Jetstar ... never again ...

[smithy]

to be totally honest, I've always questioned why QF would entitle access into their Lounges for a low cost carrier
We've had it good for ten years now. I suspect that the new Qantas might reel this in sooner rather than later.

Agreed. I may be wrong but I seem to recall when JQ first started, passengers on JQ flights could not access qantas lounges? I think that arrangement only lasted for one or two months?. Happy to stand corrected on this one.

 

[Awesom Andy]

Agreed. I may be wrong but I seem to recall when JQ first started, passengers on JQ flights could not access qantas lounges? I think that arrangement only lasted for one or two months?. Happy to stand corrected on this one.

If my memory serves me right, it's a lot longer than one or two months. But then, they replaced QF flights with JQ, so I guess it's difficult to argue either way.

 

[Geegeela]

I don't claim to be the author, however.........

Ah! Oh, don't the days seem lank and long
When all goes right and nothing goes wrong,
And isn't your life extremely flat
With nothing whatever to grumble at!

 

[Robert K]

2 hour delay on a 3.5 hour flight ... is a big deal to the normal pax .. as is the complete lack of customer service.

Did you tick the 'customer service' box when you made your booking?

 

[Steelo]

Why would Qantas do this? There are many times and routes for those of us who do not do the three east coast ports and that often leave us with no choice but to fly JQ because QF flights have been replaced with JQ for certain times on those routes. In regards the other points made in this post, one would expect people in 2014 would understand what a LCC is - seriously what do you expect!

to be totally honest, I've always questioned why QF would entitle access into their Lounges for a low cost carrier
We've had it good for ten years now. I suspect that the new Qantas might reel this in sooner rather than later.

 

[dajop]

Why would Qantas do this? There are many times and routes for those of us who do not do the three east coast ports and that often leave us with no choice but to fly JQ because QF flights have been replaced with JQ for certain times on those routes.

Actually, they probably won't remove but what is sort of neat (for QF) is that separation of Jetstar and QF flights in different terminals (as has happened in SYD recently and will happen in the next few years in MEL) makes it far less practical to access QF lounges when flying JQ.

 

[Alanslegal]

We did get to BKK ...eventually.....However, had Jetstar departed as scheduled, we would have made it to the hospital in Bangkok to say goodbye to the father in law before he passed away.. unfortunately we got there too late.

As it happened, Jetstar was the next flight available when we got the call to come...had we known earlier we would have travelled with Thai Airways...

Sure $hit happens, but my loyalty will now be shifting to other airlines... Luckily I jagged an EY Gold match in August so that will help to ease some of the pain..

Sorry to hear of your loss and the JQ cancellations didn't help one bit during those stressful times.

With respect to TG though .... they often change flights (sometimes without notice), then sometimes change back those changed flights back. Should see the kerfuffle on the USDM/AVLM thread and I bet that kerfuffle will only get bigger and bigger in a week's time when USDM is no more.

 

[dmitri]

Was booked on Jetstar 787 from Melbourne to Auckland due to depart at 10.15am Monday (17 March) after getting in from Perth just before midnight on Sunday. Got to airport at 7.15am so I could spend some time in the Qantas Business lounge before the flight only to see that the departure time was 11.15am. While I had received the standard 'what you need to remember time-wise' SMS the day before nothing about the delayed departure. At probably 2c a SMS how hard can it be Jetstar?
So based on the new boarding time in the lounge as 10.36am I decided to wander down to the gate. 10.50am the cabin crew arrived - not boding well. No announcements made. I should note that at this time a young lady made her way (including luggage) to the customer service desk at the gate and obviously knew the ground staff member there. More on this shortly.
Boarding commenced around 11.15am. No apologies about delay.
The same young lady was the last to board - some 10 minutes after the last passenger - would love to know why she was so "special".
Pilot advised that delay was due to 'lack of equipment at Melbourne Airport' when aircraft arrived earlier. Amazing due to number of passengers/flights departing after the Grand Prix.
Another delay of 20 minutes as we waited for availability of equipment to push back.
Two hours late and we took off.
Last time ever with Jetstar. No information provided for extensive delay. Qantas group seriously needs to look at their customer experience.

Mate, mountain out of a mole hill? I once got diverted from Moscow to Warsaw on SQ as we were circling the moscow airport due to weather, spent 7 hours in Warsaw airport (boring as bat **** FYI), 2hrs of which was in the plane on the tarmac without info from SQ, then had to fly AEROFLOT, yes not a typo-AEROFLOT to Moscow. Like what has been previously stated, you my friend have first world problems.

PS I'll happily fly SQ again.

 

[VHOEJ]

One point - does knowing what the delay is and what caused it make any difference? It is amazing how people want to know as much information as possible. If it is engineering, catering, crew or whatever it is...........if your flight is delayed, it is delayed. I think people need to look at things in perspective - you can give too much information out and it doesn't matter - your flight is late, it is late for a reason

 

[serfty]

Agreed. I may be wrong but I seem to recall when JQ first started, passengers on JQ flights could not access qantas lounges? I think that arrangement only lasted for one or two months?. Happy to stand corrected on this one.

If my memory serves me right, it's a lot longer than one or two months. But then, they replaced QF flights with JQ, so I guess it's difficult to argue either way.

Certainty there was no provision made for QP access before a JQ flight. WP could access using theur ATA rights.

This was for a year or two (maybe more); there were no other carriers' lounges to compete with.

I can't recall exactly when lounge access was introduced for JQ pax - it's a little hazy but I made a point of never flying JQ for that reason.

 

[smithy]

Actually, they probably won't remove but what is sort of neat (for QF) is that separation of Jetstar and QF flights in different terminals (as has happened in SYD recently and will happen in the next few years in MEL) makes it far less practical to access QF lounges when flying JQ.

Having seen some floor plans for the upgraded and renovated Melbourne Airport, I would not be surprised if that will be the situation..

 

[Happy Trails]

I can't recall exactly when lounge access was introduced for JQ pax - it's a little hazy but I made a point of never flying JQ for that reason.

Not sure about JQ, but in the the case of 3K, it was granted around the time that ATA was discontinued.

 

[amaroo]

J* saves me around 3 and up to 4 hrs driving per week.

I land at MCY on a Friday arvo and can be in the surf in around 20mins......It's a godsend!

 

[serfty]

Not sure about JQ, but in the the case of 3K, it was granted around the time that ATA was discontinued.

The asian based ailines were indeed different - JQ domestic had finally allowed QP access sometime prior to the launch of JQi.

 

[Awesom Andy]

J* saves me around 3 and up to 4 hrs driving per week.

I land at MCY on a Friday arvo and can be in the surf in around 20mins......It's a godsend!

If JQ never existed, it would be QF doing the rounds.

 

[Must...Fly!]

If JQ never existed, it would be QF doing the rounds.

How can you say that with certainty

It would be another LCC, not owned by the QF group, and therefore not earning the QF group money. (though I realise the concept of JQ making money is kind of a complex one given the recent financial figures)

 

[amaroo]

If JQ never existed, it would be QF doing the rounds.

They didn't do direct flights before J* so no reason why they would have started. You had to fly to BNE and then start from there.

 

[DaveB]

Zero problems with JQ though I choose not to fly them.
My only beef has been the way group management allocated routes between JQ & QF with little overlap. Recent domestic changes with the sharing of Hamilton Island may be recognition this approach had been driving customers totally away to VA.

 

[basso]

If JQ never existed, it would be QF doing the rounds.

While that may be true, I think you will find that if JQ never existed we would have a QF that has a different product to the one we have today. Given the competitive environment that existed at the time of JQs creation, the response from QF was to either head downmarket to head the LCCs off at the pass, or create their own LCC. They did actually start on the path of heading downmarket, and there are some remnants of that around (if you know where to look).

 

[Steelo]

Could not agree more. I recall flying on QF Mel to Perth in the early 1990's - as it was a cheap ticket - we were sat at the back and only served a cold snack while non discount ticket passengers received a hot meal. Qantas fiddled around the edges until they developed a sound business model in response to the demand for LCC - and that is Jetstar. At the same time they have kept enough links between QF and JQ so that QF ff can still benefit from the times they choose to use JQ. Most of the negative comments about JQ are quite snobbish. Instead of bagging JQ against QF full service standards - it would be more appropriate to start comparing JQ with the Tiger experience - I know which one I would prefer.

The reality is LCC are there for a purpose - if you want a full service airline pay the price and fly on one. If it wasn't for JQ Qantas would not have been able to continue their full service product that many of us continue to enjoy (and pay for).