Not Another JETSTAR Complaint !!

[mannej]

Gordon,

How many people were in front of your son? How many other flights were going out at the same time? There are questions that need to be answered before fault to either party can be attributed.

With such strict cut off times, there is always a risk that you may miss the cut off. I don't call arriving 15 minutes before that cut off mitigating that risk effectively, but there may be other factors behind it.

As for Virgin, how strict are they with their cut off times, and how do they go about people who have missed these cut offs? It is great to say fly Virgin, but what are their terms and protocols for something like this.

As an aside, I would suggest that Sydney airport has its own regulations on who can and can not get footage from their CCTV system, and you may want to be careful as it may backfire against your son if you did try and use it for pursuing JQ.

Finally, would you fly JQ again to make use of a compensation voucher if you were to receive one? Is it worth trying to fight them for a voucher like that?

Good luck, but sometimes there are times where these things should be chalked down to experience.

 

[yo yo ma]

Anyway, another point, is the T&Cs posted on the J* website. It mentions several times, there are "$50." & "$100." vouchers to be provided as compensation for breaches of their Customer Service charter.

Which part of the Customer Guarantee has JQ broken?

Customer Guarantee | Jetstar

"That’s why we’ve created our 10 point Jetstar Customer Guarantee, so that in the unlikely event something does affect your journey with us, you know exactly what to expect:

1. Your safety is our highest priority
2. We commit to provide the lowest fares with our ‘Price Beat Guarantee’*
3. Our team are always here to help, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
4. We’ll let you know your choices if your flight is changed before you travel
5. We’ll keep you updated and provide options if things don’t go to plan on the day
6. You will get what you paid for
7. You can have confidence in how quickly we will respond to an issue
8. You can have confidence in how quickly we will refund your money
9. We share your passion for protecting our environment
10. We commit to the privacy of your personal information"

 

[medhead]

Are Virgin really that much better???

My feeling is virgin at least take responsibility when they are at fault. I had a flight with them when their computer system screwed up last year, it was delayed and I'm sure the delay was to allow them to check in everyone. (despite official word that it was ATC related). I also missed my flight this week due to being sick, without giving virgin any notice. The response when I called up about the flight later that day was amazing - truly above and beyond what they needed to do or what I expected. It almost made 8 hours driving the porcelain bus worthwhile.

[FONT=Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif]

Which part of the Customer Guarantee has JQ broken?

Customer Guarantee | Jetstar

"That’s why we’ve created our 10 point Jetstar Customer Guarantee, so that in the unlikely event something does affect your journey with us, you know exactly what to expect:

3. Our team are always here to help, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
"

What criteria do they place on number 3? There was about 15 minutes do the day that they weren't there to help the OPs son. massive stretch? Yes. But that customer charter is little more than feel good statements anyway.[/FONT]

 

[Rick93]

He says there were five people in front of him, with each being served ( slowly ), and when he got to point position, it was 1850 hrs. ( do you call this T - 0 ? )

It was the last J* flight out to GC for the night ( but not clear if 'last' flight to anywhere ).

I appreciate the cut off time, but then it must be stated, that if the T - 0 is say 1850 hrs. then that means 1850 hrs. and not 1845 hrs. or whatever.

I can't accept the notion of being in the queue, and the staff know you are there, and for them to 'go slow' on you ... knowing you will miss your flight. For that ... there is no excuse whatsoever !!

GORDO

 

[Princess Fiona]

I actually agree with you. I haven't travelled on JQ ex-SYD specifically but have travelled numerous times ex-MEL and JQ are always pro-active in managing the queue, calling people forward and announcing flights which are closing. This is unusual and I would definitely complain. At MEL they usually have bag-drop/ check-in which only processes closing flights and passengers are moved there.
Very disappointing for your son.
PF

 

[casanovawa]

Yes the experience would certainly have been annoying...

Put in a complaint, all they can say is No... but maybe consider whether the cctv footage, if you can even get it, will help your case or go the other way...

 

[dfcatch]

He says there were five people in front of him, with each being served ( slowly ), and when he got to point position, it was 1850 hrs. ( do you call this T - 0 ? )

It was the last J* flight out to GC for the night ( but not clear if 'last' flight to anywhere ).

I appreciate the cut off time, but then it must be stated, that if the T - 0 is say 1850 hrs. then that means 1850 hrs. and not 1845 hrs. or whatever.

I can't accept the notion of being in the queue, and the staff know you are there, and for them to 'go slow' on you ... knowing you will miss your flight. For that ... there is no excuse whatsoever !!

GORDO

If these times are accurate - then I feel that being in the check-in for 15 mins counts as being "on time" from the pax perspective.

If he ran in the door and entered the queue right on 1850 - then that's different.

 

[11sjw]

He says there were five people in front of him, with each being served ( slowly ), and when he got to point position, it was 1850 hrs. ( do you call this T - 0 ? )

It was the last J* flight out to GC for the night ( but not clear if 'last' flight to anywhere ).

I appreciate the cut off time, but then it must be stated, that if the T - 0 is say 1850 hrs. then that means 1850 hrs. and not 1845 hrs. or whatever.

I can't accept the notion of being in the queue, and the staff know you are there, and for them to 'go slow' on you ... knowing you will miss your flight. For that ... there is no excuse whatsoever !!

GORDO

If cutoff is at 1850 he's now learnt to be there at least by 1750 and not risk it or fly someone else.

If these times are accurate - then I feel that being in the check-in for 15 mins counts as being "on time" from the pax perspective.

If he ran in the door and entered the queue right on 1850 - then that's different.

Agree

 

[munitalP]

I thought that all PAX had to use a check in kiosk then proceed to the counter with luggage. Also, JQ are ALWAYS proactive in calling people to the front for their flight. As for the check in staff chatting away with only five others in front of the OP's son, then he still missed check in cut off - sorry, but I feel we are not being told the full story and I don't believe the staff were doing what has been stated for a minute. In all my years of flying and my 1000's of flights, I have never seen this type of behaviour.

I have had JQ phone me while I was ignoring boarding calls shock in the QP one afternoon, and I have also had my luggage carried out to the AC for late loading in Mackay.

Fly Virgin - expected answer - FWIW, the same happens on this airline, and on Tiger and on Qantas and on BA and on Easyjet and on Ryan and on REX and on... how many more shall I list if you are late to board!

Also, how many flights are ex SYD to OOL at that time the OPs son boarded? Would JQ if there was another flight offered the next on - or did they offer the next one which just happened to be the next day.

I think the BE WARNED should actually be - BE WARNED, IF YOU ARE LATE FOR CHECK IN, YOU WILL MISS YOUR FLIGHT, not a JQ bash...

 

[DC3]

Many of us would have cut check-in a bit fine, at some time. Then, at some point we realise that we need to allow 1+ hours as a minimum for domestic, in order to never come close to missing check-in again. The panic leading up to (potentially) missing that flight is just not worth it.

I sympathise, but your son may need to put it down to experience, regardless of who is/isn't at fault.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Gordo did your son have bags to checkin?

If you only have carryon you can webcheck & print out your boarding pass from home, net cafe etc & even use a smart phone to do mobile checkin. Failing that if you have your JQ booking reference number you can use one of the kiosks at the airport & do it yourself.

If you have a bag to checkin you can get your bag tag at the same time as your boarding pass at one of the airport kiosks but you would still need to drop off the bag with staff prior to minus 30. In this case your name would already appear on the manifest as being checked in so it would be easier for the staff to accept the bag & send it off rathan than have to open up the flight to offload you if you were too late to checkin the bag.

I note that in BNE there is gererally a JQ staff member at the head of the queue to answer any queries or direct pax in the right direction. I have also heard them call forward pax booked on flights about to close 5-10 minutes prior to the 30 minute cut off. If you don't see a staff member at the head of the queue go up to the service desk & tell them your flight is about to close.

I don't know whether asking for a PSM (passenger service manager) who is the supervisor would have made any difference but for anybody still stuck in a JQ checkin queue dangerously close to the cut off time you really need to make yourself known to a staff member before it's too late.

 

[wilco]

Get your son to be there 90min before the flight to ensure he gets on board.

We all know JQ are strict so if you want to fly cheap ensure you meet their requirements re timing and luggage and don't cop any unexpected flight 'enhancements.'

whats to say he flew cheap?? JQ, IMO, is not cheap when booking last minute....

 

[kalboy]

You or even Jetstar will only be able to review the footage with a court order. Its law, sorry but there will be other peeps in the footage who have a right to object.

 

[wilco]

You or even Jetstar will only be able to review the footage with a court order. Its law, sorry but there will be other peeps in the footage who have a right to object.

and their faces can be blurred, negating their right to object.

If I was the OP, id pursue this to the end. JQ can run as late as they like, but if you're 1 second late, you're screwed.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

Fly Virgin - expected answer - FWIW, the same happens on this airline, and on Tiger and on Qantas and on BA and on Easyjet and on Ryan and on REX and on... how many more shall I list if you are late to board!

Sorry, I don't agree with the above as I have flown on all mentioned. A true LCC with strict cut off times won't budge an inch if your late to check in, (a la JQ). VA will.

 

[munitalP]

Sorry, I don't agree with the above as I have flown on all mentioned. A true LCC with strict cut off times won't budge an inch if your late to check in, (a la JQ). VA will.

The point was, if you are past the check in close off time, REGARDLESS of the airline, you will not be able to check in. Many of the other airlines may have another flight after the closed off, and they will budge, but how many SYD/OOL's are there from SYD in the evening, 1700, 1830 & 1920. The OP has previously stated he lives down near Woolingong, therefore, a quick deduction that the OPs son getting home (assuming by direct rout) at near midnight would have put the son on the 1920 flight.

Tell me, how would any of the mentioned airlines budge in this instance other than do what JQ did - that is, sorry, you have missed the check in, next flights tomorrow. The assumption of a cheap cough fare would also ring true insofar as he was told to buy another one. Please explain how the other airlines would differ? I have missed flights on QF, JQ and DJ and in all cases have lost the flight when I have not been able to get the PA to change them or if they are use or loose type fares.

You know, people are quick to bag airlines be it QJ or DJ or QF, but AFF has opened my eyes to seeing that they are generally the ones who have screwed up themselves, then with a fair extrapolation of the actual facts with a healthy dose of hyperbole, they will find everyone to blame for their dilema apart from themselves.

And with the selective quoting above, you didn't quote my statement of QJ phoning me or taking my luggage out to the AC for boarding when I have been very late for boarding. So your statement of selecting JQ as a LCC and saying they wont budge is not correct. Ryan, yes I agree and have had it happen to me, read a couple of my trip reports.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

Oh well, l guess it comes downs to personal experiences. If l have a choice of JQ or VA, similar price and departure times, VA wins.

 

[Rick93]

Those responders who have stated, they have never heard / seen this type of situation before ...

Would it be, because you are well travelled frequent flyers ( QF + JQ ) ??

My son had a two flight history ... not "thousands", as one person boasted.

Obviously, if you are a FF, J* are likely to want to ensure they keep you.

No SMS / phone call to my son's mobile.
No PA call to those still in queue.
No call for those pax WITHOUT luggage to check in.....

GORDO

 

[Princess Fiona]

As ozbeachbabe ( at BNE)and myself ( at MEL) have stated. JQ usually pro-actively manage the queue for bag-drop off/check-in, calling flight names ( not flight numbers eg. "Anyone for Launceston??") . It is usually loud and obvious that they are trawling the queue looking for passengers on flights closing. I am a frequent flyer and somewhat frequent flyer on JQ ( more than 20 flights) and IMO the situation as described by your son at SYD is very unusual and I would be asking questions. I have turned up at the bag drop queue after a late QF long-haul 10 mins before flight closing and been pro-actively checked-in in the manner described in my previous post.

 

[markis10]

There have been similar posts like this in the past that suggests its not "always" going to happen the way we may have seen in it the past, for an airline group that's famous not only for its safety record but also it's inconsistency, the circumstances described are believable. It's not that long ago that the same terminals JQ customers had an enforced sleep over.