Low fares carrier Jetstar Asia will expand its presence in Vietnam’s aviation market by launching the Singapore-Hanoi service in winter schedule and increasing frequency to Ho Chi Minh City next month.

The new services were confirmed by Jetstar Asia chief executive officer Chong Phit Lian and Jetstar Group CEO Bruce Buchanan at their meeting with reporters in Hanoi on Thursday.

The fast-growing airline will commence four weekly flights between Singapore and Hanoi on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays, starting from December 15 subject to regulatory approval. Jetstar will also add a daily service to the Singapore-Ho Chi Minh City schedule from August 18, bringing the total number of flights on this route to three a day.

The Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) told the Daily about Jetstar Asia’s plan to fly between Singapore and Hanoi last month, but did not clarify the dates the carrier would operate on the new route.

Buchanan said in a statement that the new services would appeal to both holiday makers and business travelers keen to access alternative low fares between Vietnam and Singapore, where customers would be able to connect to 28 destinations in Asia Pacific.

Jetstar Asia CEO Chong said the new services would give Asia Pacific passengers better access to the Jetstar network, allowing them to tap more easily into the carrier’s rapidly growing Singapore hub.

Buchanan said the new service would complement and build on the domestic flights already operated by Jetstar Pacific within Vietnam.

With new services and increased frequencies, Jetstar will conduct 50 flights per week between Singapore and Vietnam, with almost 10,000 passengers moving between both countries each week. In total, the new services represent a 78% increase in the airline’s capacity between the two countries and enable the carrier to offer a total of more than 468,000 seats between the two destinations by the end of the year.

Jetstar now offers an all-inclusive one-way economy-class fare from VND770,692 (USD37.4) for the Singapore-Hanoi service on Jetstar.com until 11:59 on July 15, 2011 unless seats sell out prior. This discount air ticket is valid for travel from January 31 till March 6 next year and from March 30 until April 24, 2012.

In addition, Jetstar’s every day all-inclusive, one-way low fares from Hanoi to Singapore start from just over VND1.81 million (USD87.4).

Jetstar now flies to more than 56 destinations in 17 countries and territories. Its pan-Asian network extends from Australia through Singapore, as well as to Japan, China, and Vietnam. The airline also operates direct flights from Singapore to Auckland and Melbourne.