jetstar's deplorable service!

[serfty]

Perfect example of the Dualoply; I flew MEL-SYD-MEL on a Super Apex fare in 1985.

The cost was $208 return for a Super Apex 21 Days advance purchase with a Saturday night stay.

That $208 would buy a lot more back then than it does today.

 

[dragonman]

That is exactly my point. I am not saying one is better than the other. But I believe that one of the direct consequences of increased competition and reduced fares is a reduction of the traditional service levels. Those who complain about reduced service levels need to understand this is directly result of reduced fares (and vice versa).

Totally agree. There were times when in real money twenty years ago I was paying twice as much to fly domestically in Oz, and the service was not always fantastic then either. I remeber flights being cancelled by Ansett the night before the Aussie rules Grand Final, and Ansett saying that they could not guarantee they would get anyone there on time the next day.


I can only compare my recent experiences with Ryannair and Jetstar. Jetstar *class to coughet was infinitely superior. (Ryannair seats do not recline, they charge extra for priority boarding...) Obviously YMMV.

 

[dajop]

I can only compare my recent experiences with Ryannair and Jetstar. Jetstar *class to coughet was infinitely superior. (Ryannair seats do not recline, they charge extra for priority boarding...) Obviously YMMV.

One only has to look at the Ryanair reviews on the Skytrax website to read about really bad customer experience. Jetstar (and indeed most other LCCs) have nowhere near the amount of bad reviews that Ryanair do on this website. And I can't imagine, eg. Jetstar cancelling a flight to Hobart and telling pax to find their own way to Launceston to pick up a flight there, which if one is to believe the posted reviews is not uncommon on Ryanair.

 

[GDSman]

One only has to look at the Ryanair reviews on the Skytrax website to read about really bad customer experience. Jetstar (and indeed most other LCCs) have nowhere near the amount of bad reviews that Ryanair do on this website. And I can't imagine, eg. Jetstar cancelling a flight to Hobart and telling pax to find their own way to Launceston to pick up a flight there, which if one is to believe the posted reviews is not uncommon on Ryanair.

PLEASE don't give them any ideas....I fly HBA-SYD-HBA on JQ every week....

 

[Mal]

Yep, when Jetstar starts offering a (rowing)paddle in the optional extras for your flight it might be time to re-assess who you're flying with

 

[NM]

One only has to look at the Ryanair reviews on the Skytrax website to read about really bad customer experience.

And millions of people still choose to fly with Ryanair. Why? Because all the reports of bad service cement their understanding that they are a LCC and hence must be cheap ... and of coourse "it won't happen to me" comes back into play.

 

[Alanslegal]

I still believe that all airlines should provide a good level of service to all customers regardless of what you have paid for!
By not listening to a customers reasonable request or reasoning, to ignore the explaination provided by a customer and to not be able to compromise and be flexible is pathetic.

Sure some rules just aren't meant to be broken but yes, some decency & flexibility goes a very long way to build positive relationships and I can see in the writer's initial post, there was no real attempt by JQ to be flexible.

Sure there are two sides to every story, but in my recent trips with JQ, I find their service quite standard for an australian airline but Virgin B is much better IMHO.

Further, my last JQ flight was delayed 40minutes due to some cargo loading problem, but then I guess it is not as serious or frightening as flying with only one engine as like last week's BKK-MEL which then diverted to Bali!

 

[Flashback]

3 of my last 4 flights were all delayed for around an hour, due to cargo loading issues.. on QF - so don't feel alone on that one

 

[Dave Noble]

I still believe that all airlines should provide a good level of service to all customers regardless of what you have paid for!
By not listening to a customers reasonable request or reasoning, to ignore the explaination provided by a customer and to not be able to compromise and be flexible is pathetic.!

To be fair on this , I disagree. If they consistently enforce their rules, that is not something that is wrong. People don't want compromise, they want rules to be bent for them

Dave

 

[d15.in.oz]

Bending the Rules!?!

...missed our flight. our fault, so we copped $120 charge to book another flight on tuesday. the guy gave us an option of either 06:45 or 12:50 ...apparently jetstar's policy is if you miss a flight you must go on the next available.

In trying to understand your predicament, I am wondering why you were told that.

Two things come to mind, either –

• The Jetstar agent was merely offering to sell you a completely new flight the next day ($69ea for the first flight, or more for the lunchtime one, assuming MEL-HBA by the times); as the “hard” policy is you have forfeit your original fare OR
• Jetstar has a “soft” policy of offering customers that turn up too late for a flight, some sort of discount on purchasing a new ticket from them. (In which case, this “must be booked on the next flight comment” makes some sort of sense.)

Either way, there seems to have been a lot of confusion… but it leaves me wondering if there is a JQ “soft” policy on late check-in, which might mean something more than “just lose everything”.

I also think that “what to do when a passenger turns up late at check-in” would be a JQ101 training course… so it is somewhat surprising to hear about them stuffing it up.

 

[dajop]

Re: Bending the Rules!?!

I also think that “what to do when a passenger turns up late at check-in” would be a JQ101 training course… so it is somewhat surprising to hear about them stuffing it up.

One would think whatever the case (whether simply rebooked onto a new flight at cost, or discounted into a new flight), there should be a written notification of flight details, either in form a new boarding pass (if new time is imminent) or a booking confirmation. This would avoid disputes such as those of the OP.

 

[pauly7]

hindsight is a wonderful thing but i'm a little amazed you didn't ask for a print out or reciept or something that had the new flight time on it....

(to the op) im sorry i don't mean to rub salt into your mistakes but imagine the pain it would have prevented!

 

[Supersonic Swinger]

What I find disturbing is when just booking a flight to San Francisco on the Qantas website, one option it gave me was a QF flight to Honolulu and then an AA flight to SFO. Only when I clicked on the QF flight number did it tell me it was operated by Jetstar.

How on earth can they believe people paying for a full service airline would accept Jetstar? I would rather take out my own appendix without anaesthetic than fly Jetstar.

 

[dajop]

What I find disturbing is when just booking a flight to San Francisco on the Qantas website, one option it gave me was a QF flight to Honolulu and then an AA flight to SFO. Only when I clicked on the QF flight number did it tell me it was operated by Jetstar.

Hey - see your point, a little deceptive for those not in the know. BUT (assuming Y travel) I think I'd rather the first leg of this connection (SYD-HNL) on Jetstar than the second (HNL-SFO) on AA! Personally, unless flying up the front, I don't find that much difference between an Australian LCC and a US "full service" carrier (well tell a lie if FF points weren't an issue, on a say 2 hr sector I'd much rather JQ than an AA MD80- at least you can listen to music and buy semi decent food on JQ).

 

[serfty]

One constant I have found with my 5 JQi flights is that the FA's are far more attentive than QF mainline.

 

[agfox46]

Hey - see your point, a little deceptive for those not in the know. BUT (assuming Y travel) I think I'd rather the first leg of this connection (SYD-HNL) on Jetstar than the second (HNL-SFO) on AA! Personally, unless flying up the front, I don't find that much difference between an Australian LCC and a US "full service" carrier (well tell a lie if FF points weren't an issue, on a say 2 hr sector I'd much rather JQ than an AA MD80- at least you can listen to music and buy semi decent food on JQ).

Does anyone know what the economy seating/service is like on JQ's Hawaii flights? I'm guessing/hoping it's better than their domestic seating

 

[N860CR]

The JQ A330's have 31" pitch (the same as when they were with QF) however the A320's only have about 29" pitch so yes, the seating is better. The crew on JQI are also largely Asian based so one can pretty safely assume they'll offer superior customer service to the Australian crews on JQ.

 

[davocns]

One constant I have found with my 5 JQi flights is that the FA's are far more attentive than QF mainline.

Must agree with Serfty on this one - and at least they have a smile on their faces!

 

[Yada Yada]

To be fair on this , I disagree. If they consistently enforce their rules, that is not something that is wrong. People don't want compromise, they want rules to be bent for them

I agree. No-one can complain if the company provides exactly what they say they will and enforces their written rules/policies.

On the other hand, there is no need for their customer service people to be rude when enforcing their rules, even if the customer is irrate/agitated/rude.

Bad (rude) customer service is not restricted to LCC's such as JQ - you see it everywhere. As the OP suggested, if you are treated badly then go somewhere else! My view is that the lowest fares published by other Australian airlines are not much different so there is a choice.

 

[mabunji]

I agree. No-one can complain if the company provides exactly what they say they will and enforces their written rules/policies.

Does this promise extend to Jetstar delivering on-time departure for each and every flight ?. Passengers are expected to show understanding for any flight delays or mechanical failures - why is it not possible to exercise commonsense and allow a bit of lattitude for pax who may be slightly late ?.

Just as there are numerous reasons beyond Jetstar's control which may delay departure, so for many passengers there are unforseen circumstances which delay their journey to the airport - I think there is room for Jetstar to be a bit more forgiving and savvy in their treatment of errant passengers.