PERTH— Jetstar (JQ) has opened a new cabin crew base in Perth, with the Qantas Group expanding its Western Australian workforce, emergency training capabilities and aircraft refurbishment programme. The developments include plans to increase the local cabin crew team from 40 to 90 positions, a training centre designed to accommodate more than 1,200 employees annually, and completed cabin upgrades for the first aircraft serving the state’s resources sector.
The investment comes as the group prepares to expand services from Perth, including a new seasonal route to Christchurch (CHC) beginning on October 27, 2026. Qantas (QF) also plans to increase capacity on the Perth–Melbourne (MEL) route during the summer holiday period, while upgrades to regional aircraft will support its existing operations across Western Australia.
Qantas Jetstar’s Perth Expansion
The new cabin crew base provides Jetstar with additional staffing capacity to support its growing network from Western Australia. The facility opened this month with 40 crew members, while the airline plans to expand the team to 90 local positions as operations develop.
The base will support the launch of Jetstar’s seasonal Perth–Christchurch service on October 27. Operating three times weekly through March 27, 2027, the route will offer more than 30,000 low-fare seats over the season, strengthening connections between Western Australia and New Zealand.
Jetstar will also increase Perth–Melbourne services to as many as four return flights daily during the summer holiday period. The additional capacity will provide more travel options for passengers while supporting the airline’s broader domestic and international expansion from Perth.
Aviation Training Centre
The Qantas Group’s new Emergency Procedures Training Centre will deliver practical safety training to more than 1,200 Qantas, QantasLink and Jetstar employees each year. The facility combines classroom instruction with hands-on exercises, allowing current crew members and new recruits to complete training locally rather than travelling interstate.
Its equipment includes a virtual reality training area, aircraft door trainers for the Boeing 787, Airbus A330, Boeing 737 and Airbus A320, an Airbus A321 narrow-body trainer, and escape slides and rafts. The group also plans to install an Embraer E190 trainer in early 2027 to support the aircraft type’s entry into QantasLink service.
Jetstar’s newest Perth-based recruits are already undertaking ground school training at the centre. The investment is intended to strengthen local training capacity as the group expands its workforce and operations in Western Australia.
QantasLink Fleet Upgrades
The group is also upgrading aircraft used in its Western Australian operations. QantasLink’s first Embraer E190 arrived in Perth in September, while 19 Perth-based Airbus A320s are undergoing cabin improvements and Wi-Fi installations.
The first A320 upgrade has been completed, with the aircraft scheduled to enter service during the week of the announcement. The wider programme will introduce refreshed seating and cabin interiors alongside onboard connectivity across the 19-aircraft fleet.
Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson said Perth is expected to become the group’s second-largest international gateway after Sydney in the coming years. She said investments in local employment, additional flights, aircraft and training facilities would support the group’s long-term growth in Western Australia.
Western Australian Premier Roger Cook also welcomed the developments, highlighting their potential to create skilled employment, strengthen aviation training and support the state’s tourism and trade sectors.
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