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Man books 58 flights for free

A Jetstar passenger has become locked in a legal battle with the Aussie airline after exploiting a promotion to get 58 flights for free. Lawyer Tyrone Barugh was one of many travellers who made use of Jetstar’s promotion that offered people a free return fare. Barugh booked a flight from Auckland to Sydney for $260 and received the free return, although he soon cancelled the outbound flight and was given credit with the airline. However, he did not cancel the return trip. Mr Barugh then used the credit to book another flight, before doing the same thing a further 57 times. The would-be passenger told n<a href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/travel/man-locked-in-tribunal-battle-with-jetstar-after-booking-58-free-flights/news-story/1e3f67324c952ce232f3a583575d7ddc">ews.com.au</a> that he had not planned to board any of the flights, and has taken Jetstar to the Disputes Tribunal of New Zealand, claiming he is entitled to approximately $4,500 in taxes owed on the flights. “They’re [Jetstar] not out here with the most saintly of intentions,” he said. “They have terms and conditions that are designed to potentially avoid having to do the right thing by a lot of their customers and limit their liability to their customers, and they’re pretty happy to pull those out when it suits them.” He claims he is owed the money as he has paid the Passenger Movement Charge, which is a $60 fee the Australian Government collects when a person leaves the country. Mr Barugh says he would accept a settlement of a “small flight credit and a toy plane”. “There is a spirit of larrikinism,” he said. A spokesman for Jetstar declined to comment on the case, saying, “As this is a matter before the Tribunal, we won’t be making any comment.” Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

Disabled woman slams Jetstar for “extremely humiliating” treatment

A woman has said she was humiliated at the end of her flight after Jetstar staff couldn’t provide her with a wheelchair for her, forcing her to leave the plane by crawling. Natalie Curtis has been in a wheelchair since high school but said she has never been as humiliated as she was left to crawl to her wheelchair after flying from Singapore to Bangkok. While she was provided a standard “aisle” wheelchair to board the plane, Ms Curtis was told she would have to pay to use another chair to get off the plane - a service which is usually free. “I didn’t really comprehend it and I was like, ‘No, I’m not paying to be able to get off this plane’,” Ms Curtis told Sunrise. With her friend Natasha Elford unable to carry her due to a knee injury, Ms Curtis crawled on the floor past eight rows until she could reach her chair. “It was extremely humiliating,” she said. Ms Elford said she was in shock while watching the ordeal and that she was “absolutely gutted”. “I was like, ‘Is this actually happening?’” she told the program on Monday. “I couldn’t physically lift her so I felt really hopeless and I couldn’t believe this was really happening.” She added that she tried to find out if a wheelchair could be fast tracked to Ms Curtis, but said the flight attendants “didn’t really try to do anything”. <iframe style="overflow: hidden; border: initial none initial;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fnatalie.hodges.50%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0ewJHd3156WaV46vd8LHJWCwLrxBQraSgSfAP1dZqcfPc47oo4WkNmCj7VWjda6Rl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="393" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> A spokesperson for the budget airline said Jetstar had sincerely apologised to Ms Curtis and had offered her a refund and additional compensation. “We unreservedly apologise to Ms Curtis for her recent experience while travelling with us,” they said. “We are committed to providing a safe and comfortable travel experience for all our customers, including those requiring specific assistance.” The spokesperson added that Jetstar staff don’t charge for using a wheelchair, and that an inquiry into the incident had found a language barrier led to the miscommunication of a fee. “At no point was an aisle chair withheld due to a request for payment,” they said. Ms Curtis isn’t the only person to have experienced such an incident over wheelchair use, and her experience comes as disability advocates call for a complete overhaul of the treatment of passengers by airlines. In August, Brad Wszola had to be carried by his wife and a staff member over the gap between the air bridge and the Jetstar plane he was trying to board to fly from Darwin to Cairns, per <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/oct/06/second-class-citizen-man-lifted-on-to-plane-as-darwin-airport-had-no-ramp-for-wheelchair-users" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Guardian</a>. “Watching these people having to lift me, to bend down, Jen had to bend down below the level of the floor of the plane, bend over and grab the bottom of the aisle chair to lift me … That put myself at risk, also the staff at risk and Jenny at risk,” Mr Wszola said. “She was the one helping lift me into the plane.” Mr Wszola even encountered issues prior to leaving Darwin, with his wheelchair being sent to the baggage carousel rather than the air bridge on his arrival. After his wife made multiple requests via email to Darwin airport and Jetstar, she was told a ramp wasn’t provided to bridge the gap as it was a low-cost airline - but a ramp has since been provided to the airport after The Guardian contacted Jetstar. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Just made a cute little video about how <a href="https://twitter.com/Qantas?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Qantas</a> broke my wheelchair and won’t fix it 🙃🙃🙃🙃 <a href="https://t.co/CnFXazJ1ox">pic.twitter.com/CnFXazJ1ox</a> — Zoe Simmons | she/her (@ItbeginswithZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/ItbeginswithZ/status/1577502974796247041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2022</a></blockquote> Earlier this month, Qantas reversed its decision not to refund Zoe Simmons, whose wheelchair was damaged on a flight from Sydney to Canberaa, after she took her complaints to social media. In a column for <a href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-advice/flights/disability-advocate-lashes-qantas-over-broken-wheelchair/news-story/72ae759ca7960ab607610c5ebd6c8bca" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a>, Simmons explained that damage to her chair brakes had left it “unusable” and was initially told Qantas wouldn’t reimburse her or repair her chair, which she needs as someone living with the nerve disorder fibromyalgia. “I am so angry that this is how wheelchair users are treated by airlines, over and over. And it’s not just Qantas: it’s a systemic issue, because the system is so very broken,” she wrote. With the airline reaching out to apologise and offering to pay for her wheelchair repairs, Simmons questioned whether she would have received such a response if she hadn’t taken matters into her own hands. “I wonder: would this resolution have occurred, had I not made a fuss about it?” she wrote. “I shouldn’t have to hope to be an exception to the norm. The norm should be that disabled people are looked after, treated well, and able to get the same resolution I’ve been able to get here.” Image: Sunrise

Travel Trouble

Like father, like son: Man’s sky-high dreams come true

Having dreamt of being a pilot just like his dad since he was a boy, Luke Schembri’s dream has come true in the sweetest way possible. After becoming a fully-fledged commercial airline pilot, the 23-year-old found out that his first flight from Melbourne to Sydney came with a surprise: his dad, Jetstar captain John, would be joining him on the flight deck for his debut trip. "I freaked out and gave him a quick call and asked him 'how did this happen?'" Luke told <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/son-to-fly-first-commercial-flight-alongside-dad-copilot/9f89ad30-e337-4686-beaa-bfaadbb85453" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9News</a>. "He told me the story, that he's been planning it for three months." Luke’s dream of flying with his dad and following in his footsteps has been a long time coming, with the signs appearing from the start according to John. "When kids like something, you can tell, because their eyes light up when we'd be in the backyard and the aeroplane would fly over," John said. "I knew then that Luke had the bug, because I still do that." At the age of 14, Luke joined the Air Force Cadets, which led him to receiving a cadetship with Jetstar. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/luke-schembri1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Luke Schembri’s dream of flying a plane with his pilot father has come true, and it’s been a long time coming. Images: Facebook With his dream in reach, Luke hit a major snag: the COVID-19 pandemic. Luke was stood-down during the pandemic and worked at Coles as a shelf stacker. Luckily, the aviation enthusiast was able to return to work at Jetstar, where he continued training and became a pilot. His first flight was a success, with John giving his son five stars and saying that he was “100 percent” proud. "[He] picked me up on a few things I missed. He did a really good job," John said. “[I] don't need to add any more that, very proud, how could you not be?" Image: Nine

Domestic Travel

Stranded opera singer busks to earn cash after cancelled flights

After her flight home was cancelled, one Jestar passenger said she was forced to busk for money until she could get home. Edit Pali had travelled to a remote resort in Phuket with her husband Tibor to celebrate her 50th birthday when a cancelled flight saw their stay extend for another five days. Having spent a large portion of their savings on their trip, the couple were faced with the problem of paying for their additional days in the resort. Ms Pali told <a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/stranded-aussie-jetstar-passengers-speak-out/04c064ba-f60c-43dd-8ba8-640595f8ddc9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A Current Affair</a> that the airline had offered them $30 for meals and $150 for accommodation each day in compensation - but the money failed to arrive. “I’m a tough chook but I cried, I really cried,” she said. Taking advantage of her skills as an opera singer, Ms Pali decided to sing for her supper at breakfast, lunch and dinner while they waited for the funds to come through. "We're just average people, we don't make a lot of money, so for us to go away to Thailand for a week to a luxury resort, that was a big enough chunk into our savings,” she added. A Jetstar spokesperson said they were aware of Ms Pali’s situation and were doing “everything we can”. But Ms Pali isn’t the only person affected by a cancelled flight, as six out of 11 of Jetstar’s 787 planes were grounded earlier this month. At least 4,000 passengers travelling on popular winter routes, including to Bali, Thailand, and Japan, have been affected by delays and cancellations, with the airline blaming lightning, bird strikes and parts shortages. "Our teams work around the clock to get passengers on their way as soon as possible and we provide a range of support, including help to cover accommodation and meals costs as well as other reasonable expenses," the airline said. In a statement, Jetstar said Ms Pali and her husband were due to have their expense claim paid by September 27. Image: A Current Affair

Travel Trouble

Cheering erupts as “unruly” passenger escorted off plane

A woman who kicked up a storm over not having a window seat on a plane was kicked off the flight to the sound of cheering passengers. The Aussie woman was travelling from Phuket in southern Thailand to Sydney on Jetstar flight JQ28. It is alleged that she began to abuse other travellers and staff members after being given the aisle seat and not one next to the window. Incredible footage shows two passengers gesturing to the woman to move along before a staff member arrives. The video then cuts to her being escorted off the plane to the sound of cheering passengers. Jetstar confirmed that an “unruly” passenger was removed from their flight for being disruptive and abusive. "An unruly passenger was escorted off our flight prior to take off in Phuket after becoming disruptive and using abusive and inappropriate language towards other customers and our team members," the spokesperson said. "Airport security in Phuket was called and the passenger was escorted off the flight. "We take safety and security very seriously and this type of behaviour will not be tolerated on our aircraft.” Watch the footage <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/jetstar-passenger-kicked-off-flight-phuket-thailand-to-sydney/4fb9135f-d33f-444b-b343-efc52ea59ee2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. Image: Nine

Travel Trouble

Big travel deals predicted to come soon following Jetstar's $22 flights

Travel is slowly returning to normal and our major airlines are slashing fares, with Jetstar offering flights from major cities to our favourite holiday destinations for just $22. "They really want to entice people back into the air and they want to give you an offer that's almost too good to be true," Australian Traveller co-founder, Quentin Long, told A Current Affair. The destinations are far and wide and if a tropical climate is what you're looking for, Queensland's Cairns and the Whitsundays could be an option for you. Jetstar is getting in early, ahead of the launch of budget airline Bonza, which is set to enter the market mid-year. It's offering flights on more than 25 routes to 16 destinations and fares will average $50 one way on shorter flights. Qantas is launching its Asia Fly Away sale tomorrow which includes return flights from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide to Singapore starting at $699. A flight to Delhi from Sydney, Melbourne or Adelaide will cost $119 and a flight to Manila from Brisbane or Adelaide will cost $829. Meanwhile, Virgin Australia has $69 flights until May 10, with its Book Early Fares Sale. They're also running a weekly Happy Hour sale every Thursday with fares as low as $49. Experts believe this is just the beginning of sales to be seen both domestically and internationally, with big deals predicted in March and April - with the hope of getting more passengers back in the air. "You'll see aviation plus tours, plus accommodation deals coming to the market about then," Mr Long said. "Having competitive and very good value airfares is really important to the tourist market, whether it's in Australia or overseas," Flight Centre chief executive Graham Turner said. "Everything that we can do to help that inbound and outbound travel is certainly good for the hundreds of thousands of people employed in the travel and tourism industry. "And good value airfares are a really important part of it. "The domestic travel, tourism, business travel, will pick up steadily over the next 12 months and I think we will be back to around that 100 per cent mark in around 12 months' time." Jetstar's sale closes at midnight on Thursday unless sold out prior. <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Image: Getty

Travel Tips

Suspect named in missing campers arrest

A man <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/man-arrested-over-missing-campers" target="_blank">arrested earlier this week</a> over the disappearance of Victorian campers Carol Clay and Russell Hill has been identified as Jetstar pilot Greg Lynn. The 55-year-old from Caroline Springs, in Melbourne’s west, was arrested on Monday afternoon by special operations officers at a campsite near Arbuckle Junction, 166 kilometres east of Melbourne. No charges have been laid against him as he continues to be questioned by police. Jetstar has confirmed that the pilot had been stood down following his arrest. “Jetstar has been advised by Victoria Police that one of its employees is under investigation for a serious crime and will work to assist in this due process in any way we can,” a spokesperson <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/man-arrested-over-mysterious-disappearance-of-missing-victorian-campers-russell-hill-carol-clay/4f49420d-5d0d-41fc-8f8f-825086c6a3f7" target="_blank">said</a> in a statement. “As a matter of course, the employee has been removed from duty as a result of their arrest.” Authorities have alleged that the dark blue Nissan Patrol they have been searching for - and have since seized - belongs to Mr Lynn. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845854/car-lynn.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/57bd994d209c4e57a02c03c743a53008" /> A car has been seized in the investigation into Russell and Carol’s disappearance. Image: Nine Police allege Mr Lynn changed the colour of the seized vehicle to avoid being found by police, after they <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/huge-new-clue-in-search-for-missing-campers" target="_blank">released specific details</a> about the car’s colour, model, and time period it was made last week. But, the trailer believed to be attached to the vehicle at the time of the disappearance is yet to be located. “Detectives from the Missing Persons Squad have arrested a man as part of the investigation into missing campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay,” police said in a statement. “The investigation into the matter remains ongoing.” Ms Clay’s sister Jill broke her silence following Mr Lynn’s arrest, saying she hoped his arrest would provide some answers. “Emotionally, it’s brought up everything during that time - a lot of grief and pain. We haven’t known how, we haven’t known why, they just vanished,” she told Nine News. “Now all of a sudden there’s a glimmer and we might get some answers. “It would be such a relief to have those answers, to have a memorial for Carol and Russell.” Image: Facebook

News

Jetstar pilots forgot to lower landing gear on approach

Pilots of a Jetstar flight forgot to lower the plane’s landing gear on approach to a NSW airport due to “a series of distractions”, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau has found. The pilots of a Jetstar A320 aircraft were approaching Ballina-Byron Gateway Airport on May 18, 2018 when they were forced to abort two landings due to the oversight, a report by the bureau found. It was found that on the first attempt, the flight crew “<a href="https://7news.com.au/travel/air-aviation/pilot-of-jetstar-flight-forgot-to-lower-landing-gear-on-approach-to-ballina-airport-report-c-599719">conducted a go-around</a>” because the captain found the plane’s airspeed and altitude were higher than normal for an approach. The crew realised the landing gear was not down on the second attempt, and the flight landed safely on its third attempt. The ATSB found the crew did not follow Jetstar’s standard procedures during the first go-around, resulting in distractions that contributed to the landing gear oversight. “During the downwind leg following the first go-around, the flight crew did not select the landing gear down as they had commenced the configuration sequence for landing at the Flaps 3 setting,” the report said. “Furthermore the flight crew incorrectly actioned the landing checklist, which prevented the incorrect configuration for landing being identified and corrected.” Dr Stuart Godley, ATSB Director Transport Safety Director, said the incident showed how “<a href="https://10daily.com.au/news/australia/a191210fmrex/distracted-jetstar-pilots-forgot-to-lower-landing-gear-20191211">unexpected events during approach and landing</a>” can “substantially” increase the flight crew’s workload. “Following standard procedures mitigates the risk of the selection of inappropriate auto-flight modes, unexpected developments, or confusion about roles or procedures that can contribute to decisions and actions that increase the safety risk to the aircraft and its passengers,” Godley said. Following the incident, Jetstar Airways said the flight crew members involved attended debriefings with flight operations management and were provided with related simulator and line flying training.

Travel Trouble

Bali’s Denpasar airport weighs in on why Aussie Muslim family was kicked off Jetstar flight

Bali’s Denpasar Airport has released a statement around the controversy that involved an Australian Muslim family being kicked off their Jetstar flight. Sarah Aslan, 23, and her husband Muhammed were travelling with a wedding party of 20 after having their dream wedding in Bali. An altercation occurred on board the flight and the family were left in the airport at 2 am local time. Jetstar have since confirmed that the airline paid for an extra flight for the family to go home the next day at no extra cost, but the family have claimed that they were kicked off the flight for “looking ethnic”. Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar has confirmed that the family’s removal from the flight was because of their behaviour and NOT because of their faith. “We want to convey that the removal of a number of passengers from (the Jetstar flight) was purely because of security and flight safety reasons related to unruly passengers,” airport spokesman Arie Ahsanurrohim said in a statement published in the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2019/11/13/they-were-unruly-jetstar-passengers-not-kicked-off-because-of-religion-bali-airport-says.html" target="_blank">Jakarta Post</a>. The spokesman also confirmed that the removal of the family had “nothing to do with SARA issues”. SARA is the Indonesian term that describes tribal affiliations, religious, race and social groups. “Two passengers did not heed the cabin crew’s instructions,” he explained. As one family member explained that his in-flight entertainment was not working, he was told it would be dealt with after takeoff but two members of the party remained standing. “After the warnings were not heeded by the aforementioned passengers, the cabin crew reported the incident to the pilot … who decided that the two passengers should be removed from the plane because they would not listen to the flight safety instructions from the cabin crew,” the spokesman said. The people who protested the removal of the two passengers were also removed from the plane. However, in an interview with <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/jetstar-wedding-party-call-out-jetstar-after-being-kicked-off-bali-flight/0e9eb1b0-9f68-4211-be55-e598cff058d0" target="_blank">9News</a>, Sarah has claimed that it felt like they were “attacked” for their faith. “Personally, it did feel like we were being attacked for looking ethnic and being Muslim,” she said. “That’s why I started crying. I’m like, I just want to go home, I don’t want to be here anymore.”

Travel Trouble

Family claims Jetstar kicked them off flight for “looking ethnic and being Muslim”

A couple who had their dream wedding in Bali say that the experience was ruined on the flight home due to an altercation with Jetstar. Sarah Aslan, 23, and her wedding party of 22 had planned to return to Melbourne on Monday via a Jetstar flight, but were instead escorted off the flight and left in Denpasar Airport at 2 am local time. The ejection was due to a confrontation between a flight attendant and Mike Mahmoud, who was a member of Sarah’s group. "I really truly don't believe I was arrogant, I just wanted to get home" he says to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/jetstar-wedding-party-call-out-jetstar-after-being-kicked-off-bali-flight/0e9eb1b0-9f68-4211-be55-e598cff058d0" target="_blank">9 News.</a> The family continued to argue with staff and other passengers claimed that things were so heated, the pilot made the decision to turn the plane around and kick the family off the flight. The family are Turkish-Australian and some among the wedding party were wearing headscarves. "Personally, it did feel like we were being attacked for looking ethnic and being Muslim" Sarah says. "That's why I started crying. I'm like, I just want to go home, I don't to be here anymore." Jetstar booked the wedding party on another flight 24 hours later at no extra cost, with the family arriving back in Melbourne on Tuesday night. However, other family members have taken aim at the airline, saying that they were “racially, verbally and physically assaulted”. One family member, Selim Tutunca, spoke about the incident on Jetstar’s Facebook page. “We were racially, verbally and physically assaulted by both Jetstar crew members and Bali airport officials. We have footage of all of this,” he wrote. “We were kicked off the flight even though we hadn’t even spoke a single word to the crew members. We have been waiting for over four hours and my children are sleeping on benches at the airport. “We weren’t accommodated by Jetstar whatsoever. We tried speaking to them and they didn’t want to know anything about us.” Jetstar are disputing the entire incident despite the family’s story. “The safety of our customers and crew is our number one priority, and we do not tolerate any kind of disruptive or abusive behaviour,” a Jetstar spokesman said to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/family-claims-they-were-kicked-off-jetstar-flight-for-looking-ethnic-and-being-muslim/news-story/90a0eac8d850863448c664710b280b52" target="_blank">news.com.au</a>. “We take these allegations extremely seriously and are investigating the matter, however our crew dispute the claims made by these passengers.”

Travel Trouble

Jetstar leaves mum in tears after refusing to board toddler

A woman and her toddler were reportedly refused to board a Jetstar flight from Queenstown, New Zealand, because the child was not wearing shoes. A passenger who witnessed the incident unfold revealed that others offered the family footwear for the youngster but they were still unable to board. “Just a saw a Samoan mum with two small children refused entry on to a plane at Queenstown airport because her son had no shoes,” wrote Isobel Mebus on Facebook. “Other passengers offered her son shoes to put on but still she was not allowed to board. Shame on you JETSTAR, really really disgusted.” According to reports by the New Zealand Herald, Jetstar staff said the offer of footwear from fellow passengers was taken back once they were informed that the child would need to wear them for the duration of the flight and disembarking the plane. Ms Mebus said she saw the woman exit the gate in tears before people approached staff about the issue. “There was an older Samoan couple behind me and she was explaining to them that she wasn’t allowed on the flight because her son didn’t have shoes on,” she told the Herald. “So people started rallying around, and the older couple said, ‘Well we’ll just go and buy him some shoes’ because the Mum didn’t have any money on her.” But after the woman’s belongings were taken off the plane, other passengers were forced to deal with delays. According to Jetstar’s terms and conditions, the airline has the right to refuse a passenger entry if they are not wearing footwear. Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, Jetstar confirmed the incident. “We were unable to board a family on a flight from Queenstown to Auckland yesterday as a passenger in their group was not wearing shoes,” said a spokesperson. “We understand this was frustrating for the family however for safety reasons we require all passengers to wear footwear when boarding, while inflight and when disembarking our aircraft.” They then told the Herald that the family stayed an extra night in Queenstown with relatives and was put on a flight the next day at Jetstar’s expense. “We arranged for the family to travel on the next available flight at no additional cost,” the spokesperson told Yahoo News Australia.

Travel Trouble

“Never been treated so poorly”: Stranded man’s fury at Jetstar after cancelled flight

At least 100 passengers have been left in limbo in Rarotonga in the Cook Islands after airline giant Jetstar cancelled flights coming in and out of the area. Brenton Barker from the North Island in New Zealand was at Rarotonga Airport with his daughter before Jetstar cancelled their flight five minutes before the scheduled boarding time, which was 1:30 am. “It’s impacted a lot of people. It’s very ordinary. It’s just not acceptable for a professional carrier” Mr Barker told the <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12274047">New Zealand Herald</a>. “I think the worst part about it is the lack of communication. “In 40 years of flying across the globe, never have I or my family been treated so poorly.” A Jetstar spokesperson confirmed that the flight had been cancelled due to crew sickness. “We are working with all affected customers to re-accommodate them on alternative flights where possible or provide accommodation and meal allowances while we work hard to get them to their destination,” the spokesperson said. “We appreciate this is very frustrating and apologise to our customers for the impact to their journey, however the safety of our crew and passengers is always our first priority.” However, Mr Barker wasn’t impressed as he wasn’t informed of the reason for the cancellation at the time. “It was the wee hours of the morning, everybody was tired. I think people there were pretty well behaved,” Mr Barker said. “They did organise accommodation and they had a big line-up of the whole flight waiting. “But basically it was just a mess. The people there locally have done a fantastic job. They were struggling to even handle it.”

Travel Trouble

"No excuse": Passenger shocked by $9 sandwich on Jetstar flight

A man has been left disappointed and unimpressed by his $9 “soggy” sandwich after a flight with Jetstar. A good sandwich shouldn’t be too hard to come by, at least that’s what Nick Mosley thought when he hungrily tucked into what was supposed to be a deli sandwich trio on his flight from Bali, Indonesia to Perth, Australia. What was meant to be a treat after a long holiday quickly became a frustrating expense. Unfortunately for him, what he bit into was less than appetising – a bare lettuce leaf with an egg and mayo mix spread on to the bread with smeared margarine. Taking to Twitter to share his disappointment, he posted a few pictures of the sad-looking sandwich and wrote: “I must say @JetstarAirways have a cheek charging AUS$9 for sandwiches… without any fillings…. Great for their bottom line but not so good for filling the tums of customers.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> I must say <a href="https://twitter.com/JetstarAirways?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JetstarAirways</a> have a cheek charging AUS$9 for sandwiches... without any fillings... Great for their bottom line but not so good for filling the tums of customers <a href="https://t.co/dok9GicE9E">pic.twitter.com/dok9GicE9E</a> — Nick Mosley (@BrightonNick) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrightonNick/status/1082244098331799552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2019</a></blockquote> “I had a bit of a craving for a sandwich. Having eaten many sandwiches in my life, it wouldn’t have cross my mine to peel back the bread to check the filling,” Nick <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6589237/UK-tourist-stunned-paying-5-petrol-station-sandwich-Australian-airline.html">told the Daily Mail.</a> "However, after the first mouthful of somewhat soggy bread and margarine, peel back I did. “I paid for it so there is really no excuse for serving inadequate products. It was a shocker – it made a petrol station sandwich look like a gastronomic feast,” he said. The airline reached out to the unsatisfied customer offering a refund and an apology. Have you ever paid for an expensive meal only to be left unsatisfied? Let us know in the comments below.

Travel Trouble

Grandmother furious after 12-year-old grandson served alcohol on flight

A grandmother has revealed how horrified she was after her 12-year-old grandson was mistakenly served alcohol on a Jetstar flight from Brisbane in Queensland to Denpasar in Bali. Taking her grandson – who lives with her – on the trip of a lifetime, after saving up to fly business class on his first overseas trip, Debra Pettigrove did not expect her young grandchild to be served alcohol during the Boxing Day flight last year. Her grandson Dean was allegedly served what she described as a double gin and squash by cabin crew, in what was reportedly a mix-up after the plane hit turbulence during the business class flight. Debra claims her grandson suffered an allergic reaction and was constantly sneezing after being served the beverage by accident, which was intended for another passenger on the flight. “Dean said, ‘This tastes yuck,’” Debra recounted to <a href="http://www.couriermail.com.au/entertainment/confidential/glitter-strip-bare-gold-coast-news-and-gossip/news-story/b9aebe574835410f31a393a513b72d75">The Courier Mail.</a> “I thought it must have been lo-cal squash or something … the furthest thing from my mind was that it had alcohol in it.” Debra continued to recall: “I had a swig and, no joke, it burnt my throat – it tasted like metho (methylated spirits). I thought, ‘What the hell is this?’ I went straight for the head guy (cabin steward) and said, ‘What in God’s name is in this drink? Get me a water ASAP.” The concerned grandmother went on to explain, “He [Dean] had a headache and was in a lot of discomfort. It was terrible.” She added, “I was horrified, I couldn’t believe it. You pay for business class airfares and you’re supposed to get business class service, not this.” Debra has since called in lawyers to help her seek compensation from the airline. While Jetstar did offer her a $400 flight voucher, she has hired national litigation firm Shine Lawyers to take on her case. The firm’s travel law manager, Thomas Janson, said, “Our client paid a premium price to have the best care for her grandson on his first international flight, and this has tarnished his experience. “Jetstar have a duty of care to every passenger, and that duty was undeniably breached in this instance,” Thomas added. Jetstar claims the cabin crew manger on duty at the time of the incident did apologise to the family and served them complimentary drinks, as well as checking on the 12-year-old throughout the remainder of the flight. A Jetstar spokesman confirmed, “We are in contact with a family after a mix-up of drinks occurred on a flight six months ago which resulted in a child having a few sips of an adult customer’s drink, according to our crew on-board reports. “Nothing was mentioned to our crew on board the flight about the child feeling unwell,” the airline’s spokesman added. Have you ever experienced a food or beverage mix-up on a flight before? Tell us in the comments below.

Travel Trouble

This simple trick can save you 10% on your flights

We’re always happy to hear about new ways to save money here at Over60, so when we heard about this incredible travel tip, we couldn’t resist sharing it with you. You might have noticed in Jetstar’s ads, they claim they’ll beat any competitor’s airfare by 10 per cent. Sounds great, right? The only problem is, they don’t exactly make it easy for you. So let’s break it down. First, you need to find the flight you’re looking for on a competitor’s website, save the URL and take note of the time and price of the flight. Now, go to Jetstar and find the closest comparable flight. For international flights (with the exception of New Zealand), the flight has to be on the same date and must fly direct to the destination – no stopovers. For domestic (or New Zealand) flights, the flight needs to be within the same hour (either side) as the original flight. Then, <a href="http://www.jetstar.com/au/en/price-beat-guarantee" target="_blank">click here</a> to visit their Price Beat Guarantee page and then click “Apply Now”. You’ll be taken to a live online chat with a customer service representative who will make sure your flight is eligible for the 10 per cent discount, and there you have it. It could potentially save you a decent amount of money, but as with all good things, there are a few caveats – including the ever-annoying “checked baggage not included” clause. However, if you’re happy to abide by the <a href="http://www.jetstar.com/au/en/price-beat-guarantee#terms-and-conditions" target="_blank">terms and conditions</a>, you’ve gotten yourself an easy discount on your next flight. Enjoy!

Travel Tips

This controversial move will upset many Jetstar passengers

Jetstar is about to slug certain passengers with a $50 surcharge, in a controversial move that will upset many people who are planning to fly with the budget carrier. Parents who are planning to carry infants on their laps without booking a seat on a domestic flight will have to pay a fee of $30 for each leg of the journey. For international flights, a fee of $50 will be applied. Children under the age of two who didn’t require a seat were previously allowed to travel for free on Jetstar flights within Australia and New Zealand, and on international flights between Australia and New Zealand. The new rules reportedly will not apply to any pre-existing bookings. What do you think of the move? Should parents travelling with young children be expected to pay more? Let us know what you think in the comments section. Have you arranged your travel insurance yet? Tailor your cover to your needs and save money by not paying for things you don’t need. <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-insurance/?utm_source=over60&utm_campaign=travel-insurance&utm_medium=content&utm_content=travel-insurance" target="_blank">To arrange a quote, click here.</a> For more information about Over60 Travel Insurance, call 1800 622 966.

Travel Tips

Jetstar flight forced to make emergency landing

Passengers on a Jetstar flight from Sydney to Cairns faced some tense moments yesterday after smoke filled the cabin, prompting an emergency landing. The flight departed Sydney at 4pm yesterday but was forced to make an unscheduled stop at Brisbane due to a mechanical failure of one of the engines. The video above, shot by one of the passengers, showcases the dramatic moment smoked filled the cabin as a concerned flight attendant looks after the passengers. Passenger Nick Trompf told the <a href="http://www.couriermail.com.au/" target="_blank">Courier Mail</a>, “Just as we flew over Narrabri smoke started to fill the cabin and there was a scraping and grating noise. “There was significant concern among the cabin crew.” The aircraft safely landed in Brisbane just before 6pm. While the actual cause of the incident is still to be investigations, arrangements have reportedly been made to ensure the passengers get to Cairns on time. What an unnerving moment. Have you ever been on a flight where something disturbing like that has happened? Share your stories in the comments section. Video credit: YouTube / NANIXAMI Related links: <a href="/travel/travel-tips/2016/09/10-great-budget-airlines-you-havent-heart-of/">10 great budget airlines you haven’t heart of</a> <a href="/travel/international-travel/2016/08/what-happens-if-your-airline-oversells-your-flight/">What happens if your airline oversells your flight?</a> <a href="/travel/travel-tips/2016/08/surprising-thing-to-kick-you-off-a-flight/">The surprising thing that could get you kicked off a flight</a>

International Travel

Turtle falls out of luggage on Jetstar flight

A turtle who was illegally brought on board an airplane will be euthanised, authorities say. A passenger was unloading his hand luggage on the Jetstar flight from Melbourne to Hobart when the small turtle fell out from the overhead compartment. "At first I thought it was a toy turtle sort of statue — and then it moved on my feet," passenger Patrick Kelly told ABC News. Kelly said the turtle, about the size of an Australian 50 cent coin, looked healthy. "It looked to be moving its little webbed legs fine and sticking its head in and out," he said. "It certainly didn't look too scarred from the flight." Kelly handed the reptile over to airline staff who then tried to find the owner of the Murray River turtle. When no one came forward, the staff then contacted Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife. However, as there are no freshwater turtles native to Tasmania and the short-necked turtles are on the prohibited wildlife list, the intrepid turtle will have to be euthanised. <img width="498" height="245" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/24815/shutterstock_374221135_498x245.jpg" alt="overhead compartment"/> The Department of Primary Industries said the animals posed "a significant risk to our native freshwater species and waterways". Jetstar confirmed to Mashable Australia the turtle was found on board. "Given we don't know it's origin or if it's carrying any diseases, we are unable to return the animal to its owner or the environment. It simply poses too great a risk to native animals," a department spokesperson said. What a sad story. Isn’t it unfortunate to see such a thing happen to such a beautiful creature? Share your thoughts in the comments, we’d love to hear from you. First appeared on <a href="http://Stuff.co.nz" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz</a>. Related links: <a href="/travel/international/2016/03/experience-turtle-nesting-season-in-northern-territory/">Experience turtle nesting season in NT</a> <a href="/news/news/2016/02/albino-turtle-found-in-australia/">Rare albino turtle found in Australia</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/03/best-aussie-wildlife-experiences/">6 best Aussie wildlife experiences</a>

Travel Tips

Passenger’s fury over “windowless” window seat on plane

A Jetstar Australia passenger has posted an epic rant about the "worst flight" of her life, after being offered a window seat that had no window. Nat Pelech, a regular Jetstar customer who was happy to receive a randomly-assigned seat, looked forward to a view when she was assigned to seat 30A. But she soon found her seat was in the only row that had no window. "I was quite pleased to see I'd been placed on a window seat, because I hadn't sat at the window for a while. I was looking forward to enjoying the clouds." "I got on the plane to find, yes I was seat 30A but this was the only row on the plane that DOESN'T have a window." To make matters worse, the seat was at a "crampy little corner" at the bowels of the aircraft, where she became more acquainted with the toilet habits of her fellow passengers than she felt comfortable with. "I was seated on the very last row at the back ... in a crampy little corner which was made even smaller by not having the window there to open it up. "It is right next to the toilet, where it smells and you hear everyone flushing." "Right behind you is the chatter and rattle of the flight attendants ... "I'm sorry but I paid just as much money as everyone else to be put in [a] claustrophobic, stinky, loud corner. This row should NOT exist," raged Pelech in her Facebook complaint, which she posted on to Jetstar Australia's page. Having experienced an unpleasant flight, Pelech was keen to escape her misery as quickly as possible, but it was just not her day. "I was relieved when I finally climbed out of my hole to see that I was at the front of the line and would get off first from the back door but no... They decide not to open the back door and unload everyone from the front." "Thanks Jetstar. Worst flight of my life. I'm not claustrophobic but do get uneasy in tight spaces... Especially thousands of feet in the air in a dark hole where I can't see where I am going or anything that's happening. Thanks a lot. "Avoid row 30 ABC for anyone travelling." In a reply to Pelech's rant, Jetstar Australia said it offers customers the choice of purchasing a specific seat during the booking process. "When customers have not pre-selected seats for their flights, seats are assigned for them by an automated program. "I'm sorry to hear that you were unhappy with the seat that was allocated to you on your flight yesterday. It certainly wasn't our intention for you to be uncomfortable on your journey with us," a representative wrote. Pelech said the seat should only be used for storage, as enclosed spaces with no windows cause discomfort. "I'm not claustrophobic but do get uneasy in tight spaces... Especially thousands of feet in the air in a dark hole where I can't see where I am going or anything that's happening." She advised other travellers to stay away from the window-less seats: "Avoid row 30 ABC for anyone travelling." This is not the first time Pelech has had problems with Jetstar. In August, she posted a note complaining of poor customer service after she was made to wait 54 minutes to get in touch with a Jetstar representative. First appeared on <a href="http://www.Stuff.co.nz" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz</a>. Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/01/odd-and-amazing-toilets-from-around-the-world/">12 odd (but amazing) toilets from around the world</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/01/10-most-amazing-man-made-structures/">10 most amazing man-made structures</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/01/how-i-drove-a-motorhome-around-the-world/">When I retired I drove a motorhome around the world</a>

Travel Tips

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Grandmother furious after 12-year-old grandson served alcohol on flight

This simple trick can save you 10% on your flights

This controversial move will upset many Jetstar passengers

Jetstar flight forced to make emergency landing

Turtle falls out of luggage on Jetstar flight

Passenger’s fury over “windowless” window seat on plane