Jetstar - why would anyone bother?

[JohnK]

I think a few people in this thread are a little harsh towards the OP.

So the OP had a few issues and from my understanding JQ staff had no interest what so ever to assist. If it was me I would be extremely frustrated as well.

The comment about delays happening is confusing and totally irrelevant. If it is OK for an airline to have delays then it should be OK for the passenger to have delays and not be penalised.

Last week in BNE I witnessed a JQ passenger running through the terminal with laptop in one hand and laptop bag in the other. The JQ flight is at the gate but the door to aerobridge is closed. The JQ attendant is walking and opens doors and totally ignores the distressed passenger there. He was at a business meeting and got stuck in Brisbane traffic and was a couple of minutes late. No compassion from JQ staff at all. Flight was at the gate for ~5 minutes so passenger could easily have been allowed to board. Last flight of the Friday night as well.

Anyway I totally agree with the OP.

- He will never fly Jetstar again.
- I will never (ever) fly Jetstar and they wil never have the opportunity to do that to me....

 

[medhead]

Another give away might have been when OLCI didn't work. I know this only happens with JQ for international flights and I've only used JQ twice. Someone who had take JQ many times might have twigged there was a problem at this stage.

 

[LiamR]

The flight number would have been a giveaway I would have thought...

 

[munitalP]

**Removed**

Reason - no point.

 

[anat0l]

Anyway I totally agree with the OP.

- He will never fly Jetstar again.
- I will never (ever) fly Jetstar and they wil never have the opportunity to do that to me....

If that is the only redeeming quality of the OP and a notable quality of yourself is that at least some people on this board actually stand by their word and genuinely never flies an airline again. Better than some of the other complaining and whining troupe here who just go back for more after arguing 'til black and blue in the face (or superficially arguing that they will never fly XY airline ever again - guess what, next month you're back! There's a word for that and it starts with 'hy'.....).

However, there is a lot to be said of the OP (or the OP's travel agent) in that they could've saved themselves considerable trouble, albeit it may not have affected their view on JQ at all in hindsight. JQ may have been very cold and/or rude in this case, but to put this incident as 100% JQ's fault is not plausible, at least from how I read the situation.

The flight number would have been a giveaway I would have thought...

To be fair, it requires a measure of experience or passed-on knowledge to realise that JQ and QF flights numbered 1 - 399 are international flights (viz. and thus depart from an international terminal). Ditto to the fact that a JQ A330 (332 actually, but not important) is only used on international flights, and thus will only be found at international terminals. This is why having information like "Departs from International Terminal" on booking websites, or writing the terminal details on a printed itinerary (e.g. "MELBOURNE-TULLAMARINE TERMINAL 2") is important.

 

[medhead]

Yes probably were very harsh. One thing is for certain Tiger wasn't listed as an airline used. So the OP is one step ahead of me.

Anyway I totally agree with the OP.

- He will never fly Jetstar again.
- I will never (ever) fly Jetstar and they wil never have the opportunity to do that to me....

Thanks. I also totally agree, I'll never fly JQ again either*

* except for Bubbly purposes or JQi starclass.

 

[munitalP]

I think a few people in this thread are a little harsh towards the OP.

So the OP had a few issues and from my understanding JQ staff had no interest what so ever to assist. If it was me I would be extremely frustrated as well.

The comment about delays happening is confusing and totally irrelevant. If it is OK for an airline to have delays then it should be OK for the passenger to have delays and not be penalised.

Last week in BNE I witnessed a JQ passenger running through the terminal with laptop in one hand and laptop bag in the other. The JQ flight is at the gate but the door to aerobridge is closed. The JQ attendant is walking and opens doors and totally ignores the distressed passenger there. He was at a business meeting and got stuck in Brisbane traffic and was a couple of minutes late. No compassion from JQ staff at all. Flight was at the gate for ~5 minutes so passenger could easily have been allowed to board. Last flight of the Friday night as well.

Anyway I totally agree with the OP.

- He will never fly Jetstar again.
- I will never (ever) fly Jetstar and they wil never have the opportunity to do that to me....

What a load of tripe JK

If you were on the flight being held up waiting for that PAX, you would be first in line to complain. Absolute bollocks.

 

[drron]

Another give away might have been when OLCI didn't work. I know this only happens with JQ for international flights and I've only used JQ twice. Someone who had take JQ many times might have twigged there was a problem at this stage.

Though you cant OLCI on JQ if it is bought through QF.

 

[notmensa]

To be fair, it requires a measure of experience or passed-on knowledge to realise that JQ and QF flights numbered 1 - 399 are international flights (viz. and thus depart from an international terminal).

I disagree. From memory there are signs outside the terminal building (that you can see from the road), and also signs inside the terminal that say flight numbers 1-399 depart from the international terminal.

Another clue would be the departure screens in the terminal landside. If the Flight # isn't listed, well, wouldn't that be a time to go ask someone from the airline?

 

[Austman]

Flight was at the gate for ~5 minutes so passenger could easily have been allowed to board.

Quite an assumption. Maybe the door had been closed, maybe all the paperwork had been completed and would need re-doing, maybe the staff would get into trouble for delaying a flight, maybe other reasons too.

 

[Major]

To look for a positive from this saga the OP hopefully will read the " small print " from now on.
Maybe also consider changing TA.

 

[pauly7]

I think a few people in this thread are a little harsh towards the OP.

Agreed. Waiting for a mod to address a few people (I'd report but can't from the phone).

Last week in BNE I witnessed a JQ passenger running through the terminal with laptop in one hand and laptop bag in the other. The JQ flight is at the gate but the door to aerobridge is closed. The JQ attendant is walking and opens doors and totally ignores the distressed passenger there. He was at a business meeting and got stuck in Brisbane traffic and was a couple of minutes late. No compassion from JQ staff at all. Flight was at the gate for ~5 minutes so passenger could easily have been allowed to board. Last flight of the Friday night as well.

John, I have seen DJ do this on multiple occasions and I'm sure QF have done it too. OTD is critically important and if you are 1,2,3 minutes late then tough... Where do you draw the line?

 

[TonyHancock]

Jeeez I think some of you guys really don't have a lot of consideration for those who don't fly all of the time.

I reckon I'm a reasonably savvy frequent flyer, I have been doing it for 17 years, but I have learnt more tricks and tips since joining AFF that I learnt in the previous 16 and a half years. I'm not sure I would have checked for the International Terminal if the flight had been booked through a TA.

Not everyone recognises flight numbers or knows which terminals to go to. (Two years ago I turned up for a flight a week early because I had booked incorrectly and not checked the dates.) Yeh I know I'm an idiot!!

Clearly the OP was frustrated and letting off some steam. (Haven't we all done that? I know there are a few posts here I regret.* ) Surely with the collective knowledge here we can point him in the right direction without all of the criticism?


*Apologies to QFSCA for my rant about NGCI in particular.

 

[david870mdg]

i am wp and regularly fly jq and baffled by the op. this is being generous to the op...

 

[TheInsider]

Jeeez I think some of you guys really don't have a lot of consideration for those who don't fly all of the time.


*Apologies to QFSCA for my rant about NGCI in particular.

Although this member has stated that he flys JQ a fair bit before hand, along with that list of airlines and also being a WP.

Lol, which/what rant?!

 

[TonyHancock]

Although this member has stated that he flys JQ a fair bit before hand, along with that list of airlines and also being a WP.

Lol, which/what rant?!

Yeah I know he is a WP, but we all make cough ups. (I recently booked a UK trip matching dates I already had flights booked for. ) I think I could just as easily been in his position re the domestic/international terminal. (I'm a bit blasé at best.)

I guess my point is we can give a bit of guidance/advice in a more pleasant manner.

(The rant was over in the NGCI thread when MrsH had problems in Melbourne a month or so back. My only [rather poor] defence was that I had to deal with MrsH and she is a formidable woman!!)

 

[medhead]

Though you cant OLCI on JQ if it is bought through QF.

Well that takes a bit of extra knowledge*, yes. And I could only do that for my mum recently because I got the knowledge from AFF. Thanks.


* call QF and ask for the JQ booking reference. Check in with that.

 

[MelUser]

(1) This thread/post is getting out of control.

(2) I am surprised that a TA would book a domestic JQ flight - most TAs refuse to book even international JQ flights as no commission.

(3) It is difficult to feel sorry for people who don't read their ticket.

(4) The last time I flew jetstar to OOL (therefore no QF choice) I couldn't get a ticket or ticket number - it is simply referred to as an "itinerary".

(5) We all have a choice and that is to avoid whatever airline causes us displeasure or indigestion.

(6) QF is also less flexible these days (even for Platinums) if you want to change non-flexible ticket, have too much checked or cabin baggage etc etc.

 

[pauly7]

Well that takes a bit of extra knowledge*, yes. And I could only do that for my mum recently because I got the knowledge from AFF. Thanks.


* call QF and ask for the JQ booking reference. Check in with that.

I recently had that experience (twice) and although I got the JQ booking reference both times, couldn't OLCI, couldn't select seats, couldn't even check in at a kiosk. Bit weird. JQ said booking through QF often 'corrupts' the JQ booking ref - have no idea what that means or how to solve for it!

 

[medhead]

I recently had that experience (twice) and although I got the JQ booking reference both times, couldn't OLCI, couldn't select seats, couldn't even check in at a kiosk. Bit weird. JQ said booking through QF often 'corrupts' the JQ booking ref - have no idea what that means or how to solve for it!

I must have been lucky. I think I'll keep my 100% success rate and only book JQ direct from now on (subject to not flying them anymore)