They'll probably be returned to the lessor. And QantasLink will still be around, it'll be flying Dash 8's to country ports. The former Impulse 717s are only a part of it. Grant SYD QF ----- Original Message ----- From: Dave <thedarkstar2@xxxxxxxxxxx> Date: Tuesday, December 2, 2003 9:19 am Subject: Re: SF Gate: New Qantas discount carrier to be called Jetstar, will buy 23 Airbus A320 planes > Does anyone know what will happen to the 717's after they move to > an all > Airbus fleet? And does this mean that Jetstar is essentially > taking the > place of Qantas Link? > > David > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Bill Hough" <psa188@xxxxxxxx> > To: <AIRLINE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Sent: Tuesday, December 02, 2003 6:11 AM > Subject: SF Gate: New Qantas discount carrier to be called > Jetstar, will buy > 23 Airbus A320 planes > > > > They need to buy some Lockheed JetStars > > ----------------------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SF Gate. > > The original article can be found on SFGate.com here: > > > http://www.sfgate.com/cgi- > bin/article.cgi?file=3D/news/archive/2003/12/01/f=> > inancial1329EST0125.DTL> ------------------------------------------ > ---------------------------- > > Monday, December 1, 2003 (AP) > > New Qantas discount carrier to be called Jetstar, will buy 23 > Airbus A320 > p= > > lanes > > MIKE CORDER, Associated Press Writer > > > > > > (12-01) 10:29 PST SYDNEY, Australia (AP) -- > > The national flag carrier Qantas said Monday its new no- > frills domestic > > carrier Jetstar will begin operations next May and is ordering > 23 new > > Airbus A320 planes for the discount airline. > > Jetstar is aimed squarely at Richard Branson's successful no- > frills> carrier Virgin Blue and its launch will likely set off a > price war on > > highly competitive Australian domestic routes. > > Jetstar is the first major domestic airline to launch in > Australiasince > > the collapse in 2001 of Ansett, at the time, the nation's second > largest> carrier. > > Branson launched Virgin Blue in 2000 and since then it has > carved out a > = > > 30 > > percent market share, eating into Qantas' domination of the domestic > > aviation market. > > Qantas isn't launching Jetstar "from a position of panic" or > from the > > competitive threat posed by Virgin Blue, chief executive Geoff > Dixon said. > > "I think we can get it right," he said. "We are very > confident that we > c= > > an > > start this, it won't cannibalize our business in any meaningful > way, and > > that the overall position of Qantas' operations will be improved > by it." > > Qantas had said at its annual general meeting in October that > it would > > launch a low-cost domestic carrier but gave no further details. > > "The domestic leisure market is growing rapidly and now > represents over > = > > 60 > > percent of all passengers," Dixon said Monday. "Jetstar will > concentrate> on growing this market with value fares while opening > up new > > destinations." > > The first Airbus A320 will be delivered in June next year and > Jetstarwi= > > ll > > progressively move to an all A320 fleet, Qantas said. Dixon said > that> while the initial order is for 23 A320's, more aircraft > could be acquired > > as Jetstar grows. > > Dixon refused to directly put a value on the Airbus contract, > but told > > reporters each plane has a price tag of about $50 million. > > The bidding between Airbus and Boeing Co. of the United > States had been > > "very aggressive", Dixon said, adding Qantas was very pleased > with the > > price paid. > > Jetstar will begin selling seats in February 2004 and start > flying in > Ma= > > y, > > using 14 Boeing 717's currently owned by Qantas subsidiary Impulse > > Airlines. > > > > =20 > > ----------------------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Copyright 2003 AP > > >