Jetstar seems to have a certain headlining presence. A year old experience just in the news.
Just adding my tale of woe to this thread. I have been a Qantas Freq Flyer member since 1993 (yes, nearly 30 years!) I handed over more than $5000 - directly to Qantas - in February 2022 for flights in August (today!). During the past months, Qantas changed my booking 4 times, largely due to abrupt changes to flight schedules. About 3 weeks ago, I applied for a points-based upgrade to the 14-hour leg of my 3 outward flights.
Finally, it was the day before I needed to head to the airport at 3:30 in the morning (to allow 2 1/2 hours checkin for a 6:00 am domestic flight - ridiculous!). I finished my packing (anxiously swapping items between checked and carryon because of my fear the checked baggage won’t follow the same route I do). I received a text message inviting me to confirm my checkin online. I started completing this on my phone and decided to do this on my laptop instead and got distracted by other travel planning, including booking the rideshare to the airport. About 3 hours later, I received another text message that my flights were changed.
Boy, were they changed! As one of my flights was cancelled, the other two needed to be changed so the connections could be made. This was done by moving me to a different airline for the 2nd and 3rd flights. This was the only offer, take it or leave it. I took the offer. Oh, and the service rep said I should have received a text message that my request for an upgrade was refused (still haven’t gotten that message).
After closely examining what I agreed to, I called again to request an updated booking and intinerary (I was continually sent the old one from the online booking page) and clarify the travel class (as the new airline uses different names.)
Good thing I called. Because I have been switched to a different airline, I now have to collect my checked baggage after the first leg, find my own way from the domestic to international terminal in Sydney and re-check my baggage once I arrive there! I just hope I can get through the security in time!
I am now panicking even more about my flights. I did ask the second customer service rep who will carry the can if anything else goes to h**l in a handbasket, given that 2 flights are now booked with a different airline. I was assured that I only need to deal with Qantas. We’ll see how that goes.
What I would say to Mr Joyce about lack of ‘match fitness’, is that it is the team with the bloated coaching staff and not enough players (let along experienced players) which is destroying the game. I hope some day Mr Joyce is a second-string waterboy for an under 10’s team in Nebraska, reminicing about how he ran a world-class team into the ground!
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After a third phone call, I was advised that the reason for the flight cancellation was that a storm closed the destination airport. I looked up weather for the area and yes, there was a storm and yes, it did close the airport (and cause hundreds of flights to be diverted) but that was on Wednesday.
A Dutch response for comparison to our own. Not the airlines, the airport.
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Would this be a bit of rationalisation? Each observer will come to their own conclusion noting yesterday’s success is no guarantee of future anything.
Many businesses expect some loyalty from staff but give little or none is return. After standing down 6000 it is a symptom of the modern world QF expects some to head straight back and thankful for the opportunity. Staff and pax rarely forget once burnt. The lack of choice (no pun) might be the only thing that keeps them going in the near term.
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That depends on the destination?
A random sample.
Flying Brisbane - Phnom Penh (Cambodia) return booking 2 weeks in advance for a 2 week stay yields:
Singapore Airlines, 1 stop, 10hrs 40 mins, $1723 with 2 other departing flights the same day under $2000 return
Or
Jetstar Asia (Qantas), 2 stops, 25hrs 35mins, $3419 no other option under $5000
I’ve some other thoughts and note NZ is just 3+ Hrs distant direct flights, but most options from Brisbane now appear to pass through Sydney 10-12hrs. $800-$1000 return economy looking 4 weeks ahead, with Air NZ or Qantas.
The big winner there possibly the owner of Sydney’s Mascot Airport. The losers likely those transiting domestic to international in Australia’s most chaotic terminals?
That used to be the case back when weight and trim was done manually.
The title on the ticket now informs the load system, ie MR, MRS MISS of an average weight for the computer.
The exception would be like; Suva to Funafuti (Tuvalu) the turbo prop needs to carry fuel for the return journey back, and the Pacific Islanders are big lads - so they need to calculate the weight pretty precisely.
I was more thinking of flying out of the higher altitude airports of PNG. Dash8-200’s.
No computers evident unless one counts the load sheet and guy with the pen writing down all the scale weights from the luggage and passenger. Hopefully the pocket calculator was not miskeyed!
Ensuring your chook was well trussed or other pet/live commodity restrained was also important. Other common goods such as knives and machetes were loaded with the luggage down the back. Depending on the airport luggage handling was substantially self service. Not an experience unique to PNG, it was not uncommon at the smaller strips and not so small in outback QLD and NSW by my recollections of the 80’s, 90’s and ….
Hopefully this budget approach to airline operation is not the future for Qantas. Although self service and the added expense of a class with greater carry on allowance is reportedly the way to go. 
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Maybe Qantas and Jetstar need to go back to the pen and paper because their I.T. systems are abhorrent.
I don’t want to alarm anyone but Jetstar Australia is owned by Qantas Group.
https://www.jetstar.com/au/en/about-us/jetstar-group#:~:text=Jetstar%20Airways%20in%20Australia%20and,the%20remaining%2049%20per%20cent.
That is a well known fact 
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QF seems to only respond after the media is called in. The last rationalisation from them is precious. I’ll not comment on what appears to be their corporate culture, but their CEO is doing very well indeed.
My bet would be that the customer service reps are given a list of things they can and can’t pay out for, and given no system by which they can ask for an exception. Middle management that have higher authorisation need to be paid more, so the company sees no reason they are needed.
Jetstar has been in the news a lot recently, mostly because of equipment failures. This one demonstrates what appears contempt for customers as soon as an issue leaves a particular ‘smiling face’. A simple and large error taking $45 for extra baggage became a $4,500 charge. No worries, we will, we might, perhaps we could, refund it eventually.
Even the original 10-15 days is offensive under the circumstances. A month including conflicting information and fobs offs? If only it was isolated to Jetstar.
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The current state of our airlines. The ‘regulators’ appear to be disinterested as any action might impact profits or perhaps donations? In contrast the US is considering what amounts to a pax bill of rights and airline responsibilities - dry reading, excerpt below.
The state of play here is, with the article going well beyond the bylined delay, with similar tales reported daily.
For those not clicking through the US proposal is
Among other things, the bill requires the Department of Transportation to implement regulations relating to
- protections for airline passengers from being required to involuntarily relinquish their seats, unless necessary for safety or security;
- the elimination of the dollar limitations on compensation to passengers denied boarding due to overbooking;
- compensation to passengers for delayed or cancelled flights;
- interline agreements between air carriers and other transportation providers;
- training on the rights of passengers;
- unreasonable air carrier fees;
- unrestricted access of consumers to information on schedules, fares, fees, and taxes;
- accuracy in pricing of tickets and disclosure of lowest fares; and
- notifications to passengers of their rights and eligibility for refunds.
The Federal Aviation Administration must (1) prohibit any air carrier from reducing seat size or leg room, and (2) report on the quality of food and potable water on passenger aircraft and the sufficiency of flight crews and aircraft.
The bill provides a private right of action for passengers aggrieved by airline actions and increases civil penalties on air carriers for violations of passenger protections.
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Not exactly a surprise although 0.1% differences are not impressive.
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And one more: Sunshine Coast woman loses thousands of Qantas Frequent Flyer points after death of husband - ABC News
Is this legal? Consistent with agreed to Terms and Conditions? Probably.
Is it a bit sharp / not an Australian airline at its best? I reckon.
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How different our consumer protections are as compared to the UK.
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Just as well, otherwise Qantas and Co might be lucky to be left with a second hand Twin Otter.
With nearly everything either leased or contracted out, there is probably very little to be had?
‘Qantas Airways (QAN.AX) - Net Assets
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