people. The Hubei province has a vibrant local economy and world-class infrastructure connecting its vast population into Wuhan as the regional gateway for air travel.
“This is a huge opportunity for the Gold Coast and we’re so pleased to see this service is off to a great start with strong bookings out of Wuhan.”
The Gold Coast-Wuhan service is delivered in partnership with the Wanda Group, Queensland Government, Wuhan and Gold Coast airports, Gold Coast City Council and Gold Coast Tourism.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is currently leading a trade and investment mission to China and Japan, the state’s two biggest trading partners.
“These direct flights from Wuhan are an aviation milestone and a great opportunity for us to further build our presence in the Chinese market,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“The Gold Coast is already the most popular Queensland destination for Chinese travellers, and these flights will draw more visitors, provide a boost to the economy and support local jobs.”
The Jetstar Group flies to seven cities in Greater China, offering more than one million seats a year in and out of the region. The low fares airline has been flying to destinations in Greater China since 2004.
Jetstar operates Gold Coast-Wuhan services on Tuesdays and Saturday with its Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
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