It sounds like a mission statement for a team starting a new business. Why will people buy our services? But it’s not a team of business owners asking the question. It’s one of our members and the topic is Jetstar.
Unless the reason is for timing, scheduling or connections, why fly Jetster? I have done a few dummy bookings with J*, and the price is always more than a QF flight for the same benefits (QF ff points & sc, baggage allowance etc). Then there is the way they often treat their pax: delayed & cancelled flights, missed connections, taking no responsibility for their decisions etc.
This month sees Jetstar celebrate their 10th birthday. So clearly there has been a steady flow of customers who do fly Jetstar. When Jetstar first started there was little in it besides price for the frequent flyer. There was no lounge access. And there was not even the option to get those valuable points and status credits by paying more.
Fortunately the airline has evolved over those 10 years. Frequent Flyers can now pay a little extra for points and status credits. Lounge access is also complimentary for those with Qantas Club membership or status when departing from an airport that has a Qantas Club open.
Amongst our members there are quite a few Jetstar customers providing their input. Some fly because they don’t have a choice; they are the only Qantas group airline on the route, such as Perth Singapore. Others feel the airline has matured. The gap between full service and low cost carrier has narrowed. Where there is a choice, Jetstar can get the business when certain rules are met.
You gave an example here where JQ is close in price to QF.. but in many other cases JQ is half price or even less then QF on the same route and sometimes even same departure time (+-5 min). My rule is, if JQ is $100 cheaper on the same route and time on short east coast flights, I will consider them.
Apart from price, schedules and frequency also play a part in airline choice. Qantas has been very strategic in what Jetstar destinations are on offer. If you’re a Canberra resident, Jetstar offers no attraction as they don’t service the city. On the other hand, until recently, Jetstar was the only choice when flying to the Gold Coast. And some cities have limited schedules, making it hard to find the right flight even when the price is right.
Very limited Sydney-Brisbane schedule and outside of their gimmick sales airfares are more expensive than Virgin.
Do you see value in flying a low cost carrier? You might be a regular Jetstar customer who understands why they are a good choice, why not express your view in the conversation HERE.
