AFF Review: Jetstar A321neo LR Economy Class (SYD-DPS)

[AFF Editor]

Jetstar A321neo LR Economy Class Review (Sydney-Bali) is an article written by the AFF editorial team:

Jetstar A321neo LR Economy Class Review (Sydney-Bali)

Many Jetstar flights to Bali are now on board the budget airline's new Airbus A321neo LR. We review the Economy Class experience on this aircraft from Sydney to Denpasar.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

You can leave a comment or discuss this topic below.

 

[Scarlett]

TLDR: it sucked. But what else would you have expected?

Also, for the Ed: 82/221 = 37% chance you’ll be on JQ. That is NOT a ‘great’ chance. It’s at best a ‘decent’ chance.

“If you’re flying from Australia to Bali, there’s a great chance you’ll be on a Jetstar flight. Of the 221 weekly return flights from Australia to the Island of the Gods, 82 are on Jetstar, which flies there from seven cities across Australia.”

For me personally, and confirmed by the review, I have 0% chance of being on this flight!

 

[moa999]

I'm actually somewhat surprised that Jetstar didn't establish a subfleet with recliner J (or even a Euro-style J :-( ) for these longer international routes.

Always seemed to have reasonable demand for J on the widebodies.

 

[Mick 20448]

Thank you for this honest review, this is what PAX need to see, not one written by someone flying compliments of the airline. Certainly will not be flying long range on one of these. Never ceases to amaze me when airline trumpet how the new thinner seats will mean more leg room for the PAX, pigs ar#e, it just means they can put in more rows and less toilets.

 

[Bundy Bear]

For a 1 to 2 hour flight 29 inch economy isn’t great but bearable, for a 6 hour plus flight find another carrier.

 

[BigA007]

I thought you were very generous giving JetStar a 2* rating for the NEO aircraft . The seat, legroom, no business class, bad food, why would you bother to fly that aircraft / Jetstar. The dreamliner is a much better aircraft. For not much more money in alot of the cases I have flown Qantas or Garuda with Garuda having the better plane if you fly out of Melbourne as thats where Qantas use the 737.
The NEO even makes the 737 boeing look good, thats how bad that is.
JetStar had a great oppertunity but stuffed it up by becoming to low cost airline compared to others.

 

[Comfyseat]

Jetstar A321neo LR Economy Class Review (Sydney-Bali) is an article written by the AFF editorial team:

Jetstar A321neo LR Economy Class Review (Sydney-Bali)

Many Jetstar flights to Bali are now on board the budget airline's new Airbus A321neo LR. We review the Economy Class experience on this aircraft from Sydney to Denpasar.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

You can leave a comment or discuss this topic below.

Totally agree with your assessment that the seats are extremely uncomfortable due to the limited legroom and non-existent padding. I understand that this is all due to economics and trying to maximize the number of seats that the airline can squeeze into the aircraft, but it makes for an awful experience for passengers. Never again. I'll try Batik Air or Virgin in future, even if it costs more.

 

[clifford]

I won't fly economy on the 787, so certainly wouldn't touch the 321 NEO (well, maybe apart from Row 1).

I'd Maybe think about flying VA in Row 3 or QF on the 330.

 

[jase05]

I thought you were very generous giving JetStar a 2* rating for the NEO aircraft . The seat, legroom, no business class, bad food, why would you bother to fly that aircraft / Jetstar. The dreamliner is a much better aircraft. For not much more money in alot of the cases I have flown Qantas or Garuda with Garuda having the better plane if you fly out of Melbourne as thats where Qantas use the 737.
The NEO even makes the 737 boeing look good, thats how bad that is.
JetStar had a great oppertunity but stuffed it up by becoming to low cost airline compared to others.

Guess it’s different strokes for different folks. We have close friends who travel from Adelaide to Bali several times a year and they rave about how much better the Neo is compared to what they are used to on Jetstar to Bali. They tried getting us to fly with them and we flat out refused but compromised and went with VA in J whilst they were in Y and they reckon the Neo was better.

 

[Laptop Jockey]

My spine hurt just looking at those Recaro slimline seats!
I've flown a 1.5h flight on one of those model seats overseas and that was bad enough, I genuinely cannot imagine 7h! The seats on city buses and trains are literally more padded and comfortable!

Really surprised they didn't use the opportunity to fit a small Jetstar J-class up front with 8-12x recliners similar to QF's 737 J seats, seems like a really missed opportunity, as Jetstar's J was always a neat little travel hack as an alternative to full service airline Y seats.

 

[Bard]

it was AWEFUL... I've flown this chicken coupe on 2 occasions now and HATE it... If u don't ay for the extra leg room u feel like a battery hen. cramped and uncomfortable. NEVER will I EVER fly it again

 

[AIRwin]

it was AWEFUL... I've flown this chicken coupe on 2 occasions now and HATE it... If u don't ay for the extra leg room u feel like a battery hen. cramped and uncomfortable. NEVER will I EVER fly it again

Oh it's that Bard?! Welcome to AFF and hope you'll be back here though to share more of your experiences with us...

 

[Daver6]

Yikes. I was considering this for PER to HKT. It's the only direct option. Sigh.

 

[moa999]

And more of these 321 Neo's coming with the 13th being flown to Australia in the last day and another 6 still due after that..

 

[SteveLL]

Horrible experience flying this even in the exit row recently from Sydney to Rarotonga. The seat has no padding at all and no head rest!!!!! Impossible to sleep on a 6 hour red eye flight! Unfortunately Jetstar is the only carrier flying ditect in this route. I loved my holiday in Cook Islands but would not fly Jetstar again

 

[jpetters]

Overnight Bali-Sydney. No headrest support made this my most uncomfortable flight in recent years. Internet would be nice, in 2024. BYO everything else you may need. Otherwise the flight as can be expected from low cost airline and I generally give Jetstar positive rating.

 

[jrfsp]

Did this recently on MEL-DPS and back using points. Definitely a downgrade from the 787, as others have said, the lack of headrest and padding makes it fairly uncomfortable but I found the width and legroom better than the QF 737 (not to mention to quietness and cooler cabin temp).
I'd probably do it again on a day sector but wouldn't be so keen on a red eye.

 

[clifford]

I won't fly economy on the 787, so certainly wouldn't touch the 321 NEO (well, maybe apart from Row 1).

I'd Maybe think about flying VA in Row 3 or QF on the 330.

Well, I've put my money where my mouth is and booked QF 330 SYD-DPS in Y and TR DPS-SIN-SYD in PY.

At least I know what to expect and it sounds a hell of a lot better than the JQ 321N, no matter what the price difference might be.

 

[Ashdogs]

I have just returned to Brisbane after a 10 day Bali holiday courtesy of a pair of Jetstar A321neo's.
This article doesn't quite capture just how uncomfortable these seats are.
Both the seat back and base are rock hard.
I understand that the slimline back rests are a compromise, but the hard seat bases are unnecessarily uncomfortable. There is no neck support. Everyone in my group found the seats to be excruciating.
The A321neo has long legs, but the seats are really only good for a couple of hours, certainly not for 6 hour flights, especially overnight flights.
Never again.

 

[Flyfrequently]

Thanks for confirming what many of us feel about the Neo, and welcome to AFF @Ashdogs
Lots of knowledgeable folk here and some good threads to read.
Happy travels