JQ25 MEL - CNS warning....

[samh004]

That's far too long a JQ tag flight for me to consider. I generally only book as far as MEL-BNE and use points or a price match so a last minute change means I can re-book to something far more acceptable.

 

[SpudOz]

The only times I use JQ is the shuttle from Perth to Denpasar. Unfortunately, QF doesn’t do this route. I would not use JQ under any other circumstance.

 

[mel1]

In short, I had the perfect plan.... and it failed.

I’m a WP so booked the family on JQ25 as it leaves from MEL T2. QF First lounge here we come! Or so I thought.

Arrived at airport yesterday, 4am. Flight Cancelled.

Now have to walk down to the dreaded T4 to make arrangements. Best available was a rerouting via SYD. Dep MEL 9am, dep SYD 14:35.

First issue- can’t drop bags until 7am (2 hrs before flight) it’s now 4:30am and mrs and kids going feral. Cold and bleak. What am I to do for 2.5 hours?

Second issue- can’t check bags through to CNS. We need to collect in SYD and recheck them. But same issue again...bag drop not open until 12:35 and we are due to arrive at 10:30, so another 2 hours of standing around coming up. Surely this is an easy fix for JQ?

Thirdly- all the pre-seating we had done was gone... now in the last row.

Finally dropped bags at 7am and then made the dash back to T3 for some breakfast. After about 30mins, need to hightail it back to T4 to get through security and out to some gate seemingly closer to Essendon than Tulla.

Frustratingly as we are taxiing out I notice 2 other JQ 787s parked not being used. Surely JQ could have reallocated one of these to replace JQ25? They said it was an engineering issue but you never really know. You hear other stories about JQ cancelling flights based on loads.

I know others have taken JQ25 for the first class lounge experience on a domestic flight and the expectations were there, but when it doesn’t go to plan the impact is an experience less than optimal... a 4hr trip became 17hrs. And of course, no compensation or acknowledgement from JQ. Caveat Emptor!

We will definitely reconsider our future JQ needs...

Really sorry this happened to you. Lordy, I loathe Jetstar

 

[davec]

I was booked on the same flight last Friday - am WP also and had booked it some months ago using points. Got a 2am text from JQ saying the flight was canxd and to contact them.
Phone call diverted me to online chat who eventually were able to let me know they couldn’t help as QF had made the booking. Awesome.
Called QF premium who after 10 minutes got us (2) onto the 10.20 JQ direct flight - so not a bad result I thought. But it didn’t take off until about midday - arrived in CNS about 5-6 hours later than planned. JQ typical experience I guess....

 

[agentgerko]

Occasionally there are such tag flights between MEL and SYD

Yes, I'm booked on JQ37 MEL/SYD in Oct as want to try Star Class on their 787. From what I now hear, I'm keeping fingers crossed it operates.

 

[ozimax]

Jetstar really is a useless airline. I avoid it like the plague unless there’s no other option. My daughter’s recent Sunday flight to Bali was cancelled. 5 hour wait at Sydney airport only to be told that the next available flight was Thursday. Thankfully she had insurance and was reimbursed for her prepaid villa. She will never fly Jetstar again and I don’t think many of her multitude of business colleagues will either.

 

[nlagalle]

Our sleepy Australian media travel writers (most of whom are always looking for the next freebie in a legacy airline's business class) ought be on to this but they aren't.

As someone who worked for 20+ years in the media I can assure you this isn’t newsworthy. Not even a blip.

You think they are an aircraft “short” but don’t know that for sure. You only have some cancelled flights. And unless JQ has a massive number of cancellations in a month that causes all sorts of issues an editor is not going to be interested in heresy

 

[ajw373]

I had posted yesterday (Saturday 29 June 2019) that B788 VH-VKA was operating empty ('ferry') - or a special - from MEL to what looks like CNS, taking off at 0909 hours.

I omitted to put its flight number in that comment but it had four numerals.

I agree with Quickstatus that at face value, JQ appears to have insufficient B788s to operate its published schedules.

Our sleepy Australian media travel writers (most of whom are always looking for the next freebie in a legacy airline's business class) ought be on to this but they aren't.

A 4 digit flight number could also indicate the flight was an extra service. Quite common around school holiday times especially to holiday destinations.

 

[Kimloane]

In short, I had the perfect plan.... and it failed.

I’m a WP so booked the family on JQ25 as it leaves from MEL T2. QF First lounge here we come! Or so I thought.

Arrived at airport yesterday, 4am. Flight Cancelled.

Now have to walk down to the dreaded T4 to make arrangements. Best available was a rerouting via SYD. Dep MEL 9am, dep SYD 14:35.

First issue- can’t drop bags until 7am (2 hrs before flight) it’s now 4:30am and mrs and kids going feral. Cold and bleak. What am I to do for 2.5 hours?

Second issue- can’t check bags through to CNS. We need to collect in SYD and recheck them. But same issue again...bag drop not open until 12:35 and we are due to arrive at 10:30, so another 2 hours of standing around coming up. Surely this is an easy fix for JQ?

Thirdly- all the pre-seating we had done was gone... now in the last row.

Finally dropped bags at 7am and then made the dash back to T3 for some breakfast. After about 30mins, need to hightail it back to T4 to get through security and out to some gate seemingly closer to Essendon than Tulla.

Frustratingly as we are taxiing out I notice 2 other JQ 787s parked not being used. Surely JQ could have reallocated one of these to replace JQ25? They said it was an engineering issue but you never really know. You hear other stories about JQ cancelling flights based on loads.

I know others have taken JQ25 for the first class lounge experience on a domestic flight and the expectations were there, but when it doesn’t go to plan the impact is an experience less than optimal... a 4hr trip became 17hrs. And of course, no compensation or acknowledgement from JQ. Caveat Emptor!

We will definitely reconsider our future JQ needs...

Thanks for sharing this story. Reading it, my personal policy of using JQ as a carrier of last resort is reinforced. I am so impressed by the knowledge of others who have posted replies as to how many planes of this type they have compared to what they need. Whether they are short one aircraft or not is shocking to read and definitely reinforces my view they have no slack in the system for when something goes wrong. I have had too many similar JQ experiences which is why I landed on my personal policy. Travelers buying a LCC, JQ ticket and expecting a QF experience are going to sadly disappointed too many times. The travel media need to do still more to educate the market so everyone understands what they should expect.

 

[Liz Sier]

I no longer fly JQ if I can help it - they have cancelled flights too often for me. The most spectacular cancellation had me not being able to get back from ADL to MEL on a Sunday evening in time for work the next day. I tried to reschedule and was offered a flight via DARWIN !! The agent apparently had no idea where the relevant cities were in relation to each other. This would take so long that it would arrive at a similar time on the Monday to the only other option of the regular am ADL-MEL flight. I chose to sleep in a bed in Adelaide and call work to explain my no show.

 

[onemore]

Really sorry this happened to you. Lordy, I loathe Jetstar

So there is another person besides me that loathes, yes loathes Jetstar, I would not even take a free flight with them.

 

[dvb2000]

booked the family on JQ25 as it leaves from MEL T2

Jetstar, say no more.

 

[Jim Walsh]

They did the same to me and my family from Sydney. Lucky we were checking the inbound flight and saw it never left OOL. As we booked through FF they managed to get us seats via Melb, however people at the airport had already checked in and then told to come back tomorrow after it was cancelled. Not helpful for the guy from Melbourne who had been rerouted via Sydney.

 

[Andy_M]

Personally wouldn't fly Jetstar no matter how cheap a ticket was, even if I won a prize and it included a flight with Jetstar, Id reject it. Flew with them once out of necessity in Asia and vowed never ever again.

 

[jase05]

So there is another person besides me that loathes, yes loathes Jetstar, I would not even take a free flight with them.

Yep, been on my banned list for years.
We visit Bali often and will fly from ADL to MEL or SYD rather than the direct flights from ADL.

 

[2infinity]

I think Timmy-t summed JQ up perfectly

Caveat Emptor!

BUYER BEWARE!!!!!

Add my name to the list of JQ loathers.

And LCC my butt. The only time they are any cheaper is when they have a buy 1 get 1 free promotion. Every other time, the starter fare, plus seat, plus bag, plus food/drink (even if you get the bundle) is MORE expensive that flying Qantas/Virgin. Plus you have the added problem of not being able to check in more than 2 hours before flight, plus any issues such as cancellations, having to collect bags midway and it goes on and on. They don't give a flying @*#%. Qantas at least tries to accommodate you as best they can, with meal vouchers/hotels/taxi etc.

I go out of my way to avoid JQ as best I can. The thing that annoys me is Qantas reduced their services so JQ could take the routes over and out of Cairns, its basically JQ for most direct international flights. urrggh. I usually don't patronise these direct flights, just because its JQ, I fly out of Brisbane or Sydney.

I'm sorry it sucked for you Timmy-t. The theory was there........but JQ was involved.

 

[Mrsfefe]

Please have pity therefore on those of us who fly out of newcastle airport. QantasLink has a flight to brisbane during the day, otherwise it’s all Jetstar flights to brisbane and Melbourne. Nightmare stuff

 

[Rich]

Thanks for sharing this story. Reading it, my personal policy of using JQ as a carrier of last resort is reinforced. I am so impressed by the knowledge of others who have posted replies as to how many planes of this type they have compared to what they need. Whether they are short one aircraft or not is shocking to read and definitely reinforces my view they have no slack in the system for when something goes wrong. I have had too many similar JQ experiences which is why I landed on my personal policy. Travelers buying a LCC, JQ ticket and expecting a QF experience are going to sadly disappointed too many times. The travel media need to do still more to educate the market so everyone understands what they should expect.

Would you choose Tiger over Jetstar?

 

[lacuska1]

well you didn't miss out much on that Qantas first class lounge-been there recently and I can tell you that-uncomfortable chairs -pathetic food-got a run to the loo because of their eggs Benedict -only serve breakfast till late so you miss out lunch if your flight departs before midday.The massage was mediocre the pacific islander woman nearly broke my neck.never again!-Also because guys like you who want a cheap ticket and all the perks of a first class experience the lounge is quite busy-first class should strictly limited to those who really fly first class-not the freeloaders!

 

[2infinity]

Also because guys like you who want a cheap ticket and all the perks of a first class experience the lounge is quite busy-first class should strictly limited to those who really fly first class-not the freeloaders!

Oh gee ...……..smack down