Looking at flying MEL-SIN on Jetstar in 'J' Am I crazy?

[Pushka]

We always fly J long haul but we cant believe we are going from CNS/DPS/CNS on JQ A320 let alone in Y seats - must be nuts, no J available on this sector, chose exit seats in row 13 and row 12 does not recline, should be Ok for 4.5 hour flight. Last time in Bali years ago was a nightmare at airport, full of bogans, escaped to the lounge as J pax, this time no access so not looking forward to return.

It's a new airport and there's more space for the bogans to spread out

 

[Limewood]

Both lounges in DPS allows pay per entry regardless of whom you're flying or class of travel. Prices quoted when I was there last year was around AUD 20 per person.

Was that on departure?

Id imagine some bogans escaped inside.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

We are heading to Singapore on/about 10th June and I'm contemplating flying JQ Business. It's a daytime flight so seats are more than adequate rather than needing beds.

Am I crazy for even considering this:?:

Yes.

I thought the same for a trip to Bangkok recently. 'How bad can it be?' I thought.

Well - it's not so good. Luckily I was in row 1, the rows behind were tight as tight, and I couldn't even recline fully in row 1 I felt so bad for those behind.

The food has dropped in quality considerably... it was dry. The snack (sliders) were pretty sad.

The service however couldn't be faulted.

Picking up on another comment - cancellations. JQ seems to cancel about one major flight a week. 'Not so bad' others pointed out to me. But when it affects your flight, and there isn't another flight for 24 or 48 hours, it is actually a big deal.

I picked up a bargain... under $600 to bangkok. But not worth it compared to full business class using Lifemiles for the same price.

 

[clifford]

I was faced with somewhat of a dilemma recently, when I had three Y class tickets for JQ7 MEL-SIN (different dates), which I must have purchased while being dazzled by low fares.

As I wasn't particularly thrilled about flying the 787 in packed 9-abreast Y, I was contemplating how I could get out of it without just walking away. I took a chance with the first flight, and ended up in seat 10A with an empty seat next to me. Not a bad experience, but very lucky I thought, and probably difficult to replicate.

I was still wondering what to do with the other two tickets when, out of the blue, I received an email from JQ advising a schedule change of 24 hours. I immediately responded with a request for a full refund, and lo and behold, I actually received the cash in my bank account a couple of days ago. Phew, that was very lucky, I thought.

Regarding the third and last booking, I decided to look at various options, including upgrading the ticket to "business" class. I was playing with a few different dates, and found one, which fitted in with my future travel plans, which only required an additional payment of $150 all-in. I jumped on this straight away, and I'm now in the happy position of having no outstanding tickets for JQ Y class on a 787, a situation that I intend to maintain indefinitely.

However, I really don't mind the JQ 320's for flights of up to 3 hours, so I'll continue to book these, as and when appropriate.

 

[mmchow]

Regarding the third and last booking, I decided to look at various options, including upgrading the ticket to "business" class. I was playing with a few different dates, and found one, which fitted in with my future travel plans, which only required an additional payment of $150 all-in. I jumped on this straight away, and I'm now in the happy position of having no outstanding tickets for JQ Y class on a 787, a situation that I intend to maintain indefinitely.

Was the $150 the fare difference for one way or return? How did you manage that even with a one way as it is really cheap? I have a similar flight to SIN in May and I'm dreading about going into the flight.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I have a similar flight to SIN in May and I'm dreading about going into the flight.

Keep an eye out 14 days before departure - they will often send an email to upgrade on the cheap. But the offer usually sells out very quick (my cabin went from 4/21 to 21/21 in about an hour)

 

[mmchow]

Keep an eye out 14 days before departure - they will often send an email to upgrade on the cheap. But the offer usually sells out very quick (my cabin went from 4/21 to 21/21 in about an hour)

Thanks for the tip. Will keep an eye out.

 

[straitman]

I think you're crazy for imagining that JQ will stick to whatever flight time or date that you have booked. I'll never book them again because of their cancellations and schedule changes, not because they're that bad onboard. It's getting onboard at the time you expect that's the hassle.

Thanks everyone for your input.

I suspect I'll not go ahead for the reasons listed in this post by Anna. I don't want to go a couple of days early just to cover the potential JQ cancellations.

 

[clifford]

Was the $150 the fare difference for one way or return? How did you manage that even with a one way as it is really cheap? I have a similar flight to SIN in May and I'm dreading about going into the flight.

It was the fare difference one-way. However, I had previously changed the date of my booking and added all the extras, so the difference over what I had paid was only $150 (the bus class fare was $599). I was very glad to discover that.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

For me, I would choose that one way, if and when I have the urge to go again to SIN, just to try the JQ 787, probably will fly J.
This would be up to, if/when QF brings its new 787 Au - SIN.
While there are downsides, as mentioned on here and on Seatguru, about that JQ 787. the large windows would be a plus in my point of view.
Not straining to look out the windows of a plane is a plus, yes, I know I am shallow in this sense.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The windows really aren't that special... a short novelty perhaps... and most of the time they have the dimmed anyway, even during day flights.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Ta for that info RichardMEL.

:-(