Why bother cancelling a Jetstar flight ?

[Maggs]

I booked an overseas trip with Jetstar and due to circumstances I have to cancel the trip.
What is the point of contacting Jetstar and canceling the ticket, receive absolutely no refund of any description so they can re-sell ticket. I have çancelled with other LCC and received part refunds.
Surely it would be a better practice of Jetstar to at least offer some % refund and a bit if good will? How about refunding the departure tax? Or do Jetstar keep that as well. What does happen to the departure tax when no departure is made?
Meanwhile, I won't be canceling my ticket, I'll probably even do the on line check-in , maybe with a bit of luck, who ever has chosen the seat next to be will have a vacant seat and enjoy the extra space.
Didn't I read that a large percentage Jetstar's profit was from no-shows and cancellations? looks like I am contributing too.

 

[toowongman]

Depends on the value of your time vs. the amount refunded more than anything. If you go ahead and get a refund of any sort, let us know.

 

[medhead]

Pretty sure they have to refund statutory taxes and charges.

 

[yohy?!]

Pretty sure they have to refund statutory taxes and charges.

they do, however they levy a 'handling charge' that usually wipes out the value of the refund!

 

[cmon0005]

Yeah I wouldn't bother cancelling when everything is so far in their favour, I wouldn't checkin though as you may hold up the plane/inconvenience other pax and you may get a phone call at whatever time the flight is asking where you are.. just leave the ticket as is so they can't sell the seat and so you get your 'monies worth', if its a really expensive ticket I would try and get the taxes back otherwise not worth it.

 

[markis10]

Pretty sure they have to refund statutory taxes and charges.

No, but they do have to pay them to the people whom they collected it for, such as the recent GST case with QF!

 

[serfty]

No, but they do have to pay them to the people whom they collected it for, such as the recent GST case with QF!

Was that in the case when they did not refund to the purchaser?

 

[markis10]

Was that in the case when they did not refund to the purchaser?

Specifically in the case of a no show I believe, no idea of the status should one cancel then have a refund admin fee gobble up said taxes etc, although both QF and JQ state no refunds as opposed to refunds after admin fee in most cases AFAIK, so that is likely to be the same case re having to pass it on !

Looking at the PMC (passenger movement charge), it looks like you can get a refund direct off customs if the airline says no:

Refunds

Provisions are made under Section 9 of the PMCC Act for the refund of PMC in certain circumstances. A full list of refund categories is listed below:

• A person is entitled to a refund of the charge paid by the person if:

1. the departure in respect of which the charge was paid does not take place;
2. the departure in respect of which the charge was paid takes place, but the person returns to Australia without having entered another country;
3. by virtue of section 5 (Exemptions), the charge was not payable in respect of the departure for which the charge was paid; or
4. the person is entitled to a refund under the regulations.

Passengers who have mistakenly paid the PMC when they should have been exempt are entitled to a refund. The airline is responsible for making the refund to the passenger.
If the PMC has been paid to Customs and Border Protection by the airline, Customs and Border Protection will refund the PMC to the airline. Alternatively, the airline may request Customs and Border Protection to refund the amount directly to the passenger.
If an airline has paid, in error, the PMC in relation to an exempt person for which PMC has not been collected, the airline is entitled to a refund of that amount from Customs and Border Protection.

Any claims for a refund should be referred to the National Pay and Accounts Centre (NPAC) PMC Unit by email: [email protected] or by mail.

 

[medhead]

That case judgement was based on them being deemed to have provided a service for a no show, ISTR. If the provision of the service is cancelled, that judgement would need to be reconsidered as a "service" is no longer being provided.

 

[markis10]

That case judgement was based on them being deemed to have provided a service for a no show, ISTR. If the provision of the service is cancelled, that judgement would need to be reconsidered as a "service" is no longer being provided.

The high court ruled it as a taxable supply regardless and hence collectable/payable:

But a majority of the High Court this morning ruled that Qantas made a taxable supply which attracted GST when it received fares whether or not the passenger took the flight that was booked.

 

[Happy Dude]

....Meanwhile, I won't be canceling my ticket, I'll probably even do the on line check-in , maybe with a bit of luck, who ever has chosen the seat next to be will have a vacant seat and enjoy the extra space.

I like this - rage against the machine I say!!

A bit off-topic but.... say one does check-in online with no intention to board. When would they start calling your name? T-30? After everyone else on the boarding list is accounted for?

 

[medhead]

The high court ruled it as a taxable supply regardless and hence collectable/payable:

And my point is that when the flight is cancelled there is no longer a flights booked as per the wording of the ruling you quoted. So IMO this is a different legal question.

 

[markis10]

And my point is that when the flight is cancelled there is no longer a flights booked as per the wording of the ruling you quoted. So IMO this is a different legal question.

Have to agree to disagree on that one and leave it to the wigs, the wording does say whether a flight is taken or not its payable, Cest la vie, the things certain in life are death and taxes .

 

[oz_mark]

That case judgement was based on them being deemed to have provided a service for a no show, ISTR. If the provision of the service is cancelled, that judgement would need to be reconsidered as a "service" is no longer being provided.

The ruling was about flights that were not taken, and where there had been no refund to the traveller. The ruling was essentially that taking the booking was the service in this case.

If the flight was cancelled and refunded then it was all irrelevant

 

[ozbeachbabe]

I like this - rage against the machine I say!!

A bit off-topic but.... say one does check-in online with no intention to board. When would they start calling your name? T-30? After everyone else on the boarding list is accounted for?

They would start calling your name once they have got all other pax onboard & it's apparent that you're not there. They will probably do more PA's for pax who have checked in baggage as finding the pax is generally quicker than searching for the bag. The process is much easier to offload someone without a bag such as yourself.

Even though JQ won't refund you, have you asked them whether they can put the value of the fare you paid into a credit shell to be used for future domestic or international travel on JQ which would be less some kind of processing fee?

 

[Maggs]

I can change the dates of the flights, I can even change the name, however I can't change the destination which would be preferable.

I have a famous name so it would be funny if paged, but I believe for on-line check, you still have to go through the Jetstar check-in for passport validation etc before you enter International Departure, hence I would be a no-show long before departure.

I still don't believe they have the right to keep the taxes. I thank everyone for contributing to the discussion.

 

[fersea]

I think the High Court case agreed with you that "they" Qantas or in this case Jetstar couldnt keep the taxes. The issue is whether they still have to pay them to the relevant authority or can refund them to the passenger.

 

[AVC]

just leave the ticket as is so they can't sell the seat and so you get your 'monies worth', .

Nice theory, but the airline will probably oversell the route anyway. It's a common practice, they actually rely on pax not showing up.