Why fly Jetstar?

[amaroo]

I was very lucky to fly J* MCY-SYD-MCY weekly for around 4 years.

First flight Monday didn't leave MCY until 10am
My flight home on Friday left SYD at 1pm
It saved between 3-4 hours a week driving to BNE
I negotiated QFF in my contract meaning I got to fly Jetflex......harvesting 40SC a week. Those weekly J* flights generated around 7,500SC
When I had to travel MCY-MEL I didn't get out of bed before 10am
Exit row every flight with a shadow every other flight
In the surf within 20mins of landing

 

[puppysparkes]

Back in the day the their timing and cost was perfect for my needs. My regular route was BNE-DRW every 4-6weeks. From memory the flights departed around 8:45pm on a Friday arriving around 12:15am Saturday. Return leg departed around ?1am Monday morning arriving in BNE at ?5am. As I can't sleep on planes, this meant I could head to work immediately or following a nap at my home. At the time it was under $300 to visit my nephews for the weekend. Work permitting, I'll be booking with them again or most likely VA now I have EY gold. The QF PE ratio is still beneficial if I take the indirect route and my employer is flexible.

 

[benjy]

I generally purchase Jetstar airfares well in advance when they have their super cheap sales, their base fair plus the plus bundle is usually always cheaper than Qantas (I don't have checked luggage), also, my 2nd home base is OOL so Jetstar is my option over Qantas. I've selected Qantas over Jetstar twice - once when Qantas was cheapest flying MEL > BNE and 2nd when MEL>SYD>OOL was ~$8 more expensive than flying MEL>OOL direct with Jetstar.

Jetstar will always be my first choice unless Qantas fares come within ~10% of Jetstar (with all extras included such as QFF, SC & $5 voucher)

 

[JMFK]

JQ is pretty painful. I find if I prepare myself for the absolute worst, I'm pleasantly surprised when I arrive at my destination.

My JQ flying is only limited to leisure fares when huge sales are on.

Can no longer fly JQ for work due to their baggage limits, as I fly with tools of my trade and I need a piece system as opposed to KG's.

 

[burmans]

My JQ flying is only limited to leisure fares when huge sales are on.

Can I state the obvious, leisure fares are their target market, not those on AFF.

 

[JMFK]

Can I state the obvious, leisure fares are their target market, not those on AFF.

Don't think you'd find much opposition to that statement...though I still make sure I earn SC's on all flights

 

[Rick93]

Jetstar's 10th Birthday Sale ...

Got my $10. fares to Gold Coast from Sydney.

Just 'carry on' for two nights at the IC Santuary Cove ...

 

[TomVexille]

Can I state the obvious, leisure fares are their target market, not those on AFF.

I'm a 100% leisure flyer. And I'm on AFF. Does that mean I am or am not their target market?

 

[aikman]

It hasn't been mentioned that a plus bundle turns a JQ ticket into a flexible ticket with potentially no more to pay for multiple date and time changes. A comparably priced QF ticket, which would have to be a red e-deal, would cost at least $77 for each and every change.

 

[boomy]

Can I state the obvious, leisure fares are their target market, not those on AFF.

At first I thought the same thing, but after attending a few AFF events I found out that a lot of members are leisure travellers.
There are tens of thousands of members on AFF so can't really tell who is doing what but I'm pretty sure that many people on the forum fly JQ more then they care to admit

 

[amaroo]

I'm a 100% leisure flyer. And I'm on AFF. Does that mean I am or am not their target market?

+1

...........

 

[boomy]

It hasn't been mentioned that a plus bundle turns a JQ ticket into a flexible ticket with potentially no more to pay for multiple date and time changes. A comparably priced QF ticket, which would have to be a red e-deal, would cost at least $77 for each and every change.

That's a very good point!

 

[JMFK]

It hasn't been mentioned that a plus bundle turns a JQ ticket into a flexible ticket with potentially no more to pay for multiple date and time changes. A comparably priced QF ticket, which would have to be a red e-deal, would cost at least $77 for each and every change.

A fare difference applies though, and in my experience this is always HUGE, especially if you're buying a sale fare originally.

Even if you can search for and find the same sale fare on new dates, this won't be the amount reflected in the 'Manage My Booking' section when you go to change it.

The Plus bundle is only useful for SC + Points, IMHO, not flexibility.

 

[boomy]

A fare difference applies though, and in my experience this is always HUGE, especially if you're buying a sale fare originally.

Even if you can search for and find the same sale fare on new dates, this won't be the amount reflected in the 'Manage My Booking' section when you go to change it.

The Plus bundle is only useful for SC + Points, IMHO, not flexibility.

QF has big difference as well between sale and non-sale fares. If you bought MEL-SYD for $109 and had a last minute change of schedule, you may have to pay up to $325 for flexi-saver (if red-e-deal sold out) plus the $77 changing fee.
It happened to me once and I just cancelled the ticket and purchased a new one with JQ, which their last minute fare was less then half of the amount quoted by QF for the same day and departure time I needed.

 

[JMFK]

QF has big difference as well between sale and non-sale fares. If you bought MEL-SYD for $109 and had a last minute change of schedule, you may have to pay up to $325 for flexi-saver (if red-e-deal sold out) plus the $77 changing fee.
It happened to me once and I just cancelled the ticket and purchased a new one with JQ, which their last minute fare was less then half of the amount quoted by QF for the same day and departure time I needed.

In my most recent experience I bought a sale fare, and wanted to change to another date, granted, some 4 months later, but the new date had a sale on too, which meant it was the same price. Manage my booking though, had a fare difference of $150+ - meaning it was cheaper to just rebook a new ticket and loose the existing one.

The call centre was useless, as usual.

 

[MelUser]

I laugh flying jetstar. Attitude and product knowledge of flight attendants is dismal.

 

[boomy]

I laugh flying jetstar. Attitude and product knowledge of flight attendants is dismal.

From my experience the FAs on JQ are mostly nice young people who try to do their job the best they can, they are usually nice and helpful.
The biggest problem JQ has IMO is it's shocking before and after the flight customer service. Both ground service and call centre are appalling.

 

[dajop]

It's funny reading all this. I thought the answer was obvious, lowest cost or best choice of times/route or both.

I last flew Jetstar in March SYD-MEL 8:30am flight. Cost was >$250 on VA & QF. $140 on JQ. $90 on TT, so I price-matched TT and flew Jetstar for $80. No luggage. All good. Well except for arriving 30mins late, but given we circled for extended period over Lake Eildon (I guess that's where we were circling) due to air traffic congestion - not Jetstar's fault. Well maybe it was Jetstar's fault, if they didn't exist and didn't offer low fares, less people would be flying, less planes in the air, less congestion!! Bl##y Jetstar.

 

[TSVflyer]

As a self funded flyer, mainly to Europe and Asia, JETSTAR can be very useful. I have flown to SIN and PEK several times on JQ in Business Max. Main reason it is about half the price of QF business and you get ff points and SC as per QF. With the new "enhancement" it is in fact even better as you get the "old" SC without all the new levels. I have booked a return trip MEL to BKK in JQ Business Max and on with AY to HEL and LHR all in business for $1650 on JQ (QF $2800)and AY $2900. Gives me a total of 600 SC! QF in PE would be about $5500 and I certainly would not get that many SC in PE on QF.
JQ in business is not the same as QF international, (almost exactly the same as QF domestic business). But at roughly half price and full status credits it is worth it in my situation. The staff in the JQ business cabin are no where near as good as QF cabin staff, but they are helpful and try hard. I suppose you get what you pay for. I look forward to trying AY business, particularly, their new cabin.
It would not suit business travellers as it takes much longer than QF/EK MEL to LHR, so it is not for everyone, but can be a very good alternative.
Having said all this I don't fly JQ domestically.

 

[lastrow]

I amazed at the denigration Jetstar gets as a modern low cost carrier. Obviously there those who still cling to the days when 'going by air' was reserved for the well off, and 'going by train' for everyone else.

When Jetstar launched, air fares became almost as cheap as rail tickets and air travel was affordable to all. There were no frills or luxury, just fast cheap transport to the most popular holiday destinations at a price families could afford.

I recently flew Jetstar J from Honolulu to Sydney, a ten hour flight and I was very impressed with the level of service and comfort provided by what is after all an LCA. If JQ offered J seats to LHR I would be tempted to book and pocket the difference.

A friend and his wife were recently quoted $10,000 each for J seats Vancouver to Sydney one way, needless to say they flew in Y. The price being charged by mainstream airlines for anything above basic Y is becoming outrageous, no doubt to offset the cost of providing high flying six star resort accomodation so that their guests can forget they are in the same airplane as 300 or so lower classes down the back.