Flights Delayed, No Compensation & Disgraceful Customer Service

This pales compared to a lot of stories on here, but I thought I would share anyway. We should call Jetstar Jester, as they are a joke!

We flew up to Gold Coast to attend my brother's 40th birthday party for the weekend in Lismore. We were due to fly back Sunday night but they called us at lunchtime (at least they managed to give us some notice) to tell us that our flight had been cancelled and the earliest flight they could get us was midday the next day. At first I was reasonable, asking if there was any possibility of catching a different flight on the Sunday, leaving earlier if possible. Of course there was no availability earlier then midday the next day. When I explained that I had a job on the monday morning that I needed to be back for, and that if I wasn't there, our company could lose a few thousand dollars in income, they simply didn't care. In fact, they were quite rude about it.

Now, at this stage I was still prepared to be reasonable, but firm. So the following questions & answers took place.

Me: Can you book us on another airline?
JS: No.

Me: If we can find a flight on another airline are you prepared to pay for the flight?
JS: No

Me: If I find a flight on another airline will you refund us for our ticket home?
JS: No

Me: Can you fly us from another airport today?
JS: No. The flights are full. (They did seem to check this so cannot confirm if this was true or not)

Me: What happens in regards to compensation for meals and another nights accommodation?
JS: We can not tell you that. You will have to wait for a customer service representative to call you back.
Me: How long will that take?
JS: 2-3 days
Me: But how do I know what accommodation I can book and what food I can eat without knowing how much you are prepared to compensate me for?
JS: I am sorry sir, but we cannot give you that information. You will have to complete an online form then wait 2-3 days.
Me: Well, I am on a mobile phone with no internet access so how am I supposed to do anything without information? I want to speak to a supervisor!

Then... after lots of talk, I am told that someone will call us back in the next 10 minutes. All this taking place mind you on a beautiful summer's day at Byron Bay which should be spent at the beach not talking to Jetstar. After AN HOUR with nobody calling me back, and being told that they could trace my complaint via my booking number, I called them back.

Me: I was supposed to be called back in regards to compensation for the flight that has been cancelled. I never got the call. What is happening?
JS#2: There is no record of anyone supposed to be calling you. What is it in regards to?
Me: Compensation for accommodation and food, plus loss of income.
JS#2: (after 10 minutes of stuffing around) All I can offer you is a $100 Jetstar voucher each
Me: Can I use that towards accommodation or food?
JS#2: No, but you can use it on a future Jetstar flight
Me: No good to me mate, I will never be flying you again. Nor will my friends for that matter. Can I speak to a supervisor (again)?
JS#2: (after 30 minutes of putting me hold, taking me off, talking through everything again, putting me back on hold) My supervisor says that we can offer you a $100 JetStar voucher.
Me: Ahh... that wasn't good enough half an hour ago, why would it be ok now? Let me talk to the supervisor
JS Supervisor (after another 10-15 mins of being put on hold): As we have told you before, you need to fill out a form online then after you have filled it out a rep will call you back in the next 2-3 days. We can't do anything else for you.

Anyway, it is now 10 days later and I haven't heard anything from Jetstar at all. So I am posting this, and writing to Jetstar, Qantas (to let them know I am cancelling my frequent flyers and switching to Velocity), Westpac (to let them know that I have no need for a Qantas Frequent Flyers Credit Card, and am switching to a Velocity one), Woolworths (Qantas Frequent Flyers suck and IGA is closer) and my local member of government. Oh, and I have also started a social media boycott with my friends. I can't believe how many bad stories I have heard from friends. Seriously, I hope they go out of business. They definitely won't be getting mine or my friends any more.

Thanks for offering a place for a rant!