Jetstar Asia has announced expansion of Thailand services with a new double daily Singapore to Phuket offering from December15 joining a new third daily Singapore to Bangkok service from September 27. The confirmation of three additional daily services between Singapore and Thailand represents Jetstar's most significant expansion of Thai services to date. The new services come as the carrier confirms it will welcome an additional three A320 aircraft into its Singapore fleet of an existing seven aircraft over the next year. The new Thailand services will deliver over 7000 seats of new capacity into and out of Thailand. This is in addition to Jetstar Asia's existing twice daily A320 operations between Singapore and Bangkok and Jetstar Australia's services between Sydney and Phuket three times weekly and between Melbourne and Bangkok three times weekly both with wide-bodied A330-200 aircraft. To celebrate, Jetstar is having a special sale with Jetsaver Light fares (carry on luggage only) from Phuket to Singapore for 299 baht. The sale will start at noon on Friday August 21 and will end on Saturday August 22, unless seats sell out prior. Sale fares are available for travel January 12 - February 9, February 23 - March 10, March 23 - May 26. Fares are subject to availability and are not available on all flights all days.


PACIFIC Blue Airlines is to launch direct flights from Perth to Phuket from November 14 as it continues to expand both its domestic and international route network in and out of Western Australia.

Pacific Blue will offer direct flights, twice a week from Perth with a flying time of around six and a half hours. The new services will launch just in time for the peak December summer holiday period.

They will, according to promoters, also provide a new option for a long weekend escape, an extended honeymoon or romantic rendezvous, a boys cheeky week/girls getaway or a family style holiday.

Jetstar has also launched a new A320 low-fares connection from Perth to Phuket, starting on December 15.

Jetstar passengers will be able to connect their Jetstar service from Perth to Singapore and on to Phuket by way of a future twice daily Singapore-Phuket service which has been announced and will be operated by Jetstar Asia.

Latest boosts on the Australia-Phuket route follow the announcement earlier this week of new flights between Melbourne-Phuket and Brisbane-Phuket.

Virgin Blue took the decision to direct one of its modern Boeing 737-800 aircraft on to the route following the recent trend for Australian travellers to holiday in destinations closer to home.

An Australian $299 one-way ''Tuk Tuk Off To Phuket'' launch fare is on sale until midnight August 26 and is for travel on direct flights between Perth and Phuket from November 14 to December 12 and January 26 to March 30.

The new service between Perth and Phuket will operate twice a week from Perth Airport's International Terminal.

Outgoing flights depart Tuesdays and Saturdays at 10.35am local time and and incoming flights arrive Wednesdays and Sundays at 9.45pm.

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