Vietnam’s Pacific Airlines, in which Qantas Group holds an 18 per cent stake with an agreement to raise it to 30 per cent in 2010, will change its name to Jetstar Pacific as part of a partnership with Qantas and Jetstar that will see it become "Vietnam’s first low-cost, valuebasedairline."
The name change will take effect May 23 and is part of a new agreement which will see Pacific operating domestic and international flights under the Jetstar brand. Qantas first invested in Pacific a year ago with the Viet carrier currently serves seven domestic destinations with four 737-400s but plans eventually to increase its 130 weekly flights eightfold.
The new Jetstar Pacific will start by adding service from Ho Chi Minh City to Da Lat and Buon Me Th out and from Hanoi to Da Nang, Hue and Cam Rahn. It also will expand its Ho Chi Minh-Hanoi service. Jetstar Airways currently off ers flights to Ho Chi Minh from Sydney and Singapore. It will take delivery of up to 30 A320s by 2014, with the first to enter service this August.