JQ 787 Celebration Sale Fails...

[whereishome]

Apologies to those who are getting this off Facebook too.

JQ 787 Celebration Sale experience today: utter rubbish.

I paid for Club Jetstar last week ($39) in order to try to book a $178.70 fare each for myself and Mrs WIH CNS-KIX on the '787 Celebration Sale'.

Site would not accept the booking - responded at the confirmation screen (after I enter all the details in) with error codes. I had to go teach a class, so I called my mother and asked her to try on her computer. She e-mails me with "same error - I will call on your behalf". Later I get another e-mail saying "They will look into it and call me back."

She e-mails me an hour ago "They called me back and offered me tickets at the regular price - I threatened them with ACCC for bait and switch, and asked for a supervisor. They put me on hold and then gave the tickets at the sale price." Which they should have - if they advertise a product AND it's available AND their own mechanism of sale fails due to their own fault they still have to make good on the offer.

Anyway, the itinerary arrived. Awesome. Right price. Good stuff.

Now trying to book the return flights - JQ site will not accept my ANZ QFF Plat Visa so I have to go on hold with them again. Useless.

Now the good news, I spend 25 minutes with a consultant who straight up apologises and tells me they'll send me a $50 voucher as an apology - I get the booking done, although 5 times longer than it would have taken if the net had just worked, and because I did it through their Australian call centre the automatic currency conversion (ticketed in JPY then converted to AUD) doesn't kick in and I actually save $130 or so. Nice bonus.

In the end I got what I wanted (and saved some money doing it), but lesser men would have rung NoNews and TodayTonight.

Basically, JQ website is cough - it wouldn't allow me to book a sale fare it had available AND then it wouldn't allow me to book a regular fare it had available. And the only alternative option we have to fly to Japan (which we have to do regularly) is pay 3 times the regular rate to fly to BNE or SYD and then get a QF or JL flight.

 

[JessicaTam]

Glad I didn't join Club Jetstar. I was tempted for a second or two, though.

At least your perseverance paid off.

 

[Rochwillo]

We had the same problem with the error message coming up all the time and had to ring. Even had problems with the phone line cutting out multiple times....so frustrating!

We did manage to get the sale flights to Singapore return on the phone but only after about 2.5 hrs. Apparently the error message was coming up if you tried to book for more than one person, just crazy.

While it was a good saving, don't think we will bother joining club jetstar again next year as it is just too annoying. Will keep an eye out for other sales instead like Friday frenzy.

 

[k_sheep]

I got the same error. Gave up. Lame!

 

[casanovawa]

I joined it on Saturday before the deadline, and logging into MyJetstar today it didn't even seem to recognise i was a member with banner ads still suggesting i sign up and no visible way of clicking through to any special fares, every time i searched for PER-SYD rtn it just gave the usual fare near $200 each way... Doesn't sound like i would have had much luck even if i did get through... Good way to stuff up a promo J*!!!

Think i might ask for a refund of my Club J* for this sort of cough...

 

[Sprucegoose]

Glad I didn't join Club Jetstar. I was tempted for a second or two, though.


At least your perseverance paid off.

that hesitation on your part could be seen as a fatal flaw in your character!

 

[stewiejp]

Glad I didn't join Club Jetstar. I was tempted for a second or two, though.

At least your perseverance paid off.

My thoughts exactly.

Those who missed out on flights, due to the website issues, I would encourage to demand a refund if that was the reason you signed up.

 

[Major]

that hesitation on your part could be seen as a fatal flaw in your character!

Not at all...I see her decision as great strength of character and a wise decision

 

[JessicaTam]

Not at all...I see her decision as great strength of character and a wise decision

Thanks Major. The cheque's in the mail!

 

[William Chau]

Question, what is the phone number for Jetstars Australian Call Centre? I always get the phillipines.

 

[BAM1748]

I must be slow, I have a vague recolection of Jetstar Club or something but as usual didn't get around to it until too late.

Never flown Jetstar so perhaps I didn't miss much.

Matt

 

[NTflyer]

I also signed up to Club Jetstar for the 787 sale. Had the same error coming up on my screen when trying to book. After about 2 hours of trying the live chat option came up. Spent the next 30 minutes sorting out the flights with that person and just when all is to be confirmed it drops out. I get back online with another chat person and they inform me all the sale fares are gone and it just bad luck. She tells me to fill in a complaint form if I wanted. I also called but the only answer they gave me was the same as the online person. Very annoyed.

 

[mannej]

Question, what is the phone number for Jetstars Australian Call Centre? I always get the phillipines.

Is there a direct number for the Australian call centre? I don't think I've ever seen it advertised.

 

[Joshua]

I must be slow, I have a vague recolection of Jetstar Club or something but as usual didn't get around to it until too late.

Never flown Jetstar so perhaps I didn't miss much.

You're missing absolutely nothing! I know people are trying to save cash but they're a pretty cough option most of the time. My JQ script some of you have used, once did wonders with their prices so I occasionally flew them on flexi Max fares but otherwise seldom worth the effort.

Is there a direct number for the Australian call centre? I don't think I've ever seen it advertised.

Not sure if it still works, a few years back I figured out if you go through to Jetstar holidays you'd always get a local centre. They probably won't touch general reservations anymore, but someone can try it.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

Flew jq mel-lst-mel yesterday for a day trip to local wineries. Breakfast in qf j lounge melbourne. Flight on schedule, simple and efficient. Used qf regional lounge on way home (it stays open for jq). Flights quite full, aircraft clean and new. No complaints. Paid $10 each way.

 

[gizzard]

Definitely write in. JQ are pretty slow to answer queries and complaints and if they take more than 15 business days to get back to you then you will get a $50 voucher which will compensate for the Club Jetstar fiasco. There are 2 problems though. With so many complaints regarding the same issue they might just put together a standard response and get it out quickly. Also, the voucher will only be good for JQ travel but there again, you would have been planning to fly with them when you joined the Club.

 

[lovestotravel]

Flew jq mel-lst-mel yesterday for a day trip to local wineries. Breakfast in qf j lounge melbourne. Flight on schedule, simple and efficient. Used qf regional lounge on way home (it stays open for jq). Flights quite full, aircraft clean and new. No complaints. Paid $10 each way.

YAWN - JQ are fine until they cancel/change a flight or when things go wrong!

 

[Aussie_flyer]

YAWN - JQ are fine until they cancel/change a flight or when things go wrong!

yes thanks, yawn to your post too.

The majority of times things don't go wrong.

 

[gizzard]

YAWN - JQ are fine until they cancel/change a flight or when things go wrong!

It depends on the route to a large extent. If you are on one that has several flights per day and it's not too late in the day then things can be put right. Of course, with fewer flights and later in the day it's going to be harder. That, of course, is the same for any airline but JQ also have some QF backing. I was in a position not long ago when my JQ flight was delayed and then shifted me on to a QF flight instead....nice.

 

[eastwest101]

I had heard previous bad experiences about club Jetstar and for this reason, and also simply not to provide JQ with any more encouragement, I chose not to bother signing up for Club JQ. For those whom only joined up to get on the 787 would be interested to hear how you go getting your money back if the efforts were futile.