Valuair
Encyclopedia
Valuair Limited is a Singapore
-based low-cost carrier
. It was launched in 2004, offering initial services to Bangkok
and Hong Kong
. It differentiates itself from other low-cost carriers in that it offers frills such as a baggage allowance of over 20 kg, in-flight food, allocated seats, and 32 inch seat pitch. Acquired in 2005 by Jetstar Asia Airways
, the Valuair brand is retained for Jetstar Asia's scheduled services to major cities in Indonesia.
Valuair sought to differentiate itself from its competitors such as then-rival Jetstar Asia and Tiger Airways
by offering free hot meals, wider legroom and assigned seating, and marketed itself as a low-fare airline. The airline flew beyond the traditional five-hour radius typical of low-cost carriers and flew to destinations like Perth
, Xiamen
and Chengdu
. The airline even had ambitious plans flying to Australia's East Coast and Northeast Asia using wide-body aircraft. In its plans, a Business Class and cargo operations was even thought of. However, rising fuel prices, along with lack of financial backing and the deep pockets of Qantas
' Jetstar Asia and Singapore Airlines
-backed Tiger Airways finally forced the airline to concede defeat in the highly-competitive local scene.
On 24 July 2005, the carrier announced plans to merge with Jetstar Asia. Both Jetstar Asia, a Qantas-backed airline, and Valuair were planning to operate their respective routes normally for the foreseeable future. The announcement came after several weeks of speculation about consolidation within Southeast Asia's low-cost airline industry.
On 24 July 2005, Jetstar Asia and Valuair merged to form Orange Star
, in the first major consolidation of Southeast Asia's crowded low-cost airline industry. Jetstar Asia and Valuair said they would continue to operate their normal routes under their own brands in the meantime, with little or no change to the service offered by either airline. Qantas chief executive officer and Jetstar Asia chairman Geoff Dixon chaired the new company. Jetstar Asia chief executive officer Chong Phit Lian was appointed as the chief executive of both airlines. The new company was to receive a cash injection of more than S$50 million in fresh capital into the new entity, largely to be provided by Qantas. Shareholders of Valuair, including airline industry veteran Lim Chin Beng, Malaysia's Star Cruises and Asiatravel.com, have now become minority shareholders in the merged company.
From 11 September 2005, Valuair began flying twice daily from Singapore to Jakarta. The new daily flight began as VF208 from Singapore to Jakarta, and VF207 from Jakarta to Singapore. As of 1 February 2008, flights to Jakarta increased to four times daily. From 23 October 2005, Valuair commenced daily flights from Singapore to Surabaya, VF531 operated from Singapore to Surabaya, and VF532 vice versa. Flights to Hong Kong
were suspended.
From 26 January 2006, Valuair commenced three weekly flights from Singapore to Denpasar Bali. As at 1 February 2008, the service has been upgraded to become four times per week.
, Medan
, Surabaya
and Denpasar
. In response to the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore
's rejection of AirAsia
-backed airline Indonesia Air Asia's application to fly to Singapore, Indonesia embarked on a policy of protectionism. This prohibited low-cost carriers of Singapore and Indonesia from adding more flights. Jetstar Asia had not yet established routes into Indonesia
, so the merger is seen as the airline's strategy to get an early entrance into the lucrative Indonesian market.
Valuair flights are operated by Jetstar Asia crew, with the in-flight menu and entertainment virtually the same as Jetstar Asia's. Sometimes, JetStar flights are used with Valuair aircraft.
In February 2008, Jetstar Asia announced that it would begin flights to Medan
later in the year. As existing protectionism policies are in place, the flights were operated under Valuair's code.
Valuair currently offers flights between its base in Singapore to Jakarta, Denpasar and Surabaya, with Bangkok
as a codeshare with Jetstar Asia. Since the merger with Jetstar Asia, the airline has cut routes to Perth, Hong Kong, Xiamen, Chengdu and Bangkok, as part of a consolidation exercise between both airlines.
The following list shows all current and former destinations, including the city served, the country, the airport, and the begin and end year of the service.
programme. On flights operated by Valuair, passengers may only consume food and drinks purchased onboard unless passengers have special dietary needs. Prior to merger, meal and drinks were included in the ticket charge.
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
-based low-cost carrier
Low-cost carrier
A low-cost carrier or low-cost airline is an airline that generally has lower fares and fewer comforts...
. It was launched in 2004, offering initial services to Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
and Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. It differentiates itself from other low-cost carriers in that it offers frills such as a baggage allowance of over 20 kg, in-flight food, allocated seats, and 32 inch seat pitch. Acquired in 2005 by Jetstar Asia Airways
Jetstar Asia Airways
Jetstar Asia Airways Private Limited , operating as Jetstar Asia, is a low-cost airline headquartered in Singapore. It is the Asian offshoot of Qantas Jetstar Airways...
, the Valuair brand is retained for Jetstar Asia's scheduled services to major cities in Indonesia.
History
Valuair was the first low-cost airline to begin operations in Singapore, although some do not consider it as such by other definitions. Launching its first flight on May 5, 2004, it was funded by local businessmen, and had the expertise of an ex-Singapore Airlines employee as its chief executive.Valuair sought to differentiate itself from its competitors such as then-rival Jetstar Asia and Tiger Airways
Tiger Airways
Tiger Airways Singapore Pte Ltd, operating as Tiger Airways Singapore, is a low cost airline which commenced services on 25 March 2005. It is a subsidiary of Tiger Airways Holdings, a Singapore-based company, which is owned partially by Singapore Airlines...
by offering free hot meals, wider legroom and assigned seating, and marketed itself as a low-fare airline. The airline flew beyond the traditional five-hour radius typical of low-cost carriers and flew to destinations like Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, Xiamen
Xiamen
Xiamen , also known as Amoy , is a major city on the southeast coast of the People's Republic of China. It is administered as a sub-provincial city of Fujian province with an area of and population of 3.53 million...
and Chengdu
Chengdu
Chengdu , formerly transliterated Chengtu, is the capital of Sichuan province in Southwest China. It holds sub-provincial administrative status...
. The airline even had ambitious plans flying to Australia's East Coast and Northeast Asia using wide-body aircraft. In its plans, a Business Class and cargo operations was even thought of. However, rising fuel prices, along with lack of financial backing and the deep pockets of Qantas
Qantas
Qantas Airways Limited is the flag carrier of Australia. The name was originally "QANTAS", an initialism for "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services". Nicknamed "The Flying Kangaroo", the airline is based in Sydney, with its main hub at Sydney Airport...
' Jetstar Asia and Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines Limited is the flag carrier airline of Singapore. Singapore Airlines operates a hub at Changi Airport and has a strong presence in the Southeast Asia, East Asia, South Asia, and "Kangaroo Route" markets...
-backed Tiger Airways finally forced the airline to concede defeat in the highly-competitive local scene.
On 24 July 2005, the carrier announced plans to merge with Jetstar Asia. Both Jetstar Asia, a Qantas-backed airline, and Valuair were planning to operate their respective routes normally for the foreseeable future. The announcement came after several weeks of speculation about consolidation within Southeast Asia's low-cost airline industry.
Valuair and Jetstar Asia merge
Orange Star
Orange Star is an airline holding company that was formed on July 24, 2005, when Jetstar Asia Airways and Valuair announced their merger in the light of growing competition from other low-cost carriers, price wars and rising fuel costs. Jetstar Asia Chief Executive Officer Chong Phit Lian became...
, in the first major consolidation of Southeast Asia's crowded low-cost airline industry. Jetstar Asia and Valuair said they would continue to operate their normal routes under their own brands in the meantime, with little or no change to the service offered by either airline. Qantas chief executive officer and Jetstar Asia chairman Geoff Dixon chaired the new company. Jetstar Asia chief executive officer Chong Phit Lian was appointed as the chief executive of both airlines. The new company was to receive a cash injection of more than S$50 million in fresh capital into the new entity, largely to be provided by Qantas. Shareholders of Valuair, including airline industry veteran Lim Chin Beng, Malaysia's Star Cruises and Asiatravel.com, have now become minority shareholders in the merged company.
From 11 September 2005, Valuair began flying twice daily from Singapore to Jakarta. The new daily flight began as VF208 from Singapore to Jakarta, and VF207 from Jakarta to Singapore. As of 1 February 2008, flights to Jakarta increased to four times daily. From 23 October 2005, Valuair commenced daily flights from Singapore to Surabaya, VF531 operated from Singapore to Surabaya, and VF532 vice versa. Flights to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
were suspended.
From 26 January 2006, Valuair commenced three weekly flights from Singapore to Denpasar Bali. As at 1 February 2008, the service has been upgraded to become four times per week.
Valuair today
Valuair today only flies to Indonesian destinations - namely JakartaJakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
, Medan
Medan
- Demography :The city is Indonesia's fourth most populous after Jakarta, Surabaya, and Bandung, and Indonesia's largest city outside of Java island. Much of the population lies outside its city limits, especially in Deli Serdang....
, Surabaya
Surabaya
Surabaya is Indonesia's second-largest city with a population of over 2.7 million , and the capital of the province of East Java...
and Denpasar
Denpasar
Denpasar is the capital city of the province of Bali, Indonesia. It has a rapidly expanding population of 788,445 in 2010, up from 533,252 in the previous decade. It is located at .-History:...
. In response to the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore
Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore
The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore is Singapore's Civil Aviation Authority and a statutory board under the Ministry of Transport of the Singapore Government...
's rejection of AirAsia
AirAsia
AirAsia Berhad is a Malaysian-based low-cost airline. AirAsia is Asia's largest low-fare, no-frills airline and a pioneer of low-cost travel in Asia. AirAsia group operates scheduled domestic and international flights to over 400 destinations spanning 25 countries. Its main hub is the Low-Cost...
-backed airline Indonesia Air Asia's application to fly to Singapore, Indonesia embarked on a policy of protectionism. This prohibited low-cost carriers of Singapore and Indonesia from adding more flights. Jetstar Asia had not yet established routes into Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, so the merger is seen as the airline's strategy to get an early entrance into the lucrative Indonesian market.
Valuair flights are operated by Jetstar Asia crew, with the in-flight menu and entertainment virtually the same as Jetstar Asia's. Sometimes, JetStar flights are used with Valuair aircraft.
In February 2008, Jetstar Asia announced that it would begin flights to Medan
Medan
- Demography :The city is Indonesia's fourth most populous after Jakarta, Surabaya, and Bandung, and Indonesia's largest city outside of Java island. Much of the population lies outside its city limits, especially in Deli Serdang....
later in the year. As existing protectionism policies are in place, the flights were operated under Valuair's code.
Destinations
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
as a codeshare with Jetstar Asia. Since the merger with Jetstar Asia, the airline has cut routes to Perth, Hong Kong, Xiamen, Chengdu and Bangkok, as part of a consolidation exercise between both airlines.
The following list shows all current and former destinations, including the city served, the country, the airport, and the begin and end year of the service.
| City | Country | Airport | Begin | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangkok Bangkok Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom... |
 Thailand |
Bangkok International Airport | 5 May 2004 | November 2005 |
| Chengdu Chengdu Chengdu , formerly transliterated Chengtu, is the capital of Sichuan province in Southwest China. It holds sub-provincial administrative status... |
 People's Republic of China |
Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport is a major airport serving Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan Province, China. It is located in the north of Shuangliu County, about southwest of downtown Chengdu.... |
20 April 2005 | 30 October 2005 |
| Denpasar Denpasar Denpasar is the capital city of the province of Bali, Indonesia. It has a rapidly expanding population of 788,445 in 2010, up from 533,252 in the previous decade. It is located at .-History:... |
 Indonesia |
Ngurah Rai Airport Ngurah Rai Airport Ngurah Rai International Airport , also known as Denpasar International Airport, is located in southern Bali, 13 km south of Denpasar... |
27 January 2006 | present |
| Hong Kong Hong Kong Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour... |
 Hong Kong |
Hong Kong International Airport Hong Kong International Airport Hong Kong International Airport is the main airport in Hong Kong. It is colloquially known as Chek Lap Kok Airport , being built on the island of Chek Lap Kok by land reclamation, and also to distinguish it from its predecessor, the closed Kai Tak Airport.The airport opened for commercial... |
7 May 2004 | 23 October 2005 |
| Jakarta Jakarta Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre... |
Indonesia |
Soekarno-Hatta International Airport Soekarno-Hatta International Airport Soekarno–Hatta International Airport , popularly abbreviated SHIA or Soetta is the main airport serving the greater Jakarta area on the island of Java, Indonesia. The airport is named after the first President of Indonesia, Soekarno, and the first vice-president, Mohammad Hatta. The airport is... |
23 October 2005 | present |
| Medan Medan - Demography :The city is Indonesia's fourth most populous after Jakarta, Surabaya, and Bandung, and Indonesia's largest city outside of Java island. Much of the population lies outside its city limits, especially in Deli Serdang.... |
Indonesia |
Polonia International Airport Polonia International Airport Polonia International Airport is located in the city of Medan, Indonesia, about 5 km from the Central Business District. It is the first international airport in Medan, the other being the planned Kuala Namu International Airport... |
30 March 2008 | present |
| Perth Perth, Western Australia Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000.... |
 Australia |
Perth Airport Perth Airport Perth Airport is an Australian domestic and international airport serving Perth, the capital and largest city of Western Australia. The airport itself is located in the suburb of Perth Airport.... |
1 December 2004 | 9 October 2005 |
| Singapore Singapore Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the... |
 Singapore |
Singapore Changi Airport Singapore Changi Airport Singapore Changi Airport , Changi International Airport, or simply Changi Airport, is the main airport in Singapore. A major aviation hub in Southeast Asia, it is about north-east from the commercial centre in Changi, on a site.... [Hub] |
5 May 2004 | present |
| Surabaya Surabaya Surabaya is Indonesia's second-largest city with a population of over 2.7 million , and the capital of the province of East Java... |
Indonesia |
Juanda International Airport Juanda International Airport Juanda International Airport , is an airport located in Sidoarjo, a small town near Surabaya, East Java. This airport serves Surabaya and surrounding areas. Juanda International Airport is operated by PT Angkasa Pura I. The airport takes its name after Djuanda Kartawidjaja, the last Prime Minister... |
23 October 2005 | present |
| Xiamen Xiamen Xiamen , also known as Amoy , is a major city on the southeast coast of the People's Republic of China. It is administered as a sub-provincial city of Fujian province with an area of and population of 3.53 million... |
People's Republic of China |
Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport -Cargo airlines:-See also:*List of airports in the People's Republic of China*China's busiest airports by passenger traffic-External links:*... |
25 April 2005 | 30 October 2005 |
Fleet
As of 30 April 2009, the Valuair fleet includes the following aircraft:| Aircraft | In Service | Orders | Options | Passengers (Economy) |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A320-200 Airbus A320 family The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001... |
2 | 0 | 0 | 168 | Aircraft are painted in Jetstar Asia Livery with Valuair logo written next to the Jetstar Asia logo. |
| Total | 2 | 0 | 0 |
In-flight services
Passengers may purchase food and beverage on board from the cabin crew as part of a buy on boardBuy on board
In commercial flight, buy on board is a system where food or beverages are paid for on board; often food or beverages are not included in the ticket price for certain fare classes....
programme. On flights operated by Valuair, passengers may only consume food and drinks purchased onboard unless passengers have special dietary needs. Prior to merger, meal and drinks were included in the ticket charge.