Myself and a friend where booked on flight JQ479 departing Newcastle airport at 1905. On a tip off from a family friend we where told this flight had been delayed. On this tip off i rang jetstar and spoke to a David at 1743 who informed me that there wasnt a problem and that he had checked two web sites and that the plane would be going. Myself and my friend and two other people who where also on this flight were then driven from Batemans Bay to Newcastle airport. On arrival we could not only see on the screen but then where also told by your check in staff that the flight had been delayed because of a problem and would be departing at approx. 2200. I had personally chosen this flight because of other family comittments in Melbourne and was VERY ANGRY AND DISSAPPOINTED that i was misinformed by your staff. In my opinion this is very unsatisfactory service. At this stage i will NEVER fly with your airline again. You totally wrecked our weekend away and my daughters birthday sunday night at home. I know this isnt your concern but i arrived home at 2 am the following morning. From talking to other people while waiting all that time at Newcastle airport they where not happy either and would also be seeking another airline to travel with in the future as i will. A lousy 8 dollar meal does not compensate the love of a disappointed child on a birthday. Thanks for nothing jetstar

We are FINALLY home!

Now I know a lot of performers have horror travel stories... perhaps none more than Paul Romhany as he flies from cruise ship to cruise ship every week... but our trip was a simple flight from Osaka to Melbourne via the Gold Coast.

Only problem was - it was on Jetstar.



DEPARTURE TIME

When I originally booked the flight, online at Jetstar.com, it was a 7pm departure from Osaka. Jetstar sent me several email notifications letting me know the flight times had changed to 8pm, then eventually to 8.55pm.

So we arrived at the stunning Kansai International Airport ready to check in at 6pm... and we noticed that people were leaving the check in counter with their luggage.

After about 20 minutes we reached a point in the line where there was a sign telling us that the departure time was delayed until 8.10am... the next morning.



REASON FOR DELAY

According to the sign, "Crew rotation". Apparently, the crew were not rested enough to fly until the next morning.

Most modern airlines use a technique called "planning" which involves things called "schedules". Hopefully Jetstar will introduce this innovative idea sometime in the near future... either that or maybe remote-control planes that don't need crews to fly them.



COMPENSATION

Thankfully the Japanese staff working for Jetstar were very apologetic and worked efficiently and politely to calm customers and put plan B into action.

In order to soothe us they offered:

* Free meal service on the flight from Osaka to the Gold Coast.

* Excess baggage was waived.

* Overnight accommodation in a nearby hotel.

* 2000 yen voucher for dinner.

* 1000 yen voucher for breakfast.

2000 yen is worth about $AUS33, and as the many restaurants at the Kansai International Airport charge regular prices (as opposed to "airport prices") we were able to enjoy a delicious dinner. Of course, as we had to catch a bus to the hotel we were a little rushed, but we enjoyed it as best we could.



THE HOTEL

As Jetstar had to billet 400 or so passengers we were sent off to different hotels. Sue-Anne and I stayed at the 51 story ANA Gateway. Very nice hotel. Room prices listed at around $AUS300 and, though in need of a freshen up, they were big by Japanese standards.

Unfortunately, ours was next to the elevators and the sound of a lift rushing up 50 floors is like a rocket going off... over and over again.

Later in the night, when use of the lift had stopped, I heard a weird squeaking... I think it was just because the hotel was so tall, but it sounded like the room was haunted by some demonic telegraph operator sending morse code all night.

I think I did manage to get an hour or two of sleep before waking at 4am to catch the bus back to the airport.



CHECKING IN AGAIN

The signs in the airport told us to check in at counters C18-22 - and there was already one family lined up there - so that's where we all went. We were really pleased to be second in line.

Unfortunately, when the staff arrived they decided to use different counters and the line ran, tail-end first, to the new check-in area.



BREAKFAST

We were checked in by 6.20am and ready to spend out 1000 yen each on breakfast... unfortunately, all but one of the airport restaurants were still closed and didn't open until 7.30pm (which is when we needed to board) and that restaurant was McDonald's. A fellow traveller told us he had a feast for 980 yen, but we opted for the healthier option of not eating.



FLIGHT

The flight was uneventful as we were all very tired, and the crew was almost invisible as they had nothing to sell to the passengers. They made one pass just after we took off giving us all a croissant and a small yoghurt, then another pass just before we landed with a hot lunch for everyone (which was actually not too bad). It was at that point the announcer said "This is your last opportunity to request any food"... the passengers let out a sigh as one as we realised we could have been asking for our "free food" at any time during the flight... in true Jetstar fashion, they'd offered it (not when they served us the croissant, but in the letter we got the night before) we just had to ask.



ARRIVAL

The pilot announced, quite proudly, that he'd made up time and we'd arrive early at the Gold Coast International Airport, which we did. We had just over an hour to clear customs and check in to our Melbourne flight.

We all rushed down the stairs and onto the tarmac, we read the handwritten sign stuck on a witches hat and took the path along the barbed wire fence before entering the tunnel made of cargo containers and emerging in passport control.

Our bags finally arrived on the conveyor belt, we had nothing to declare and were directed down the left line where our bags were thoroughly searched.

We'd been first off the plane and now we watched, helplessly, as everyone rushed through to meet their connections while Customs officials went through every piece of our luggage. They flicked through our books several times, examined every credit card in my wallet, and stood there reading entries in Sue-Anne's diaries.

I told them that, because our flight was delayed by 12 hours, we'd been told that we had to find a Jetstar person to help us make our connection in time. They said "Good luck" and laughed. They said that Jetstar was always late.



OUR FINAL LEG

Sure enough, they were right. When we joined the end of the line at the Jetstar domestic check-in, I noticed that the 7.20pm to Melbourne was now leaving at 10.20pm. (Due to late arrival of the aircraft... which is weird, because if it was that late it means the plane hadn't even left Melbourne or Sydney yet).

There was an 8.20pm flight to Melbourne, and when I asked if we could be moved onto that, the check-in lady told us it was already overbooked by ten people. (Note, they filled that plane with people, like me, who were earlier in the line. How do they overbook it? Surely they could get a machine that tells them "Sorry, you've already sold that seat to someone else." Maybe one day they will.)

I told the lady at the counter how we'd already been delayed 12 hours and now we had to wait another three and she got her back up and told me not to "pay out" on her as she'd only just arrived at work. At least she was getting paid to be there, a lot of the other passengers were unable to arrive at work thanks to Jetstar's hopelessness.

I took another tack and asked her what she was going to give us as compensation and she quickly wrote out meal vouchers, worth $8, for both of us.

She was very combative and not once offered an apology for the delay. As we were told later by an airport staff member "That's how they're trained to be."



ANOTHER DINNER

When we went through security where the three food outlets where we met with another passenger who wasn't offered a voucher. He went back out to check-in and had to argue with a supervisor before he was finally given one.

I took my pad and paper with me and headed back to check-in (hey, I had nothing else to do and three hours to kill) and I asked the supervisor what the Jetstar policy was with meal vouchers. He asked me if I wanted one, and I explained that I had one because I'd asked, but other passengers didn't get them. He told me they would have been offered them... "they weren't a secret", I explained that they weren't offered them and perhaps he'd make an announcement on the PA for those who missed out.

He agreed.

A short time later the announcement was made. Unfortunately, most passengers had already bought food and those who were going to go back through security and get their coupons were told the kitchen's were closing in 5 minutes...

So what could you get for $8?

* Nachos? No - $13.50

* Burger, Fries & Drink - small? No - $10.95

* Chicken Roll? No - $8.95

You could get a croissant... $7.65.

Sue-Anne got a fruit drink for $7.60. I paid the extra $2.95 for the burger combo.



FINALLY...

As we waited and watch the departure area slowly empty of people we chatted to some of the airport staff. Apparently Monday at Coolangatta Airport is always like this. Jetstar are constantly running late. (Not just Jetstar. As we waited we heard a Virgin 7pm flight to Canberra get delayed, and delayed until it was finally cancelled at 9.30pm)

This explains the lack of clocks in the departure area. We had to keep time by watching a departure monitor... until a security guard came around and switch it over so he could watch the tennis instead.

Finally we got on the plane and were told that, because one of the Jetstar fleet "became unserviceable" (ie: broke) it threw their whole national schedule out of whack and a "domino effect" took over making flights later and later... The attendant who told us this was very well trained as her announcement was gruff, to the point, and her apology insincere.

By this time, I just conked out and slept the entire way to Melbourne.

Touching down at Melbourne Airport at 1.45am we made our way to the baggage carousel and picked up our cases. As we headed out I noticed that the airport authorities have gone all out to stop "unlicensed taxi drivers" from soliciting rides by putting up 5ft tall signs at each exit. Standing right next to the sign was a man holding a crumpled sign reading SMITH who approached me and said "Do you need a taxi?"

We were home.



Was this a "nightmare flight"? No. As I've discovered with a quick google of JETSTAR, it's quite typical.


On behalf of Australian travellers everywhere, we'd like to award you

JETSTAR - AMATEUR AUSTRALIAN AIRLINE OF THE YEAR



So bad, they even make Qantas look good! (Well, most Jetstar flights are code-share with Qantas anyway).

Jetstar lost one piece of my luggage on a flight between Sydney and Honolulu. I was travelling further to the US on several other flights. They eventually found the lost luggage and forwarded it to my address in the US two weeks later. Due to jetstar having no affiliation with any US airline, it cost me US$20 to have my luggage delivered. This, and the horrible flight I experienced, have convinced me to never, ever use Jetstar again. They are a disgrace to Australia.

Refund still not received 2 months after a cancellation made due to a change of Jetstar's schedule.

Timeline of my dealings with Jetstar

11/9/2008 - booked a flight on Jetstar Asia online
26/9/2008 - received email notification that the flight time had been moved from 16:35 to 21:20 resulting in me being unable to make a connecting flight on Qantas.
26/9/2008 - rang Jetstar Melbourne and cancelled the flight as they had no other alternatives that would allow me to make my connecting flight. Asked for a refund. Advised the refund would take 8-12 weeks
17/11/2008 - rang Jetstar in Melbourne to follow up and they agreed to fast track the refund and promised a refund within 7 days.
24/11/2008 - rang Jetstar in Melbourne only to find that no refund had been made or requested. Advised they had submitted another fast track.
26/11/2008 - rang Jetstar in Melbourne to double check that the fast track promised had been processed. Jetstar advised for the first time that I would need to speak to Jetstar in Singapore as they processed all refunds.
26/11/2008 - rang Jetstar in Singapore who advised that the refund would take 8-12 weeks from the time I made this call as all previous correspondence had been with Jetstar in Melbourne who failed to pass any information on to Singapore. Jetstar agreed to process the refund within 6 weeks.

On the morning of the 18th October 2008 I flew from Brisbane to Cairns on Qantas flight QF798. I checked in 1 x suitcase and 1 x set of golf clubs.

In the afternoon of the 20th of October 2008 I arrived at the Cairns Jetstar check-in counter with my suitcase and golf clubs for my return trip to Brisbane on JQ939. After placing both items on the weighing station I was informed that I was 16kgs over the allowable limit, and that I was going to be charged at a rate of $10 per kilo. That’s $160 to bring my golf clubs back from my short trip, the game of golf only cost me $99!

I was NOT charged by Qantas on the way up, yet I get slugged $160 on my return trip. It would have been cheaper to book a new flight with Virgin. I have never been charged by Jetstar before to take my golf clubs with me, and I have certainly never been charged by Qantas or Virgin.

I asked the woman behind the counter if there was anything that could be done for me, maybe waiving the fee for this one off occasion, or even offering me a discounted rate. I asked her what my options were, her reply “you can leave your clubs behind” what a stupid thing to say, oh ok, so I can leave them at your house and I’ll pick them up next time I’m in town? Get real!

She was not forthcoming or helpful on any of these requests, her (Jestar’s) ‘take it or leave’ it attitude it appalling. No compassion, no caring, not even a glimmer of someone trying to help.

I know what you are going to say “different airlines have different policies” and “it’s all in our terms and conditions”, well I can tell you; if that’s the line you want to draw in the sand I’m never going to fly Jetstar again!

One last thing, let me give an insight into Virgin Blue’s customer service, they do everything they possibly can to help you, if you arrive 20min before your flight they do everything possible to get you on-board, if you luggage is slightly over they don’t worry about it, if you are transporting sporting goods they don’t charge you. So maybe, just maybe you could take a leaf of Virgin’s book and build on your ice cold customer relations because at the moment it stinks, it absolutely stinks!

Another unhappy Jetstar customer!