International services and expansion (2014–2026)
On 3 December 2014, Jetstar Japan announced the long-delayed commencement of international service, with its first service to connect Osaka Kansai with Hong Kong International Airport. The service was planned to initially operate three times per week, with additional frequencies added over time.[24][25] On 16 March 2015, it was announced that services to Hong Kong would increase with two additional weekly frequencies, operating five weekly flights from 18 July 2015 to 31 August 2015, and four weekly flights from 1 September 2015 to 24 October 2015.[26] On 21 January 2015, Jetstar Japan announced a new daily service between Nagoya Centrair and Okinawa would commence from 29 March 2015.[27] However, the net amount of services from Nagoya Centrair were planned to remain the same, with the service to Okinawa replacing one of the two daily services to Kumamoto. In turn, the number of daily departures from Kumamoto Airport reduced from six to five.
On 1 April 2015, it was announced that CEO Miyuki Suzuki had decided to resign, with Jetstar Group Executive Gerry Turner taking her place as CEO. Masaru Kataoka was also to take up the role of company chairman.[28]
On 7 April 2015, Jetstar Japan announced its first international service from Tokyo, with the commencement of service between Tokyo Narita and Hong Kong International Airport initially at a frequency of three weekly flights starting from 1 June 2015, before advancing the service to daily from 1 September.[29] On 5 August 2015, the airline carried its ten millionth passenger.[30][31] On 19 August 2015, it was announced that services between Nagoya Centrair and Kumamoto along with the daily service between Osaka and Oita would be discontinued at the end of the summer season on 25 October 2015.[32][33][31] On 13 October 2015, the airline announced that service to Taipei Taoyuan would commence from Tokyo Narita, Osaka Kansai, and Nagoya Centrair. Services were planned with an initial frequency of three weekly flights, with additional plans to increase the frequency to daily by the end of 2015.[34]
In early 2016, it was announced on 15 January that services between Osaka Kansai and Kumamoto would be discontinued at the beginning of the summer timetable on 27 March, while on 21 January, it was announced that new service linking Tokyo Narita, Osaka Kansai, and Nagoya Centrair with Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport would be inaugurated in March. The airline became the first Japanese low-cost carrier to serve Manila, which was also the airline's third international destination.[35] However, on 1 July 2016, Jetstar Japan cancelled the service between Osaka Kansai and Manila, while services to Manila from Nagoya and Tokyo Narita were temporarily suspended until 1 September 2016.[36]
On 9 August 2016, Jetstar Japan gained approval from the Civil Aviation Administration of China to serve four routes between Japan and China, consisting of Tokyo and Osaka to Shanghai and Guangzhou.[37] On 23 August 2016, the airline was confirmed to have made its first profit, and also announced plans to grow its fleet from the current 20 aircraft to 28 over the next three years.[38]
On 27 November 2018, Jetstar Japan announced that it was considering the opening of a fourth base in Japan, following Tokyo Narita, Osaka Kansai, and Nagoya Centrair.[39] In April 2019, Jetstar Japan announced a new domestic route between Tokyo Narita and Shonai Airport, beginning on 1 August 2019.[40] In June 2020, one of the airline's Airbus A321LRs was shown during production in a revised livery.[41]
