Cyclone Larry and force onto Jetstar :(

[N860CR]

I just got off a Jetstar flight and even more depressing it cost me $300 one way from Hamilton Isl to Sydney

It was certainly a very hairy few days up there! The Cessna I flew in on is having an extended holiday while I was forced to book at the last minute onto Jetstar like a number of others stranded with no other way to leave. I was half hoping that they'd introduce a bit of a "compassion" fare, but that was a little too much to expect!

It was quite a funny flight, when boarding huge amounts of white mist was pouring out of the air con and by the time I managed to fight for a seat back in row 19 I could barely see in front of me. There were quite a few people coughing and looking very uncomfortable. Something to do with the humidity outside apparantly (although I've never seen anything like it before!).

What I found interesting was how much negativity there was amongst passengers on that flight. Everyone in all the rows around me were having conversations about how bad Jetstar are! I guess they're lucky people flying out of Hamilton Island don't have much choice.

Worst part is I'll have to endure another JQ flight up to pick up the poor stranded old plane!

Just thought I'd share my little evening adventure... how was everyone elses start to the week!

 

[Yada Yada]

It was quite a funny flight, when boarding huge amounts of white mist was pouring out of the air con and by the time I managed to fight for a seat back in row 19 I could barely see in front of me. There were quite a few people coughing and looking very uncomfortable. Something to do with the humidity outside apparantly (although I've never seen anything like it before!).

I saw this for the first time when I boarded a CX flight in HKG in late 2004. I was sitting upstairs and the cabin looked like something from a movie set. One of FAs eventually made an announcement that it was just the cool dry air coming out of the aircon vents mixing with the humid air.

What I found interesting was how much negativity there was amongst passengers on that flight. Everyone in all the rows around me were having conversations about how bad Jetstar are! I guess they're lucky people flying out of Hamilton Island don't have much choice.

It seems that in pursuit of their LCC targets, customer service has been given such a low priority that it is really beginning to have a negative impact on passengers. A few friends have referred to JQ as "Deathstar" in recent months, a term I thought was only used by FF's who take an interest in aviation. However it appears that this is becoming a common nickname amongst the general public. If this is true then JQ will have a devil of a job to reverse the negative perception and it will hurt their business.

Just thought I'd share my little evening adventure... how was everyone elses start to the week!

Mine has been busy, but thankfully no air travel to do! I need to go to MEL again but with O7 gone I am less willing to get on board in a narrow seat! :wink:

 

[NM]

The mist is actually quite common in humid ports. And the upper deck of a 744 seems to be a very common place to experience it.

As for the JetStar service, who is to blame for it? Well, I believe that we are the ones to blame. We keep seeking the lowest possible prices for our flights, resulting in the airlines needing to provide the lowest price to get us to buy their tickets. And in order to provide these cheap tickets, they need to reduce their cost base below that which allows them to provide good service.

Your $300 fare may not fit the category of "lowest possible fares". But the JQ model is based on meeting the public demand for low fares, and as such they have had to build a low-cost operating model. And I expect that working for an airline with such an operating model does not endear one to going above and beyond for customer service.

So I do not believe we have a right to complain about reduced service on airlines like JQ while we are continually seeking lower and lower fares. To provider lower and lower airfares, something has to give way, and I would prefer that be the service quality rather than the safety aspect.

What really hurts is when we are not given the opportunity to fly with QF mainline at any fare price because the route has been taken over by JQ. Personally I would rather pay a higher fare for a better product, but not everyone follows that direction as witnessed by the drive for the lowest possible fares.

 

[Yada Yada]

As for the JetStar service, who is to blame for it? Well, I believe that we are the ones to blame. We keep seeking the lowest possible prices for our flights, resulting in the airlines needing to provide the lowest price to get us to buy their tickets. And in order to provide these cheap tickets, they need to reduce their cost base below that which allows them to provide good service.

While Virgin Blue conforms to the LCC model in terms of economy seating and charging for extras (food & entertainment), the service provided by their staff is better than QF mainline (domestic) in most respects and therefore significantly better than JQ, who seem to have chosen to offer a very low level of service. Once established in the mind of pax, it will be very difficult to shake.

But I do agree with you NM on low pricing in general. While I have taken a few opportunities of purchasing $49.00 SYD-MEL tickets from DJ in the past, I actually feel guilty about it! I'd much rather pay what I regard as a fair price for travel. I want the competition to thrive, not collapse like Compass did.

 

[oz_mark]

Airlines hit passengers with fees

Might be some scope to do something about the high fares....

From News http://finance.news.com.au/story/0,10166,18561433-462,00.html

VIRGIN Blue and Jetstar will compensate passengers who were forced to pay high fees to change flights because of cyclone Larry.

Melbourne resident David Hird said yesterday his wife and daughter were charged an extra $310 each by Virgin to come home early from a holiday in Cairns.
Mr Hird said he had no option but to pay the extra money, which comprised a flight change fee and the difference in cost for the new fare.

"I thought it was just a rip-off, profiteering on a grand scale," he said.

But Virgin guest relations manager Matt Dixon said Mr Hird's family had been charged extra by mistake and the money would be returned.

"Information has not got through to our airport staff in Cairns," he said.

Mr Dixon said the airline had waived all fees and extra costs for customers who changed their travel plans because of the cyclone.
Jetstar spokesman Simon Westaway said his airline had also detected "isolated inconsistencies" involving cyclone-affected passengers being charged extra for flight changes.

He said Jetstar had also waived fees for people flying into or out of Cairns and Townsville.

Tourism operators in far north Queensland have reported a rash of cancellations after cyclone Larry.

But Queensland Tourism Industry Council chief executive Daniel Gschwind said Cairns, Palm Cove, the Whitsundays and Townsville were still open for business.

He said the worst thing that could happen to the region was for tourists to stay away.

"We've had people ringing in this morning from Sydney and Melbourne asking if they should cancel their holidays," he said.

"There are obviously some issues like a bit of debris and in some cases power but it's important to recognise that Queensland isn't shut and many operators in north Queensland are operating normally."

Telstra says it will provide a package of free and discounted services for families and businesses affected by the cyclone.