Jetstar = dodgey business practices

[Soundguy]

Just one more gripe about Jetstar added to those posted by others here!

I have never flown Jetstar but had a one-way flight from BLR to SIN booked on Jetstar Asia for March this year; it was booked nearly a year ago now. I rang Jetstar today to confirm that the flight was still happening as I couldn't find this route on their website.

Sure enough, they no longer fly this route so it seems they have held my fare as a credit against my name. They won't refund it, even though it was them that cancelled the route, and the operator seemed suprised that they would even hold it as a credit ('normally we never do this').

Is this sort of thing even legal? Or do they have their company office registered in the Cayman Islands or something just so they can get away with it?

 

[NM]

I think it is perfectly reasonable to expect a full refund under these circumstances. This is one time I would consider disputing the charge with my credit card company. But that may not be possible that long after the original transaction.

Do you have travel insurance?

Ask Jetstar Asia how they plan to meet their part of their contract of carriage? If they cannot get you from origin to destination, then they are breaking the contract of carriage and should be required to provide a full refund.

 

[N860CR]

The Jetstar "JQ" conditions of carriage state:

(c) If, after you pay for your Booking, we make a significant change to the scheduled departure time of your flight or the flight is cancelled (except where this is due to circumstances beyond our control) and:

• this change means you are unable to use your Booking for its intended purpose; and
• we or our Authorised Agents cannot book you on another flight which you are prepared to accept;

we will give you a fare refund. Unless otherwise required by law, we will not be responsible for paying any costs or expenses you may incur as a result of the changed time or cancellation.

So they should be refunding they money (I've had to do it a few times)

However... SIN-BLR was to be operated by Jetstar "3K" which may have different conditions of carriage.

 

[d15.in.oz]

Wow, what an unfortunate experience! Mine, with a JQ cancelled service, was quite the opposite. During their birthday sale last year, I pre-purchased a large quantity of “weekends away” (throughout the rest of the year). Anyway, as one of my $40 flight segments approached, JQ changed their schedule (as unfortunately/annoyingly airlines sometimes do) and no longer offered the flight segment on the day I was travelling up... Plus changed their schedule, on the day I was heading back - to a morning only flight.

When I called to find a solution (as the hotel room was already booked/pre-paid as well) I knew what I wanted. And, after a bit of discussion, I got it. They organised to fly me CityFlyer out of SYD to the nearest capital, then QantasLink to my original destination and the same in reverse, which gave me around the same 24hrs on the ground at my destination!

Of course travel time was extended by taking 2 flights, but some QP time made connecting a little easier.

 

[serfty]

They should at least have tried to book you an alternate itinerary. Did this happen or were none of the options offered acceptable to you?

 

[N860CR]

Wow, what an unfortunate experience! Mine, with a JQ cancelled service, was quite the opposite. During their birthday sale last year, I pre-purchased a large quantity of “weekends away” (throughout the rest of the year). Anyway, as one of my $40 flight segments approached, JQ changed their schedule (as unfortunately/annoyingly airlines sometimes do) and no longer offered the flight segment on the day I was travelling up... Plus changed their schedule, on the day I was heading back - to a morning only flight.

When I called to find a solution (as the hotel room was already booked/pre-paid as well) I knew what I wanted. And, after a bit of discussion, I got it. They organised to fly me CityFlyer out of SYD to the nearest capital, then QantasLink to my original destination and the same in reverse, which gave me around the same 24hrs on the ground at my destination!

Of course travel time was extended by taking 2 flights, but some QP time made connecting a little easier.

That's certainly quite a bit different to the usual way of doing things (first time I've ever heard of Jetstar paying for travel on another airline). I had a similar thing happen in the early JQ days (with accom prepaid etc) and the call centre people just said "read the T&C's, we don't have to nor will we do anything for you".

I think your experience might be a very lucky one off.

 

[d15.in.oz]

I think your experience might be a very lucky one off.

I hope not! I had two conversations with the JQ call centre about this, and each person I spoke with, didn't see my request "to be re-routed onto different Qantas Group airlines", as anything unreasonable to ask. Although, I had to wait until a week prior to travel, before they confirmed the flights I was put on. (But, in the end, they gave me the ones I had requested.)

I was really happy at this level of service for a $40 fare, needless to say, I have been travelling quite extensively with JQ ever since!

[Like many airlines they're not perfect...but, I can only give you my experience/perspective.]

 

[Soundguy]

Thanks for the tips above! I suspect a good deal of the problem stems from the business change from 'Jetstar Asia' to just 'Jetstar' (not sure what that was all about, didn't follow it).

In this particular instance I am actually not so stressed as I was considering cancelling my trip to India anyway due to my workload here so if that happens it's not like I will be left in limbo without a carrier. Plus it's not a large $ amount, it's in INR and converts to around A$250 I think. I am still considering my options so I didn't give the sales guy a hard time. I was a little taken back at the refusal to refund - a bit stuck for words at the time especially when he suggested I was fortunate they they actually held it in credit for me! :shock:

I don't think Jetstar fly out of Bangalore anymore so I don't know what they would do if I insisted I have to make this trip. On the other hand a refund sounds perfectly reasonable..... a credit is less desirable as I am not planning to fly Jetstar anytime soon unless I have absolutely no other option. In this case I booked the flight (about 12 months ago) because the route and schedule suited me, and the price was right.

 

[oz_mark]

The Jetstar "JQ" conditions of carriage state:

[...]

However... SIN-BLR was to be operated by Jetstar "3K" which may have different conditions of carriage.

The 3K conditions are similar (Jetstar Asia Airways), but have a little wrinkle (section 8.1):

(c) If, after you pay for your Booking, we make a significant change to the scheduled departure time of your flight or the flight is late or cancelled (except where this is due to an uncontrollable disruption to schedules):

• and you find this change unacceptable; and
• we or our Authorised Agents cannot book you on another flight on the same day as the day of travel;

we will give you a fare refund or credit voucher valid for 12 months from date of the disruption.

Not sure who gets to choose between the refund or the voucher, but you should be able to argue for the refund.

 

[N860CR]

With that in mind then I'd say all you'll have to do is call the call centre and put your foot down. The first time I had to cancel a JQ flight because of a schedule change I was originally told that they can't refund it, however after "checking with a supervisor" they discovered that they infact can and have to. It's probably one of their unwritten policies to try to refuse at first, but eventually do the right thing.

I hope not! I had two conversations with the JQ call centre about this, and each person I spoke with, didn't see my request "to be re-routed onto different Qantas Group airlines", as anything unreasonable to ask. Although, I had to wait until a week prior to travel, before they confirmed the flights I was put on. (But, in the end, they gave me the ones I had requested.)

I was really happy at this level of service for a $40 fare, needless to say, I have been travelling quite extensively with JQ ever since!

[Like many airlines they're not perfect...but, I can only give you my experience/perspective.]

Really at a loss to explain that. I've heard of plenty of people in similar situations and the usual JQ response is "we aren't Qantas, we have no authority to put you on one of their flights", which makes sense really (I doubt JQ staff have direct access to QF operated flights unless they have a JQ codeshare.)

I could end up being wrong, but I still think it comes down to good luck in your case! (and there's certainly nothing wrong with that )

 

[Soundguy]

Update on this..... I spoke again to Jetstar in Australia & they have no record of my flight booking, only that a credit is being held in my name under a booking number. But when I explained the story again they did agreed to refund my fare, however I was told final approval would come from Jetstar Asia (I wasn't aware they were still operating) and I had to ring them in Singapore.

So I called Jetstar Asia in Singapore and they also agreed to give me a refund, however they said this will take 2 or 3 months (!) to happen.

So far so good...... only problem is I had a cheap 'N' class QF flight booked out of Singapore to Sydney, leaving a couple of days after the above cancelled Jetstar flight was due to arrive. So to make use of it I had to shift the date of this QF flight which incurred a $100 change fee, and $75 reticket fee and a $93 fee to upgrade it to a class that could actually be altered (N is not). I decided to pay another $115 on top of this for a 'K' class fare which is flexible and doubles the SC earn.

But I might write to Qantas asking if they can drop their change & ticket fees at least, seeing as their evil offshoot airline Jetstar caused the need for change in the first place by cancelling my flight. That seems a very reasonable request to me.

 

[Shano]

It is good that you are getting the fare refunded,not so good that you have had to fork out for the other charges associated with your QF ticket.

I decided to pay another $115 on top of this for a 'K' class fare which is flexible and doubles the SC earn.

I thought K class was still considered discount economy for SC earn for international sectors, but does earn full economy SC for domestic flights.

 

[NM]

So I called Jetstar Asia in Singapore and they also agreed to give me a refund, however they said this will take 2 or 3 months (!) to happen.

Ouch! No excuse for 2-3 months in my opinion.

So far so good...... only problem is I had a cheap 'N' class QF flight booked out of Singapore to Sydney, leaving a couple of days after the above cancelled Jetstar flight was due to arrive. So to make use of it I had to shift the date of this QF flight which incurred a $100 change fee, and $75 reticket fee and a $93 fee to upgrade it to a class that could actually be altered (N is not).

I guess that is the risk taken when purchasing separate tickets - there is no protection when something changes on the other ticket.

I decided to pay another $115 on top of this for a 'K' class fare which is flexible and doubles the SC earn.

Are you certain you be earning double the SCs? Last time i looked, SIN-SYD was an international flight, and on international flights K earns discount economy Statsu Credist just the same as N does. Only Y earns full economy SCs on international flights.

But I might write to Qantas asking if they can drop their change & ticket fees at least, seeing as their evil offshoot airline Jetstar caused the need for change in the first place by cancelling my flight. That seems a very reasonable request to me.

You can aak. But I doubt they will budge. As noted above, that is the risk taken when booking separate tickets for a journey. If it was all on one ticket then there is some protection.

 

[Soundguy]

Are you certain you be earning double the SCs? Last time i looked, SIN-SYD was an international flight, and on international flights K earns discount economy Statsu Credist just the same as N does. Only Y earns full economy SCs on international flights.

Hmm.... I think you may be right there, didn't pick up on that. The return flight is actually SIN - SYD - ADL so it seems the only extra SC's would be on the last leg. 15 more SC for about $115 is not all that great but I have done worse. Well at least it is flexible now.