Dear potential Jetstar Customers
For business reasons I have to fly from Auckland to Christchurch twice a month. Depending on available flights and airfares I fly with either Air New Zealand or Jetstar. However, I have become increasingly annoyed at Jetstar’s hidden costs. There is a seat fee popping up when you are so naïve to take up Jetstar’s offer to pick your own seat, there is a credit card fee, and there is even a booking fee – how on earth you can book a flight without actually booking it in order to avoid this stupid fee is beyond me. Jetstar’s airfares only appear to be cheaper than their competitors’ – they are a rip-off. The last straw, however, which converted me to never ever book with Jetstar again was my latest experience with Jetstar.
My story can best be summarised by the letter that I sent to Jetstar and that you find at the end of this post. In a nutshell, though, my flight from Christchurch to Auckland got cancelled, I got stranded there with only the clothes I was wearing as I was there only for the day. Jetstar didn’t give a reason, they blatantly proclaimed that any expenses incurred would be reimbursed (which has turned out to be a lie so far), they made no effort finding alternative flights for their passengers on that day, they couldn’t provide any accommodation – in short they ostentatiously showed that they care a shit about their customers after they have paid their airfares.
The travel voucher you were supposed to download from their website could not be downloaded as an error message kept popping up. Only after having called the service centre I received the voucher by email a couple of days later. The friendly lady on the phone also promised to look into my long overdue reimbursement claim, however, I never heard back from them. I have neither received a single cent nor have I heard a single word from Jetstar up to the present day. They don’t even appear to have an office in Auckland where I could turn up. I wonder if they exist at all.
Bottom line – why would you fly with Jetstar if you can fly with a professional airline!
Sincerely,
Michael
Dear Sir/Madam
Since April 2012 I have been flying from Auckland to Christchurch and return for business reasons twice a month. Depending on the flight availability and airfares I am flying with either Jetstar or Air New Zealand. While I have to say that Jetstar staff has always been very friendly and helpful in my experience, what makes me more and more to tend towards Air New Zealand is the fact that there are so many hidden costs in Jetstar’s airfares. There is a booking fee, there is a credit card fee, there is a seat fee if one wants to change the seat – I have become increasingly annoyed at booking with Jetstar.
My latest experience with Jetstar may have been the last straw though. Yesterday I was in Christchurch just for the day to attend a couple of meetings. My return flight to Auckland was scheduled for 7:10 pm but was postponed by half an hour. Twice! Finally the announcement was made at 8 pm that the flight was completely cancelled.
All passengers were directed back to the check-in hall where they were standing in queues for about 15 to 20 minutes without anything happening. Finally Jetstar staff started to talk to small groups of passengers at the front end of the queues without informing the remaining passengers through speakers. Everybody tried to gather pieces of information, sometimes based on what other passengers had heard. It was extremely frustrating to find out that way what the situation was. Finally, a few hand-outs were given to some passengers about reimbursement of accommodation and transportation costs.
On my question I was told that Jetstar was unable to organise accommodation. So there I was left in Christchurch at 8 pm, with only the clothes I was wearing as I had only come to Christchurch for the day. When I finally found a taxi, the taxi driver said that there was very little chance to find accommodation in Christchurch. I finally decided to avoid a long search for hotels and a horrendous taxi bill and ask people who I barely knew whether I could stay with them. Having to do this was an extremely mortifying experience.
I acknowledge the fact that there are circumstances that just happen and that everybody has to deal with. However, yesterday’s mishap seemed to be self-inflicted and caused by poor management. What I criticise the most and what really upsets me is the following:
1. Jetstar made no effort to inform the passengers as quickly and sufficiently as possible.
2. No reason was given other than “crewing requirements” which can mean anything, but which is a strong indication of mismanagement. I would think that you do know an hour before the flight as to whether a crew is available.
3. No effort was made to get passengers on flights on the same day. No flight options were made available other than for the next day.
4. The worst part is that Jetstar was unable to organise accommodation for the ‘stranded’ passengers. Everybody was left to themselves. This is highly unprofessional.
Apart from the highly unpleasant feeling of inflicting oneself on somebody else, not having any other clothing or even a toothbrush, the flight cancellation caused a string of other meeting cancellations for me in Auckland the next day. As far as reimbursement is concerned, I am claiming the following expenses:
…
Please find receipts attached as far as available.
The ‘good will’ travel voucher of $100 to be spent on the next booking with Jetstar is an irony in itself. Why would I want to fly with Jetstar again if I have the choice to fly with a professional airline?
Sincerely,
Michael