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The update, pushed out by Airbus on Saturday after a recent incident involving a JetBlue A320, was required on 34 of Jetstar’s 85 A320/21 family aircraft, and caused significant delays and disruptions while the low-cost carrier rushed to implement it.
Flight JQ81 took off from Perth Airport at around 10pm on Thursday night aboard the A321neo LR VH-OFU, landing in Manila at 4:30am. The low-cost carrier is now competing with Philippine Airlines on the route, with three services per week adding more than 72,000 seats a year.
The move is the latest step by the airline in its exploration of AI functionality, including a beta test of an AI trip planner and using AI-driven insights to “help forecast demand and deliver market-driven dynamic airfare pricing”.
In his speech at the company’s AGM, Alliance Aviation Services chair James Jackson said the charter, FIFO and wet-lease operator has been looking “to review and seek to renegotiate a major ACMI [aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance] contract” due to unexpected high costs.
The aircraft, B-2472, was carrying Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China on a parliamentary visit. Arriving in Brisbane on Saturday from New Zealand, it flew to Canberra on Monday before leaving the country on Tuesday.
Speaking to Airfinance Global this month, Nick Swenson, chief executive at the US-based aviation firm, said Air T will focus on stabilising the ship and does not plan to drastically overhaul the regional carrier’s business model following the approval by creditors of its $170 million takeover bid.
