Why JetStar

[Limewood]

Qantas IMO should get as far away from JQ as they can, I came across this site.

Today I called JQ to change names on 2 tickets we can't use to HNL, had the fare bundle (wife bought em) they want $500 odd to do it, if the date is changed its like $700, simply outrageous, she swears when she bought them it just said can change names (not dates) without fee.

Man did I give them gob full today (forceful but not rude), never ever again will I ever go JQ. What is the old adage tell 10 people and 20 won't go?. Man oh' man they really need to stand back and have a good look at themselves and change some policies, no wonder VA have done so well.

 

[Vim Fuego]

I've flown Jetstar Perth to Singapore 8 or 9 times in the past 4 years, mostly with the kids and must have been lucky as we have had no dramas. Next trip booked for for my wife and I is Singapore GP in September, cost is $649.48 with luggage

Buy at the right time and its $280 - $325 odd return, plane always managed to leave and return on time and more than adequate service for a 5 hour flight.

In comparison Qantas want $600-$700 for the same trip.

 

[moa999]

Qantas IMO should get as far away from JQ as they can, I came across this site.

Today I called JQ to change names on 2 tickets we can't use to HNL, had the fare bundle (wife bought em) they want $500 odd to do it, if the date is changed its like $700, simply outrageous, she swears when she bought them it just said can change names (not dates) without fee.

Almost NO airline will allow you to do name changes without a change fee and current fare, unless you are in a very flexible fare bucket
Reason - otherwise ticket resellers would buy lots of seats during sales, then compete against the airlines to resell them closer to the date.

 

[mannej]

Qantas IMO should get as far away from JQ as they can, I came across this site.

Today I called JQ to change names on 2 tickets we can't use to HNL, had the fare bundle (wife bought em) they want $500 odd to do it, if the date is changed its like $700, simply outrageous, she swears when she bought them it just said can change names (not dates) without fee.

Man did I give them gob full today (forceful but not rude), never ever again will I ever go JQ. What is the old adage tell 10 people and 20 won't go?. Man oh' man they really need to stand back and have a good look at themselves and change some policies, no wonder VA have done so well.

How many airlines will let you change names without a fare?

The reasons have already been highlighted.

 

[Hvr]

Qantas IMO should get as far away from JQ as they can, I came across this site.

Today I called JQ to change names on 2 tickets we can't use to HNL, had the fare bundle (wife bought em) they want $500 odd to do it, if the date is changed its like $700, simply outrageous, she swears when she bought them it just said can change names (not dates) without fee.

Man did I give them gob full today (forceful but not rude), never ever again will I ever go JQ. What is the old adage tell 10 people and 20 won't go?. Man oh' man they really need to stand back and have a good look at themselves and change some policies, no wonder VA have done so well.

And do tell us which airline will allow you to change names?

Also, if you were spoken to the way you spoke to the Jet* staff would you tolerate it? Especially when you, the customer were wrong?

 

[Limewood]

I was not rude nor loud, I told them they should change policies because the change fees are outragious, get this, just made 4 calls to JQ kept getting cut off at crucial change name point, now in past one hour received 4 different prices for same dates! yep, they sure now know to run abusiness not, prices varied between $371 and $702 from 4 different operators.

 

[amaroo]

Our last trip to LOTFAP I stuffed up and booked a flight too late in the day. Rang AA to see what it would cost to change to an earlier flight on the same day - they wanted to charge me more for the change than what it would cost me to throw away the tickets and just buy 4 new ones.

All airlines do it. My error so no complaints.

 

[Deleted member 6404]

I have flown with JStar more times than I can remember, why ? prices of course, nothing more nothing less and have had no problems at all apart from the odd flight times changing.
But what dose bug me is the $8.50 service fee charge for using a CCard that is so coughking wrong. I just hope the ACCC gets enough balls to come down hard on them then this would just about be the best LCC out there.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Today I called JQ to change names on 2 tickets we can't use to HNL, had the fare bundle (wife bought em) they want $500 odd to do it, if the date is changed its like $700, simply outrageous, she swears when she bought them it just said can change names (not dates) without fee.

I think the problem is their res system & the way it prices itineraries. I don't think the issue is how your wife booked the flights because if she paid the for the plus bundle that gives you ff points & SC it also allows a name change, however the T&C do say plus any applicable fare difference.

Herein lies the problem because even if you are only changing the outbound sector eg SYD/HNL & the same fare is available on the new date, if there has been a fare increase on the return flight HNL/SYD then the new airfare is charged even if you are not changing the date of the return flight just as if you're doing a brand new booking.

For people making future booking on JQ, it may be wise to book the forward & return sectors in separate pnrs so if you do want to change only one of the segments, as long as there is not fare difference on that sector there won't be any charge.
.

I have flown with JStar more times than I can remember, why ? prices of course, nothing more nothing less and have had no problems at all apart from the odd flight times changing.
But what dose bug me is the $8.50 service fee charge for using a CCard that is so coughking wrong. I just hope the ACCC gets enough balls to come down hard on them then this would just about be the best LCC out there.

On your desktop or tablet open up the Jetstar mobile site (link below) using Google Chrome then if using a MasterCard debit card like the Qantas Cash Card you won't be charged the AUD8.50 fee.

https://mobile.jetstar.com/s/

 

[smeacs]

Or use Poli which works well.

 

[blu]

I am always amazed how the long JQ Y checkin/bag drop lines are - even before the checkin counter opens.

 

[samh004]

I am always amazed how the long JQ Y checkin/bag drop lines are - even before the checkin counter opens.

It's because they must have a policy where they aren't allowed to check you in early... and I come to this conclusion from plenty of experience at the front if the line, ready to take my ticket and not be a bother, with staff free behind the counters - only to always be told my flight isn't open yet and despite them being free, they do nothing instead if clearing the line.

Also worth noting their itineraries for international flight say checkin opens 3 hours before departure, yet is always closer to 2 and a half before. Without fail they always miss the 3 hour mark. They're on the clock and present though.

 

[Himeno]

Not at launch though - the "Blue Rooms" didn't open until 2003 and I'm not familiar with any points program until Velocity started in 2005.

The facepainting, however, used to be free - I don't think QF has ever offered complimentary face painting .

Many people are confused about the timelines of DJ/VA and JQ. They think that DJ started after AN collapsed and was only created because AN died.

I tend to avoid LCCs where possible. JQ is easy to avoid since they don't come to CBR.
In Sep last year, I had booked CBR-SYD-NRT with QF. Weather issues in SYD that day had limited them to one runway which was causing all sorts of delays and cancellations. While I was in the CBR lounge, my SYD flight kept posting delays to the point I would misconnect with QF21. When I approached the lounge staff about it, their first option was to get to MEL (CBR-MEL flight leaving about 40 mins later) then onto JQ via Darwin (and MNL, but they didn't mention that). It took about 2 seconds after hearing JQ - Darwin - 2am connection, to say no. and ended up on CX.

 

[boomy]

I'm surprised it took you 2 seconds to think about it

 

[Himeno]

I'm surprised it took you 2 seconds to think about it

Most of that time was remembering they didn't have A330s from Darwin, that an A320 didn't have the range to get to NRT from Darwin and remembering that it stopped in MNL. Though at the time I was also thinking about other options (such as via SIN) before remembering that the late night SIN flights no longer existed, and asking about getting into HND instead of NRT if possible.

I saw the rolling delays posted to my CBR-SYD QF flight and asked the staff what was happening. They said "oh, we'll get you on whatever SYD flight is ready first", then when I mentioned that I was connecting to QF21, they responded with "... cough". At which point, they looked at rerouting and didn't care how/where it happened, as long as I got to Tokyo and it was within Qantas Group or Oneworld. The JQ option just happened to be the first listing on the computer.
It ended up good for me though. Although I lost my op up on QF21 and I was delayed into Tokyo by 8 hours, I ended up with more points/SC then I would have gotten and as soon as I got to the MEL CX lounge, they gave me an op up again.

 

[yo yo ma]

I have flown with JStar more times than I can remember... But what dose bug me is the $8.50 service fee charge for using a CCard

If you fly them often, you could look into getting a Jetstar Mastercard - at $59pa (plus a $50 Jetstar voucher) it may be cost effective for you?
Otherwise paying using POLi avoids the fees.
Jetstar Cards

 

[JohnK]

Best to bag something after you've actually tried it....

I saw the Aeroflot queue in BKK last week. There is no chance I am doing that in economy. Ever.

I couldn't care less how cheap JQ is, I refuse to fly them except if it involves an F lounge visit MEL-SYD-MEL

And I simply refuse to fly Jetstar regardless of the chance to visit F lounge in SYD or MEL.

 

[DaveB]

Interesting who can't stand JQ more, QF or VA customers. Me thinks QF wins comfortably.
My one and only JQ flight was ages ago as part of a group booking for a golfing week to Queensland. JQ were going to charge me close to the airfare to take my clubs being a further $70 or $80 from memory. Thankfully one of our group intervened flashing some sort of QF card to have it waived which we all were rather thankful for. I was even more naive at the time and on reflection, gather it was a CL card.
They don't stick one star on the plane for nothing.

 

[Mr_Orange]

Have flown JQ to HTI from BNE. As far as I am concerned, that was no different to all the EasyJet flights I have taken around Europe.

Have now flown JQ J to NRT from OOL. Again it was fine and good value. The tickets were less than Y+ on QF21/22 and I got double the SCs. Was not happy to arrive at NRT for the return flight to find it had been cancelled, but we were flown to KIX and put on the KIX-OOL flight instead, so it all worked out in the end, but we did miss out on lounge time in NRT.

Why isn't JQ an affiliate member of 1W? DragonAir are as are a whole load of other LCC subsidiaries of the big airlines.

 

[TomVexille]

Why isn't JQ an affiliate member of 1W? DragonAir are as are a whole load of other LCC subsidiaries of the big airlines.

I don't think there really are many LCC subsidiaries that are oneworld affiliates. Dragonair is a regional arm of CX, not a LCC.