SINGAPORE, March 18 — Budget carrier Jetstar Asia will be suspending its operations for three weeks, from March 23 to at least April 15, amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
This is “the result of the introduction of new government restrictions across multiple jurisdictions in recent days,” the Singapore-based carrier said in a travel alert yesterday.
“The decision is in response to factors beyond our control including a rapid decline in forward travel demand due to government containment measures, corporate travel bans and a general pullback from everyday activities across the community,” the airline added in a media statement today.
All of Jetstar Asia’s 18 Airbus A320 aircraft have been grounded, the airline said, adding that it has also asked its staff to take paid and unpaid leave during this period, and cancelled annual bonuses and wage supplements.
Affected passengers with bookings from March 15 to April 30 will be offered a full refund in the form of a travel credit voucher.
Jetstar Asia advised customers not to call its contact centre, as it was experiencing high demand and long waits.
Instead, they should visit the airline’s Manage My Booking webpage and request reimbursement there. Customers who booked their flights through a travel agency or third-party website will also be able to request a refund through the page.
Jetstar Asia is a subsidiary of Australia’s Qantas Airways, which announced plans to cut 90 per cent of its international capacity and 60 per cent of its domestic capacity yesterday. — TODAY
