Late December I put my wife and my transport needs, from Melbourne to Denpasar and return, in Jetstars hands.
A 4 week holiday was disrupted as follows:
Thu 22 Dec 2011. Flight No: JQ35. Departing 6:45pm. Arriving 9:55pm
• We were in the line at check in at opening time only to find the flight had been delayed 1 hour. This meant boarding before 7:30 pm.
• 7.30pm and no notification of further delay. All passengers are waiting the departure lounge.
• After 9.00pm a free meal vouch was given to all (agitated) passengers.
• Further waiting until approximately 11:00pm when we informed by staff that the flight had been canceled and were to go (find our way) to immigration and get stamped back into Australia and go to baggage pick up. After this (with all baggage), all passengers were to line up for as long it takes to get a letter explaining that we would be given accommodation in a Tullamarine transit hotel.
• With more than 100, tired and confused passengers, we had to find our way to the buses with help of only 1 Jetstar staff member to direct people (often unsuccessfully) to the bus pickup area.
• Due to the lack of busses, we were to wait another 35 minutes at the pickup area.
• 2:00am, all passengers are cued at the hotel reception waiting to receive the keys to the rooms. I pity the people with children.
• The following morning the bus pickup went as scheduled, and we all boarded and flew to Bali. On landing in Bali all passengers broke out with spontaneous cheers and clapping, an expression of relief.
My personal financial loss which included connecting flights, hotels and transfers cost me $300.00.
Chapter 2 – The return flight.
Thu 19 Jan 2012. Flight No: JQ36. Departing Denpasar 11:00pm. Arriving Melbourne 7:35am
• I was in line at check in before opening, only to find the flight had been delayed 5 hours.
• Being late at night, I slept on airport floor in front of the boarding gate until boarding with other fellow passengers.
Communicating with other Passengers I heard many stories of delays in Darwin, Sydney and Singapore in recent days. Also the airport check in staff told me that there are regularly delays and problems with the Melbourne – Bali – Melbourne Jetstar flights.
I have flown with Jetstar a few times before these flights and have always been unimpressed. Though now I have concluded that Jetstar provides poor service, is unreliable and does not care about their customers. I will pay more never to fly with Jetstar again.