Jetstar - Why would anyone travel with this airline?

[Andrew S.]

Apart from the excess baggage charges now being levied it appears that Jetstar are also in the habit of re-scheduling flights or even cancelling them altogether.
We called our bus company to change a pickup arrangement and the first thing they asked was "Is this a Jetstar flight that was cancelled?"
Seems that the Quantas subsidiary is well known for this. So if you're travelling to Sydney for the Nationals, good luck if you're on Jetstar.

 

[Tiger]

That's not the first time I've of heard Jetstar pulling little stunts like this.
In fact the Hobart Mercury from time to time has legions of stories from disgruntled customers on that company's shoddy treatment of its customers.

There was a story in the paper recently about a school class who had organised an excursion/trip across to the mainland through that company to leave via Hobart Airport and when they turned up, everything had been cancelled on them.

I'd much rather pay the extra money and go via Virgin, when you look at the quality of service and the professionalism of the two companies, it is poles apart.
The Virgin hostess' are immaculately groomed, and look damned fine whereas the Jetstar mob look like they've just stepped out of a school canteen.

Any organisation that needs an annoying fat shiela in a silly red cowboy hat to sell its brand has immediate problems.
Jetstar =

 

[Easy Tiger]

Well maybe people had better get used to Jetstar Because the word in the business world is that Qantas (the parent company) is looking at getting out of the domestic market, and only concentrating on the International routes. Which would leave Jetstar as the second carrier in the domestic market, therefore making the industry a duopoly again (which is a whole other issue in itself).

From my experiences, I haven't found Virgin to be any more expensive. They are always extremely flexible and friendly, and their service is second to none. Not to mention that Virgin Blue allow you to take sporting equipment (such as bowling gear) on the flight for no excess baggage charge, at a flat standard of 5kg per piece of sporting equipment, no matter the actual weight of the equipment.

Fly Virgin Blue

 

[da_cowman]

Virgin Blue has always been good for me. The best way to get around Excess I've found is to tell them you want to send your bowling through special luggage. One girl that served me didn't even weigh the balls til we go to the Special Luggage area and by then it was all to late. I also get there about an hour before the leaves as well. I have found that helps in avoiding excess.

Later Da Cowman!

 

[Kelsa]

Im sorry but I can beg to differ about Virgin being flexible when it comes to sporting equipment!

I was stung both ways going to Melbourne and back on the weekend and I am not impressed at all.

Virgin will definitely be hearing from me about this.

 

[Easy Tiger]

Kelsa,

Definately get onto Virgin about that. If you go onto their website and have a look at their baggage allowances, it specifically says that sporting equipment is given a flat rate of 5kg per piece (ie, per bag) irrespective of the weight (so it could be 28kg, but it will count as 5kg).

I've never had a problem. All I've said at the checkin (an hour before every time) is "this is sporting equipment" and they've always gone "yep that's fine, just chuck it up here and we'll tag it", and then I've always had it put on the oversize trolley/counter after checking it in at the normal counter first. Never had a problem (but I have always had a copy of their rules handy in case).

Definately chase that one up.

 

[Kelsa]

That is exactly what I said when I went to Adelaide a few weeks before. However when I said it when leaving Brisbane last Thursday night the lady said that wasn't the case and that I should read the terms and conditions of the flight. I did this and nothing was mentioned in there about sporting equipment.

I will definitely be contacting them as I think it is unfair that they can charge one person and not another. I know this because there were other bowlers on my flight who didn't get charged and they had more equipment with them than I did.

 

[Easy Tiger]

Kelsa,

Here is the link to the info on the Virgin Blue site:

Virgin Blue Baggage Allowance - Sporting Equipment

It clearly states that sporting equipment contributes towards a passenger's free allowance to the volume of 5kg no matter what weight of the individual piece.

Quote this when you speak to them, and from now on, I advise taking a copy of this with you when you fly.

Hope this helps.
PS - it's about halfway down the page about sporting equipment

 

[Kelsa]

Thanks, i appreciate it.

 

[xpense]

Go Virgin,

Thats what l say. Have made numerous trips with them over the past 2 years, including pacific blue to NZ, and have had only 1 instance of the problem with the sporting equipment rule.

I must admit though l had a copy of the terms & conditions, and the lady on the counter appologised and put through the bowling gear without question, did not even weight it after that.

Have found to have the terms & conditions with you helps a lot, but the best thing is to call the airline a day prior to departure and have them note your booking that you are carrying sporting equipment. Have found that when l arrive now they just ask which bags are the sporting equipment and check these sepperatly.

good luck getting a refund, as you should never of had to pay, under the terms & conditions.

 

[Den]

I was advised by Virgin staff that at the time of booking it's a good idea to tell them that you have sporting equipment and they will make a notation on your booking record.
This way the airport check-in staff know what to expect and may save some hassles at the airport...

Den...

 

[Tiger Bottomley]

Not sure if Virgin have changed their procedure but flying back from the SPC we were advised that the allowance was 5kg per item. As in 2 balls in a bag were 5kg per ball not 5kg for the bag. In other words you can carry 4 balls and there is your 20 kilos. I know several people were told the same so I'd suggest before flying again you make sure exactly what the rules are and how they will apply them. That said, the bottom line is the majority of the time they are very good and if you have to pay once in a while you are still well in front than having to pay all the time. At least thats the way I see it.

 

[Easy Tiger]

When I flew both to Melbourne and back and a month later to Sydney and back (July and August this year) with Virgin, they counted each bag as 5kg. So top half of my bag (2 balls) was 5kg, and bottom half of my bag was counted as 5kg (another 2 balls). So 4 balls in 2 bags came to 10kg. I then had baggage with clothes etc checked in on top of that in another bag - so 3 pieces of checked-in luggage. They were happy to do it, never asked any questions. No excess charged.

I would say that if you have no more than 3 pieces of luggage, and you got charged excess, you were very unlucky. Or maybe I just smiled nicely Who knows, I got a free can of VB on the way back from Canberra on Qantas, and they charged the guy in the row across from me for the same thing so.. maybe it's subjective.

 

[KnuckleHead]

When i Flew to Syndey and back when i got to Melbourne airport i had to pay for the excess but on the the way back i didn't have to pay for anything but all the lady said to do was ring send in a letter and i did and all i got was 50 dollar discount of my nxt flight cause she said i shouldn't of had to pay so i get 50 dollars of my nxt flight with Vigin but other then that i have had no problems with them.

Chris

 

[Ice]

Last year I was not charged by virgin as it was sporting equipment. This year I have been advised that my baggage allowance will be reduced from 20kg to15kg and my sporting equipment will not be charged for. A note has been made on my reservation regarding this. I would advise people travelling to nationals to call virgin and discuss this with them if they wish to avoid excess charges.

 

[deaf lefty]

myself did flew with a virgin blue flight once time brisbane to melbourne last january for deaflympic game but myself did not playing or did not bring our own bowling bag that myself who is visitor on the deaflympic game during two weeks period.

myself alway bring our own bowling bag on the qantas flights oftens in any where australia during every easter period-free charge if myself would tell a travel agent for note on the computer booking at same time about bowling bag.

myself think should everyone would tell a travel agent for virgin blue when first booking a flight about travel agent would put your bowling bag word on the computer internet in preparp at same time of you would book a flight and pay a airfare in note.

if myself mistake-apologies okay.

thanks cheers deaf lefty

 

[Andrew S.]

Thanks Deaf Lefty, I think most of us will now be telling Virgin about our equipment at the time of booking.

 

[DizzyBlonde_:)]

JetStar is fantastic................................

 

[xpense]

This is the actual wording from the website.

Guests Travelling with Sporting Equipment:Sporting Equipment counts towards guests’ free baggage allowance.

Each Item of sporting equipment will individually represent 5kgs of a guests free total baggage allowance, irrespective of the actual weight of the item.
For example, a bicycle that weighs 10kgs will represent 5kgs of the guests’ free baggage allowance. If the free baggage allowance is 20kgs, this leaves 15kgs for other items. These items include but are not to be restricted to the following:
bicycles
golf clubs
snow skis
surfboards
cricket / tennis bags

I suppose it all comes down to the interpretation of the wording doesnt it.

This says each item of sporting equipment, but we could all argue that the bag is 1 item with contents.

I suppose if they wanted to try for each piece of equipment, does that mean a golf bag would be about 13 items in total.....

As it was mentioned, if we get charged only every now and then its not to bad, but we all like the same ruling each and every time, not something different each time we arrive to check, especially going each way when you get 2 different responses.

Just let Virgin know prior to arrival you have the goods, and get there early as this does stop the problems l have found.

 

[Geggy]

I've had no problems with excess baggage charges when flying with Virgin, but last time I had to sign a damage disclaimer before they would allow the 3 ball roller onto the plane. Surprise surprise - the bag was damaged & now collects dust in the shed, & I had no chance of a claim!!

Greg K