Trip report - Cns-Dwn-Sing on JQ = DON'T

[svstrider]

Sitting in aberdeen on my way to Greenland & I thought I would let U know the fun I had flying Cairns - Darwin - Singpapore on JQ 3 days ago. Arrived 2 hrs early at Cairns Int airport. The sign over th counter said that checkin for my flight was not open for another 15 mins. Time passed. After 20 mins I asked the JQ staff when checkin would commence. 1045 was the reply. I informed them as it was now 1100 hrs I would like to check in. Was told to go back to the checkin line and wait. JQ lady turned up at 1115 & then proceeded to rearrange her stapler, sharpen pencil or the equivalent. She then started to chat to the other lady who I had talked to before. I wandered over & asked if she could check me in. She glanced up & told me to go back to the line of waiting punters and that she would open "directly". After letting me suffer for a while longer she announced "NEXT". I asked her why she was 40 mins late opening checkin. "Been busy" she mumbled. No apology zilch.

I had been angry about missing valuable Qantas Club time. I should not have worried. There isn't one at Cairns Int. There is a Jetstar lounge but of course they were as unhelpful as the checkin lady. I browsed the rip off tourist shops ($5.70 for a small juice) with the other punters. Then it was off to Darwin on the one class JQ flight where lunch consisted of an egg & lettuce sandwich. Transit lounge in Darwin for 30 mins then off to Singapore on the same plane and for the life of me I can't remember what I ate on that leg of the trip.

If my company ever inflicts JQ cairns - Darwin - Singapore again, I will tell them where to put their Deathstar jet.

Why pay for Qantas club when they close them at Coolangatta and Cairns??

 

[Bundy Bear]

Sitting in aberdeen on my way to Greenland & I thought I would let U know the fun I had flying Cairns - Darwin - Singpapore on JQ 3 days ago. Arrived 2 hrs early at Cairns Int airport. The sign over th counter said that checkin for my flight was not open for another 15 mins. Time passed. After 20 mins I asked the JQ staff when checkin would commence. 1045 was the reply. I informed them as it was now 1100 hrs I would like to check in. Was told to go back to the checkin line and wait. JQ lady turned up at 1115 & then proceeded to rearrange her stapler, sharpen pencil or the equivalent. She then started to chat to the other lady who I had talked to before. I wandered over & asked if she could check me in. She glanced up & told me to go back to the line of waiting punters and that she would open "directly". After letting me suffer for a while longer she announced "NEXT". I asked her why she was 40 mins late opening checkin. "Been busy" she mumbled. No apology zilch.

I had been angry about missing valuable Qantas Club time. I should not have worried. There isn't one at Cairns Int. There is a Jetstar lounge but of course they were as unhelpful as the checkin lady. I browsed the rip off tourist shops ($5.70 for a small juice) with the other punters. Then it was off to Darwin on the one class JQ flight where lunch consisted of an egg & lettuce sandwich. Transit lounge in Darwin for 30 mins then off to Singapore on the same plane and for the life of me I can't remember what I ate on that leg of the trip.

If my company ever inflicts JQ cairns - Darwin - Singapore again, I will tell them where to put their Deathstar jet.

Why pay for Qantas club when they close them at Coolangatta and Cairns??

We had a similar Jetstar check in experience in Melbourne; we turned up on time, one staff member turned up a few minutes later then another one and then the 2 of them started to have a chat, so instead of taking 1-2 minutes a passenger they were taking 3-5 minutes a passenger. I was about 5th in line and we were all missing out on good First Lounge time in Melbourne because of how slow they were.

 

[anat0l]

We had a similar Jetstar check in experience in Melbourne; we turned up on time, one staff member turned up a few minutes later then another one and then the 2 of them started to have a chat, so instead of taking 1-2 minutes a passenger they were taking 3-5 minutes a passenger. I was about 5th in line and we were all missing out on good First Lounge time in Melbourne because of how slow they were.

Yep, we started check-in about 25 minutes late. I think departure was delayed by about the same amount. When we arrived at about T-190 minutes (i.e. 10 minutes before 3 hrs before departure, normal check-in opening time for international flights), the queue tapes weren't set up and there was nary a JQ staff member to be seen.

The only advantage of turning up early is to beat the crowds. If you are in Star Class no biggie, but if you're checking in with the rest then for some reason JQ really do take their time with some of the pax (although I must say it does take some time to check in some pax who have come bitterly unprepared!).

If JQ allowed web/kiosk check-in for international flights, 30% of the time I wouldn't have a problem.

40 minutes is a joke, even if the expected load was going to be light.

 

[serfty]

Yep, we started check-in about 25 minutes late. ...

I was there as well and had already anecdoted my experience of this to you guys.

FWIW, it was probably a better than normal performance in that they 1) had a *Class check-in lane defined, and, 2) policed it!

 

[Flashback]

I was there as well and had already anecdoted my experience of this.

FWIW, it was probably a better than normal performance in that they 1) had a *Class check-in lane defined, and, 2) policed it!

When I FLounged early last year, Skoogle was the only person flying *class and we were at the front of the queue. Most of us had been processed before he was. Given his last JQ flight he took there were similar issues, I'm inclined to think they're anti-Skoogle! :shock: