Don't Put Elderly or Vulnerable People on Jetstar

This is the story of my attempt to fly from Newcastle to Perth on Jetstar.

1. No connecting flight - a ridiculous 3-hour stopover in Melbourne.
2. Told have to collect bags and re-check in, even though was flying 2 consecutive Jetstar flights.
3. Arrived, grabbed bag, walked to check-in, and was turned away even though others were checking in on other flights. Dragged my bags to the other end of the airport to get a coffee.
4. Came back at the allotted time to a cattle herd: 6 flights now checking in simultaneously. Waited 1 hour and 3 minutes in line. The foreign tourists were absolutely amazed and just couldn't believe anything so primitive was being offered up to people.
5. Sent to gate 30 - planes loading via tarmac in pouring rain. Frail lady in her 80's wheeled into pouring rain in her wheelchair, and forced to stand on an open, wind-up platform and put onto the plane wringing wet. This lady and her companion could not speak English. The staff member asked "Can she stand" and when it became clear that English was not understood, had the brainwave to ask the same question, over and over, and louder and louder. Smart people, these Jetstar people.
6. Arrived in Perth at destination only to find my flight not listed on any of the carousels, had to wander around the carousels to finally work out which one my luggage was on. Could staff give a toss? Of course not.
7. Also at arrival in Perth, disembarking by tarmac. Watching a few very aged and unsteady people traversing the steps and then across the tarmac slowly and with difficulty. Be aware this is how the elderly and infirm are treated by Jetstar.

This airline is a national disgrace and it deserves to be shut down. Is it worth a hundred bucks discount to be treated like an animal? Surely this is the most disgusting airline on the face of the planet.

Domestic
Australia-Newcastle
Australia-Perth

Comments

They really need direct

They really need direct flights to Other destinations from Newcastle, we are sick and tired of going to Sydney!!!

Yes, Jack, wholeheartedly

Yes, Jack, wholeheartedly agree. Novocastrians and their visitors are being ripped off mightily. The airport itself is not much more than a tin shed. Even Adelaide (no offence Adelaidians :-) ) has a much better airport than Newcastle. All the parking at Newcastle airport is on the one level, so you have to park a mile off and drag your bags to the actual building. The design and functionality are a joke.

There's no shortage of space - after all it's in the middle of nowhere. Just that the powers-that-be won't invest in Newcastle. They plough everything into Sydney and forget there are major regional centres that are filling Sydney's pig trough.

Newcastle gets robbed blind.

Christine it's really not a

Christine it's really not a hard concept to understand. Jetstar makes no secret of the fact thats its a budget airline. They will employ as few staff as possible and have the cheapest possible facilities (ie. not checking through bags) and make the most money they can. Don't blame them for the rain on the tarmac or the lack of aerobridges to the plane - that's the airports problem.

You are slightly going over the top in saying they deserve to be shut down just because they don't offer a full service to the elderly and frail. If these people require full assistance, they should travel with a full service carrier, or bring a carer with them for support. To my knowledge, Jetstar never has claimed to offer this because they use less staff. They won't even take unaccompanied minors if they aren't of high school age.

It's really quite simple. If you're not precious Jetstar are fine. If you are precious, don't fly with them.

John that's just plain silly.

John that's just plain silly. Since when did "budget" mean cruel and uncaring. Since when did "budget" mean incompetent or plain stupid or inane?

Since when is thinking such things actually matter considered to be "precious"?

I say again, if you want to be treated with any kind of humanity, don't fly with them. And definitely do not put on a Jetstar flight anyone who is vulnerable or frail. Their safety and wellbeing are at risk.