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Jetstar grounds its late arrivals

Jetstar grounds its late arrivals

Old Jun 5th 2004, 6:40 pm
  #1  
texan
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default Jetstar grounds its late arrivals

SYD MH National: Jetstar grounds its late arrivals By Alexandra
Smith

June 2, 2004 Arrive just a few minutes late at the airport and your
Jetstar flight might not be so cheap after all.

The no-frills Qantas offshoot, which has been flying in the domestic
market for eight days, requires passengers to check in at least 30
minutes before a flight.

Jetstar's policy is that passengers who arrive after the 30-minute
cut-off will forfeit their ticket and have to buy another one for a
later flight.

"We have shown a level of flexibility so far and we are introducing
the policy slowly and educating passengers about why it is necessary,"
Simon Westaway, a company spokesman, said.

Only a handful of people had missed flights because of the check-in
policy since the airline's launch, he said.

However, a travel industry newsletter yesterday reported an incident
last week involving five passengers in Tasmania.

The five were booked on a 2.50pm Jetstar flight from Hobart to
Melbourne but were grounded when they arrived at the gate about 20
minutes before take-off, the Travel Daily said.

Mr Westaway said Jetstar's policy was aimed at achieving the quickest
possible turnaround times at airports.

"It means we can operate more sectors per week and we can have a more
cost-effective airline," he said.

Mr Westaway said passengers could pay for travel insurance if they
were concerned, but admitted there were very few exceptions to the
check-in policy.

"Everyone who travels has to get to the airport so people need to plan
for that," he said.

The policy, printed in Jetstar reservation advice, reads: "To help us
get your flight away on time, you must check in at least 30 minutes
before the scheduled departure. You will not be able to check in after
this time. Arrival after this time will result in you forfeiting the
entire fare paid."

A Virgin Blue spokeswoman, Amanda Bolger, said the airline allowed
passengers to check in right up until the flight closed, although it
discouraged people from leaving it that late.

"Sometimes people's watches may be a little different to the clocks at
the airport and although we like people to check in 30 minutes
beforehand we are very flexible," Ms Bolger said.

Qantas's check-in policy depended on a passenger's fare, said a
spokeswoman, Melissa Thomson. "If you have luggage, check-in closes 30
minutes before the flight but if you don't, check-in closes 15 minutes
before the departure time."

Jetstar yesterday opened its new base at Avalon, 55 kilometres
south-west of Melbourne and about 17 kilometres from Geelong. It will
be the base for 70 weekly services between Melbourne and Sydney and
Brisbane.

An airport shuttle bus to Melbourne will cost $12 per adult. #####
 
Old Jun 6th 2004, 2:31 pm
  #2  
Dave Proctor
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Posts: n/a
Default Re: Jetstar grounds its late arrivals

On Sat, 05 Jun 2004 13:40:21 -0500, [email protected]
wrote:

[...snipped old news already published extensively...]

Oops, nothing else left.
(The self-appointed moderator should go and find a new newsgroup to
moderate)

Dave

=====

NSW Rural Fire Service - become a volunteer today.

http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/
 
Old Jun 8th 2004, 1:23 am
  #3  
Tom Hatfield
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: Jetstar grounds its late arrivals

On Mon, 07 Jun 2004 00:31:40 +1000, Dave Proctor
<[email protected]> wrote:

    >On Sat, 05 Jun 2004 13:40:21 -0500, [email protected]
    >wrote:
    >[...snipped old news already published extensively...]
    >Oops, nothing else left.
    >(The self-appointed moderator should go and find a new newsgroup to
    >moderate)

Dave,

This running fued you have with Cath needs to stop. If you don't find
her messages interesting just put her on your kill-file. Those who
don't have as extensive news coverage as you might like the
information she passes on.

I always find that a message of no interest to me can just be solved
by the delete key. Try it, you might like it.

Thanks for reading this.

Tom Hatfield
 
Old Jun 8th 2004, 8:30 pm
  #4  
Nigel Marx
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: Jetstar grounds its late arrivals

    > On Sat, 05 Jun 2004 13:40:21 -0500, [email protected]
    > wrote:
    > [...snipped old news already published extensively...]
    > Oops, nothing else left.
    > (The self-appointed moderator should go and find a new newsgroup to
    > moderate)
    > Dave

Ya see, Dave, the thing is, I travel to Aussie quite often, and I may even
use Jetstar while I am there. However, I don't LIVE in Aussie, so I, like a
large number of other foreign readers of this newsgroup, don't get to hear
"old news already published extensively" while it is still new news. What
Cathy has brought to my notice may influence my decision about which airline
to book with or even saved me from missing a flight. Of that, I for one, am
very grateful.

Regards

Nigel in NZ

--"How can I be lost if I don't care where I am?"--
 
Old Jun 9th 2004, 3:05 am
  #5  
Tony Bailey
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: Jetstar grounds its late arrivals

Just to prove that they mean it -

From News Limited

Budget flights turn expensive
Wednesday, 9 June 2004

Budget airline Jetstar left six passengers stranded far from home and
out of pocket after they missed a check-in time by minutes yesterday.

The frustrated would-be flyers were fuming at the hardline 30-minute
check-in deadline, saying their delays were caused by hold-ups at Melbourne
Airport.

"I'm totally disgusted," said Stan Bednarek.


"We were five minutes behind time because we were held up queuing at a
slow machine for a Tullamarine pass.


"We get up to the terminal and we're told, 'Oh sorry, we can't get you
on'," he said.


The six Newcastle-bound passengers were told their money would not be
returned and they would have to buy new tickets if they wanted to get home.


All six arrived at least 25 minutes before the flight's scheduled
departure at 11.45am.


Jetstar insists check-in must occur 30 minutes before departure and
not a minute later.


The Bednarek family, who visited Melbourne for a break and a spot of
shopping, said their holiday was ruined by the fiasco.


Mr Bednarek, his wife Cheryl and daughter Melanie lost their $39
Jetstar fares and were forced to buy three $117 Qantas tickets to Sydney and
then hire a car to get to Newcastle -- a total cost of about $600 to get
home.


Sindy Hoeve said she was minutes late because she was directed to the
wrong airport.


"We rang up over the phone and the lady told us to go to Avalon. So we
went to Avalon and then they told us to go to Tullamarine. We were not even
five minutes late."


Rosalie Harding, who planned to meet her daughter in Newcastle
yesterday, was left fuming.


She planned to get connecting trains home that would cost her almost
double the price of her wasted $77 Jetstar ticket.


Deborah Winnell had no such game plan. "I don't know what I'm going to
do," she said.


Ms Winnell said her Jetstar flight to Melbourne was an hour late.
"It's apparently OK for them to be an hour late but not for us to be five
minutes late," she said.


The disgruntled passengers vented their anger to Jetstar service
manager Keith King for 10 minutes before giving up.


"It's hard and fast 30 minutes," Mr King said of the check-in rule.


Jetstar, a fortnight old yesterday, started to clamp down on tardy
travellers from Saturday, Jetstar spokesman Simon Westaway said.


"We are not being draconian. People are well informed of these aspects
of our operation. We allowed a level of flexibility over the first week and
a half because we were a new airline," he said.


Qantas also specifies customers should check in 30 minutes before
departure time.


But a Qantas spokesman said passengers would not lose their seats if
they were a couple of minutes late.


Mr Westaway said the empty seats were not resold, but were
occasionally given to Jetstar employees.


He said yesterday's events were an isolated incident.



--
Tony Bailey
Mercury Travel Books
 
Old Jun 10th 2004, 12:56 am
  #6  
John L
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: Jetstar grounds its late arrivals

Jetstar, the best unpaid advertising Virgin Blue could wish for.

Isn't it iromic that Qantas, an airline founded in Australia, staffed
(currently) by Australians, is now treating it's passengers & staff in
a most unAustralian way.

What happened to "a fair go", did it get in the way of making bigger &
bigger profits for few, at the expense of many.

They deserve all the bad publicity they get.

John L.


On Wed, 9 Jun 2004 13:05:44 +1000, "Tony Bailey"
<[email protected]> wrote:

    >Just to prove that they mean it -
    >From News Limited
    >Budget flights turn expensive
    >Wednesday, 9 June 2004
    > Budget airline Jetstar left six passengers stranded far from home and
    >out of pocket after they missed a check-in time by minutes yesterday.
    > The frustrated would-be flyers were fuming at the hardline 30-minute
    >check-in deadline, saying their delays were caused by hold-ups at Melbourne
    >Airport.
    > "I'm totally disgusted," said Stan Bednarek.
    > "We were five minutes behind time because we were held up queuing at a
    >slow machine for a Tullamarine pass.
    > "We get up to the terminal and we're told, 'Oh sorry, we can't get you
    >on'," he said.
    > The six Newcastle-bound passengers were told their money would not be
    >returned and they would have to buy new tickets if they wanted to get home.
    > All six arrived at least 25 minutes before the flight's scheduled
    >departure at 11.45am.
    > Jetstar insists check-in must occur 30 minutes before departure and
    >not a minute later.
    > The Bednarek family, who visited Melbourne for a break and a spot of
    >shopping, said their holiday was ruined by the fiasco.
    > Mr Bednarek, his wife Cheryl and daughter Melanie lost their $39
    >Jetstar fares and were forced to buy three $117 Qantas tickets to Sydney and
    >then hire a car to get to Newcastle -- a total cost of about $600 to get
    >home.
    > Sindy Hoeve said she was minutes late because she was directed to the
    >wrong airport.
    > "We rang up over the phone and the lady told us to go to Avalon. So we
    >went to Avalon and then they told us to go to Tullamarine. We were not even
    >five minutes late."
    > Rosalie Harding, who planned to meet her daughter in Newcastle
    >yesterday, was left fuming.
    > She planned to get connecting trains home that would cost her almost
    >double the price of her wasted $77 Jetstar ticket.
    > Deborah Winnell had no such game plan. "I don't know what I'm going to
    >do," she said.
    > Ms Winnell said her Jetstar flight to Melbourne was an hour late.
    >"It's apparently OK for them to be an hour late but not for us to be five
    >minutes late," she said.
    > The disgruntled passengers vented their anger to Jetstar service
    >manager Keith King for 10 minutes before giving up.
    > "It's hard and fast 30 minutes," Mr King said of the check-in rule.
    > Jetstar, a fortnight old yesterday, started to clamp down on tardy
    >travellers from Saturday, Jetstar spokesman Simon Westaway said.
    > "We are not being draconian. People are well informed of these aspects
    >of our operation. We allowed a level of flexibility over the first week and
    >a half because we were a new airline," he said.
    > Qantas also specifies customers should check in 30 minutes before
    >departure time.
    > But a Qantas spokesman said passengers would not lose their seats if
    >they were a couple of minutes late.
    > Mr Westaway said the empty seats were not resold, but were
    >occasionally given to Jetstar employees.
    > He said yesterday's events were an isolated incident.
 

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