Jetstar "Extra leg room seats"

[Mal]

While looking at a Jetstar domestic booking today, noticed the following information:

"If you want more room to stretch out select an Extra Leg Room Seat and you'll get an extra 8 inches of leg room to make your flight even more comfortable. Extra Leg Room Seats cost an additional $AUD$30.00"

There were no "green shaded" seats that indicated a Extra Leg Room seat in the seatmap for one of my flights, and the other flight only had Row 13 (exit) marked in green.

Looks like it was launched yesterday:

e-Travel Blackboard: Jetstar launches Extra Leg Room upgrade

Australia’s low fares airline Jetstar has today launched an Extra Leg Room* upgrade option that allows JetSaver Light and JetSaver passengers to further customise their travel experience.

From today, JetSaver Light and JetSaver passengers can purchase more space to stretch their legs by requesting an Extra Leg Room* seat upgrade for $30 on any one-way domestic flight, and $60 on any one-way international flight#. JetFlex passengers continue to have access to selected seats, some with extra leg room, inclusive in their fare.

For passengers travelling on Jetstar’s A320/ A321 aircraft on domestic and short haul international services, an Extra Leg Room* seat has a seat pitch of 38 inches, offering 20 per cent more seat pitch compared to a regular economy seat.

For passengers travelling on Jetstar’s A330 aircraft on international long haul flights, Extra Leg Room* seats have a seat pitch of 45 inches, offering 35 per cent more seat pitch compared to a regular economy seat.

More info @ Jetstar's website:

http://www.jetstar.com/au/travel-info/in-the-air.html

Extra Leg Room Seats

Jetstar offers JetSaver Light and JetSaver passengers the ability to purchase Extra Leg Room seating in selected exit row seats on single sector bookings (excluding flights from Japan). In order to qualify to sit in these seats, you must meet the exit row seating requirements listed above.

JetFlex passengers are able to request any exit row seat for no extra charge, subject to availability. JetFlex passengers requesting an exit row seat must also meet the requirements above.
How much more Extra Leg Room do I get?

On A320 and A321 aircraft, you will gain an Extra 8 inches of seat pitch and on an A330 aircraft, an Extra 15 inches of seat pitch.
Terms and Conditions - Extra Leg Room Seats

Extra Leg Room Seats are non transferable and non refundable.

Jetstar has the sole discretion at check-in, or boarding, to determine whether a passenger meets the requirements to sit in an exit row seat (which may include an Extra Leg Room Seat). If the passenger does not meet the requirements, the passenger will be assigned a regular economy seat and Jetstar will not provide a refund of the additional amount paid to sit in an Extra Leg Room seat.

If between the date of purchasing the seat and 24 hours before travel, you become unable to fulfil the requirements to sit in an exit row, you should notify Jetstar immediately. You will be transferred to a regular economy seat, and Jetstar may refund you the additional amount paid to sit in an Extra Leg Room seat.

In the event of a flight disruption, Jetstar will attempt to seat you in an Extra Leg Room seat, but cannot guarantee that such a seat will be available on your new flight.

If, in accordance with the JetSaver or JetSaver Light fare rules, you choose to move to a different flight, you will be allocated an Extra Leg Room seat if available at the time the change is made. However, if an Extra Leg Room seat is unavailable, Jetstar will not provide a refund of the additional amount paid to sit in an Extra Leg Room seat.

 

[oz_mark]

The old charge more for the exit row seats, and will have the relevant conditions attached

 

[opusman]

The "no refund" conditions are a bit rude!

 

[docjames]

I'd be pretty peeved to pay $30 extra (or $60) for the seat and then be bumped to a normal seat with no refund!

I'd accept normal seat WITH refund.

 

[Hvr]

So what is to stop them selling every seat at a premium and then denying a lot of people the extra leg room based on their interpretation of who may sit there?

 

[oz_mark]

So what is to stop them selling every seat at a premium and then denying a lot of people the extra leg room based on their interpretation of who may sit there?

I don't believe DJ does it, so why would JQ. I think if they were to deny seating they would need to be very sure that they were applying the rules correctly.

 

[Evan]

I am sure its just to cover the behind !
But in reality i am sure you would be refunded, vouchered etc to compensate.
E

 

[ethernet]

Its not covering any behind, its just plane mean spirited - and a safety hazard. People will now lie, in order not to loose money, with foreseeable safety risks.

No where in booking does it say, you will help evacuate, even if the plane is on fire. An online 'Test' would be a big improvement.

I have observed non-english speakers in the seats, and barely able to say 'yes' before the hostie repeats the instructions - this is not good enough.
Safety would be improved if Chinese was added to the list, because otherwise any 'engish' test would eliminate some people, depending if it was safety, or the pretense of safety.

To the hosties credit, they have booted out 16 yo (underage) seat hoppers, and heard repeating the drill to new (qualified) seat interlopers.
I don't know how they used to pick emergency seat people, but military, firery's and coppers benefited often

I'd like to see passengers who bought seats quizzed, and if it proves bad, this unsavory practice terminated.

 

[serfty]

I believe a CNS regular of this forum once complained he paid the additional JetFlex fare to selected an exit row, but on checking in found it was gone.

I have done some dummy bookings, it seems one of the two mid aircraft A320 exit rows is still blocked from saver purchases (probably for those on Flex Fares)

 

[oz_mark]

No where in booking does it say, you will help evacuate, even if the plane is on fire. An online 'Test' would be a big improvement.

What do you mean?

Extra Leg Room seats are selected seats located in the Exit Rows of our aircraft. In order to sit in an Extra Leg Room seat, you must satisfy the following general criteria applicable to Exit Rows:
• Be at least 15 years or older
• Be able to understand and carry out instructions
• Not be travelling with someone that requires your assistance in an emergency
• Not have any permanent or temporary impairment (e.g. deaf, hearing impaired, blind, vision impaired, any strength or mobility limitation, intellectual impairment or travelling with a service dog)
• Be able to check outside conditions and react to crew commands
• Be able to reach, open, lift and throw out the 15kg (approx 33lbs) exit door in an emergency
• Acknowledge the exit row briefing given by Cabin Crew once onboard the aircraft
• Be willing to assist in the unlikely event of an emergency
• Not be seated with an infant
• Not require the use of an extension seat belt
• Not be elderly
-- Additional Terms and Conditions --
Extra Leg Room Seats are non transferable and non refundable.
Jetstar has the sole discretion at check-in, or boarding, to determine whether a passenger meets the requirements to sit in an exit row seat (which may include an Extra Leg Room Seat). If the passenger does not meet the requirements, the passenger will be assigned a regular economy seat and Jetstar will not provide a refund of the additional amount paid to sit in an Extra Leg Room seat.
If between the date of purchasing the seat and 24 hours before travel, you become unable to fulfil the requirements to sit in an exit row, you should notify Jetstar immediately. You will be transferred to a regular economy seat, and, at its discretion, Jetstar may refund you the additional amount paid to sit in an Extra Leg Room seat.
In the event of a flight disruption, Jetstar will attempt to seat you in an Extra Leg Room seat, but cannot guarantee that such a seat will be available on your new flight.
If, in accordance with the JetSaver or JetSaver Light fare rules, you choose to move to a different flight, you will be allocated an Extra Leg Room seat if available at the time the change is made. However, if an Extra Leg Room seat is unavailable, Jetstar will not provide a refund of the additional amount paid to sit in an Extra Leg Room seat.

 

[ethernet]

OK, they have been warned but "Be able to understand and carry out instructions" has a lot of wriggle room in it.

Have you had a building evacuation fire drill recently?
Hopefully your fire warden, had a big voice, a commanding presence,and got things moving smartly. There are 'A' graders and there are others.

A softy spoken secretary could and does 'understand and carry out instructions' , but she would not make the best fire warden.

Given the results from various crashes and training drills, I would prefer real able bodied assistants in those seats. As the spacing is smaller, and in some planes, exits removed, it is more important, the best, not the minimum, is being aimed for,

Safety principles are being diluted for money. And the no refund, point, ie the incentive to lie, has not been diminished. Its just tawdry moneygrubbing.

 

[oz_mark]

Safety principles are being diluted for money. And the no refund, point, ie the incentive to lie, has not been diminished. Its just tawdry moneygrubbing.

From what I can see it is no different to what Virgin Blue do (Blue Zone).

 

[gilby08]

Safety principles are being diluted for money. And the no refund, point, ie the incentive to lie, has not been diminished. Its just tawdry moneygrubbing.

That is just rubbish, there are legal requirements for passengers to sit in an exit row seat, if they dont meet them, they lose their money. Bad luck, they read the rules on the site and agreed to them, so if they are denied that seat due to them being 14yrs old.. BAD LUCK, your loss, their fault.

If they did lie about it, that would constitute fraud.

 

[gilby08]

I'd be pretty peeved to pay $30 extra (or $60) for the seat and then be bumped to a normal seat with no refund!

I'd accept normal seat WITH refund.

If your bumped to another seat for operations reasons ie a cxld flight or an unservisable seat your be issued a voucher..

For other bumpings such as the pax not meeting the requirements they will NOT get anything back, and why should they... They have lied when making the booking.

 

[straitman]

If your bumped to another seat for operations reasons ie a cxld flight or an unservisable seat your be issued a voucher..

Are you sure about that :?:

For other bumpings such as the pax not meeting the requirements they will NOT get anything back, and why should they... They have lied when making the booking.

Who defines how some of these rules are applied :?:

For example 'Not be elderly'

What age does that apply :?:

 

[gilby08]

Are you sure about that :?:

Who defines how some of these rules are applied :?:

For example 'Not be elderly'

What age does that apply :?:

I'm 100% sure they will give you a voucher if those situations occur.

For the rulings it's the same for every australian carrier such as DJ, TT, QF and JQ. There is no real 'rules' for it at the moment but CASA does set out guidelines: Safer air travel - Seating information

For an elderly pax to be in an EE i'd want them not to be slow/frail/stuck-up. Just because they would be in control of the door/slide. For the discretionary bit it would be up to the CSO, but seriously they wont just not give it to people to get money, they couldn't care about the money. And basically they really wouldn't be able-bodied, especially a 70-80yr old

 

[oz_mark]

I'm 100% sure they will give you a voucher if those situations occur.

I certainly know that if it happened to me, and they refused a refund or voucher, a consumer complaint regarding failing to provide a paid for service would be lodged quick smart.

 

[straitman]

I'm 100% sure they will give you a voucher if those situations occur.

For the rulings it's the same for every australian carrier such as DJ, TT, QF and JQ. There is no real 'rules' for it at the moment but CASA does set out guidelines: Safer air travel - Seating information

For an elderly pax to be in an EE i'd want them not to be slow/frail/stuck-up. Just because they would be in control of the door/slide. For the discretionary bit it would be up to the CSO, but seriously they wont just not give it to people to get money, they couldn't care about the money.

gilby08,

The reason I ask about the vouchers is that you seem to speak with authority and I'm trying to understand why.

My next question about 'Not be elderly' is exactly that. If the airline sets out such a statement then the statement needs to be defined. What age is too old :?: Is it 55, 60, 65 or some other age :?:

 

[gilby08]

gilby08,

The reason I ask about the vouchers is that you seem to speak with authority and I'm trying to understand why.

My next question about 'Not be elderly' is exactly that. If the airline sets out such a statement then the statement needs to be defined. What age is too old :?: Is it 55, 60, 65 or some other age :?:

To be honest i'm not too sure as to how they would classify 'not be elderly'. I guess if they look frail and unfit then no. But it's not directly advised as to how they would do this..

 

[straitman]

To be honest i'm not too sure as to how they would classify 'not be elderly'. I guess if they look frail and unfit then no. But it's not directly advised as to how they would do this..

I know quite a few airline Pilots who are 60 plus so I guess they don't define 60 - 65 as elderly :!: .... or maybe they aren't allowed to sit in exit rows. :shock: