Jetstar Asia's shutdown: Does marketing matter with price conscious customers?

The Qantas Group will be ceasing the operations of its Singapore-based low-cost subsidiary, Jetstar Asia, as part of a strategic restructure which supports its historic fleet renewal program and to strengthen its core businesses.

The low-cost carrier (LCC) space in Asia is fiercely competitive, with dominant players shaping consumer expectations around price and frequency of flights. In such an environment, where travellers often compare fares down to the last dollar, it is easy to question whether branding, positioning, or marketing could have made any meaningful difference for Jetstar Asia.

But is being ‘cheap’ enough to win in Asia’s skies? In light of Jetstar Asia’s exit, MARKETING-INTERACTIVE asked marketers if smart marketing and positioning could have helped the airline stand out and survive.