QANTAS budget offshoot Jetstar joined the cutthroat battle for market share on air routes between Australia and New Zealand today with the start of services between Australian the South Island city of Christchurch.
Qantas' budget offshoot, which is making its first foray into international routes, has been flying in Australia for 18 months.
Jetstar will fly 28 return no-frills services between Christchurch in New Zealand and Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
It will compete with its own parent Qantas on the routes as well as with Air New Zealand, Pacific Blue and Emirates.
Jetstar's introductory fares undercut its opposition and start from $NZ159 New Zealand dollars ($152) for flights to the Gold Coast.
Jetstar corporate relations manager Simon Westaway said the first flights Thursday to Melbourne and Sydney were 80 percent full.
"It's a very sound first-day launch for us," he said. "And numbers in coming weeks are looking stronger." 
