Second-class treatment on a second rate plane

To be honest, I should've checked this website before purchasing tickets with Jetstar to fly to Japan, maybe then I might've reconsidered flying with them.

The combination of lack of concern, run-down messy planes and being treated as a second class citizen has convinced me to create this post and to never fly with this airline again.

The flight over resembled something akin to an outdated cattle truck. Seats were ripped and discheveled, there was rubbish all over the floor and wires and cabling were visible from the back of the seat in front of us. This was the best flight of the two we took.

On the return flight home it got worse. Herded onto the plane like cattle we sit in our seats. We are greeted by the sight of the headphone jack and volume controllers in our seats not working and hanging out of the armrests with wires showing.

A passenger in front of us nervously hurries to the front of the cabin with angry stares from the cabin crew following him. He repeats this numerous times. During this time the smell of alcohol wafts through the air. My partner decides to get his bag from the overhead storage to get some headphones. During this time cabin staff start to ask him to sit down (even though the seat belt sign is no longer illuminated). He goes for his bag and discovers it absolutely soaking wet. Then the smell hits - a strong stench of cheap alcohol surrounds us.

I try to gain the attention of cabin staff as we can't call them using the buttons in the arm rest. During this time cabin staff are still insisting that my partner sit down even after alcohol has soaked through everything in his bag and is dripping from the overhead storage. A staff member approaches us looking clearly inconvenienced by our call. I apologise for any inconvenience for interrupting what she was doing and stated that the cabin storage above has a large puddle of alcohol in it. She immediately frowns and starts to question us as to whether we had alcohol and other liquids in our bags. We didn't.

She didn't seem to agree with us until the person in front of us admits to dropping a glass bottle of alcohol at the airport and taking said alcohol onto the plane. Admittedly we are displeased at the person in front of us for their carlessness but equally annoyed at Jetstar staff as this passenger went to speak to cabin staff numerous times to state that his alcohol had leaked in the overhead storage.

Cabin staff whisk my partner and his damaged cabin baggage to the front of the area where he had to empty everything and clean it with moist towelettes. The most dignified of solutions is to be forced to place all of your posessions into transparent Qantas garbage bags while every passenger can see. A staff member proceeds to stand on Jetstar seats to try to mop up the alcohol with paper towels.

While my partner was gone we had meals served on our tables whilst the staff attempted to make a hasty apology. We thought this was a sign of goodwill. Unfortunately the meals were an accident as during the flight, cabin crew wrote meal orders on a scrap piece of paper and had got order mixed up.

Announcements made on the Jetstar flight state the "limited availability" of any products which would make the plane trip more pleasant and bearable including the lack of in flight entertainment available and food.
My partners bag was completely destroyed and some of the items inside the bag were also damaged. We had to walk through customs with three to four garbage bags filled with personal belongings after an eight hour flight. To add salt to the wounds, I am greeted by a Jetstar survey when I get home which asks me the following, "Considering the amount you paid for your flight, what would you expect in terms of service and quality for this flight?"

To me, it doesn't matter how much you paid for your flight. Being treated as an actual human being and being able to travel in a clean and safe environment should not be subject to a $ value. To me, staff should be helpful and sincere. As we walked out of the airport we knew that the only way we'd recieve this expected service is to fly with another airline....

http://m.ak.fbcdn.net/a4.sphotos.ak/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/422189_1119...

International
Australia-Gold Coast
Japan-Osaka (Kansai International)

Comments

Hi Katt, I'm very sorry to

Hi Katt,

I'm very sorry to hear of your disappointing experience with us recently.

I would love to be able to investigate your experience and have a chat about what you have described above. Are you able to get in contact with us directly? We are available on Facebook, Twitter and the Jetstar Customer Care web feedback form on our website.

- Angela