CoVID-19: Darwin / Singapore – Jetstar Asia to resume flights in December

If you’re a resident of Darwin, you will be able to zip across to Singapore from 21 December on the budget carrier, Jetstar Asia.

The flights

Jetstar Asia hasn’t flown the route during the pandemic, but from December will schedule a flight 3 times a week starting 20 December 2021. If you are not a resident of the Northern Territory, then you are going to need to get yourself to Darwin first before you can take advantage of this schedule – not always a cheap thing to do.

“With Singapore’s strong vaccination rate and Australia on track to see 80 per cent of the population vaccinated by the end of the year, we’re starting to plan the restart of our international flights between these COVID-safe destinations.

“And with the Qantas Group planning to recommence services into Singapore as soon as a travel bubble is formed, we are also looking forward to being able to connect customers to our fantastic Southeast Asian network once again while helping restore Singapore’s position as a leading global air hub.”Jetstar Asia CEO, Bara Pasupathi

The 4.5-hour flights out of Singapore will commence on 20 December using an all-economy Airbus A320-200 and will then run every Monday, Thursday and Friday. Return flights from Darwin to Singapore commence on 21 December and will then run every Tuesday, Friday and Saturday. You will need to get up early, as the flights out of Darwin leave at 5:30am, arriving around 8:30 am Singapore time.

Caveats

Of course, this all depends on the Australian government reopening the borders to international arrivals, and allowing Australians to travel out of the country.

Jetstar Asia is also looking at rolling out flights to other Australian destinations. The flights on the route Singapore / Darwin are now bookable on the Jetstar website.

2PAXfly Takeout

The aviation industry has a difficult road ahead when it comes to sustainability. It’s going to require a relative revolution in technology, with ‘electric planes’ or hydrogen planes, or some form of jet engine that doesn’t require a carbon based fuel. And that is going to require the development of an alternative to jet engines probably.

It’s a big ask. It will take time to develop.

This move to home grown and manufactured SAF is a first step – maybe even a baby step in a very long road of innovation. In the long run, US$200 million won’t even touch the sides.

Call me a princess, but 4.5 hours in economy on Jetstar Asia is not my idea of tourist heaven. However, each to their own.