Baggage repair, and JetStar's excellent (read non-existant) customer service.

Flew from Launceston to Melbourne on JQ740 (and then on to Brisbane), on the 28th of December 2011.

Made my way to baggage claim after the flight, to find the clips on the bag straps broken, one strap torn, the handle scratched to shit, and the back of the bag sopping wet.

Onya Jetstar!

Went to baggage services... nobody home... (mid morning flight)
Went to customer service desk, who then asked someone to attend that desk.
Went back to bagge services to lay the claim.

"Can you leave the bag with us?" uhm, no? I have to fly from here to Brisbane.

"Ok, you can fill out the claim form here, and take it with you to Brisbane"

Cool, no problem. done.

Arrive in Brisbane, go to baggage services, explain the situation.
"Can you leave the bag with us?"
..sure.. i'll just empty my bag right now... wtf..
I asked if they had a loan bag, which they didnt.
ok fine. Was told to go home, empty the bag, and return it to the them.
So now I have to make a special trip back to the airport, and pay for parking, to drop off the bag to them.. ok.

Next day dropped off the bag.. This was the 29th Dec.

Called Friday 6th Jan. Could not confirm if they had indeed recieved my bag in Brisbane (hello I dropped it off at the counter you moron).
Called Monday 9th Jan. Could not tell me where the bag was.
Called them on Friday 13th Jan. Couldnt tell me where my bag was. But someone would call me back within the hour... yeah right. no call.
Called Monday 16th. Your bag has been sent to Melbourne for repair. No ETA.

Wednesday 18th. Recieved a call from Jetstar. Wow!
Your bag was not repairable and has been replaced. It is leaving Melbourne today, and you should get it Friday. Ok great :)

Friday 20th afternoon.... Bag arrives... not a new bag... my damaged bag. 2 clips replaced. both completely different, so out of 4 clips on the bag, 3 are not even remotely close in size/shape/style. Strap was stitched back together, but looks like it was done by a blind 5 year old. Handle still scratched to shit.

Called to express my displeasure....
Sorry, we dont gaurantee that your bag will be replaced. WHAT? You told me it was being replaced.
Asked about the clips and handle. "We dont gaurantee against scratches" fine, whatever.
Someone will contact me regarding the complaint.

Friday 20th evening... still no contact from Jetstar. Called them, on hold for 40min, no answer (every call is an average of 30min before someone answers)

Sunday 22nd. Still no contact. Tried to call again, no answer.

Monday 23rd. Called to ask to speak to a manager. Sorry, no managers at the moment, they will be in at 7am melbourne time tomorrow. ok fine.

Tuesday 24th (today). Called to speak to manager. Sorry, they will be here in "a couple of hours"
How the hell is a couple of hours a time frame??
Threatened to call whichever ombudsman they fall under if I dont recieve a call back by COB today.

COB, come and gone. No call from Jetstar.

Now I have found this site. Hopefully someone from Jetstar reads this, althought I doubt it, it would take too much effort.

Anybody know where/who/how I can escalate things?

FYI, its a Samsonite bag, which is only a few months old, so not exactly some cheap throw away that I dont care about.