Jetstar refund woes

[atomica]

Hi,

I was booked on a Jetstar flight Jakarta to Bangkok in early Dec08, when the BKK airport was shut down due to political unrest. My flight to BKK was cancelled, leaving me stranded at Changi. Jetstar offered me a refund, and asked me to fill in the paperwork.

I got another airline home (not to Bangkok).

It has now been over 6 months, and i still can't get my money back. I've called the call center many times. I have been told it's "processing", it's "escalated", it will be 3 weeks, 1 week, 20 days.....

I'm sure this is all familiar to members of this forum - there's no-one at Jetstar i can contact who has any authority, the team leaders are rarely available etc etc.

I eventually got the Jetstar address in Changi to write to, but of course nothing has come of that and probably won't.

Does anyone have ANY suggestions on how i can get my refund from Jetstar?! Or even talk to someone with some authority to actually do something about it?

Also, I had a flight booked from Bangkok back to Melbourne which i did not use b/c i never went to Thailand at all in the end. I would like this refunded. Initially, i accepted the terms of the cheap flight and i paid extra to postpone the date of the flight (till end of this year), which is the only flexibility in the fare.

However, I'm so thoroughly disgruntled with Jetstar, i don't want to travel with them ever again. I want my money back on the other flight too, because to my mind they are either unethical or incompetent, and probably both - and i don't want them to have my business!

I know I am highly unlikely to get that back, considering how much trouble i'm having over a legitimate refund for a cancelled flight... but again, if anyone has any suggestions that would be terrific.

Finally, i understand that flying a low cost carrier has certain service deficits, but there is a limit to what is reasonable IMHO.

Thanks to anyone taking the time to read this

 

[moa999]

Note, despite having the same name, and operating under a shared website and a number of shared services, this is two different airlines.

Jakarta-Singapore-Bankgkok is on Jetstar Asia (3K)
Now about 49% owned by Qantas Group, at the time of your flight 40% owned. This is a Singapore based airline that is majority owned by Singapore nationals.

Melbourne-Bangkok is on Jetstar (JQ) International.
This is 100% owned by Qantas Group.

Issues with refund do appear to be a continuing issue with LCCs generally, not just JQ.

In situations like this I always recommend recording detail of conversations and sending written letters and confirmations.

 

[clifford]

A few moths ago I had a schedule change on 3K, SIN-BKK-SIN, so I phoned the Aussie JQ hotline.

The agent I spoke to (who was Australian) told me not to bother asking for a refund, as it was 3K and it would never arrive.

So I just accepted the new schedule, less convenient as it was.

That's what happens when you book 3K. Even TR is more responsive (and I have quite a bit of experience with this airline too).

 

[N860CR]

Perhaps this would be best attempted directly through your credit card company. You have attempted to obtain the refund through the airline, however there has been no result hence you should be able to organise a charge reversal.

At the very least, it will kick Jetstar into gear as if they don't respond to the bank, it will be refunded without issue.

 

[huwcar]

Is the amount in question over $2000?

 

[atomica]

Hi everyone,

Thankyou very much for your responses.

moa999: i have been keeping written track of my conversations and the person i've spoken to each time. Maybe i can contact Qantas directly to try for the BKK-MEL trip?

clifford: the attitude of the staff at the Jetstar desk in SIN should have told me as much.. :-/

danielribo: I didn't even think of this b/c it was booked on a Visa debit rather than an actual credit card - and also because of the 6month duration. I might try calling to find out if this is possible.

huwcar: nope, it actually isn't much at all. it's more about the principle of it than the money. Although i'm a fulltime student this year so every bit counts.

I suppose i can be thankful that i've learned a useful lesson with a small amount rather than a large sum!

 

[huwcar]

I agree that every little bit counts. The only reason I asked is that the legal options available to you are different for amounts over $2k and are generally easier to force the other party into responding to your claim against them. Good luck!