Jetstar Asia on Thursday launched its international no-frills, low-cost and thrice-a-week flights between Kolkata and Singapore.
The budget carrier will operate with one-way tickets to Singapore beginning from Rs 4000 plus Rs 2100 in taxes for a round trip, Jetstar Asia chief executive officer Ken Ryan said after launching the operation of the Quantas-backed airline in Kolkata.
"Travellers from Kolkata will now have affordable access to destinations throughout Asia, including Hong Kong, Bangkok, Manila and Taipei, through our hub in Singapore," Ryan said.
The Singapore-based airlines would offer optional food packets at nominal prices, he said.
Jetstar would operate Airbus A-320 aircraft with a seating capacity of 180 in a single-class category on the sector as part of its regional expansion plan.
The flights from Kolkata would operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.
The carrier would directly compete with the Singapore and Malaysian Airlines, which recently announced a massive price cut ex-Singapore, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, Ryan said.
Two other international low cost carriers -- Al Arabia, Air India Express -- currently operate from the country on the western sector.
Welcoming the new airline, West Bengal Transport minister Subhas Chakraborty said Kolkata was fast growing as a major hub of economic activity in South East Asia.
Jetstar Asia is a Singapore-based partnership between Qantas (49 per cent), local businessmen Tony Chew (22 per cent) and FF Wong (10 per cent) and Temasek Holdings (19 per cent).
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