Jetstar Airways is Australia's newest airline. It was launched as a budget domestic carrier, with it's first flight on 25/May/2004.
Formerly known as Impulse Airlines, the airline was bought by Qantas on 20/Nov/2001, and was initally operated as QantasLink, until it was relaunched as Jetstar. Although owned by Qantas, Jetstar operates independently, with its own management team based in Melbourne.
Jetstar began it's services operating 14 Boeing 717-200 aircraft. In June 2004, the airline received its first A320-200 aircraft, which can take up to 177 passengers. By 2006 they will have gradually taken delivery of an additional 22 Airbus A320s, replacing the existing B717s. The A320s are to be maintained in Australia, in a new maintenance facility in Newcastle.
Jetstar Asia has also been launched. On 13/Dec/2004 the first flight took off from Singapore to Hong Kong. Jetstar Asia is Qantas' entry into Asia, and is in direct competition with Singapore Airlines.