Has Jetstar’s star fallen?
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| A Jetstar Airbus A-330 |
Posted on Facebook by Daniel Hazard after flying Brisbane to Sydney, in Australia
I was on the tarmac queuing to board flight DJ189 last
night from BNE to SYD @8:30. It was particularly cold and we would have been
waiting outside for about 8 minutes before we were able to board via the front
stairs. I noticed an elderly lady in a wheelchair waiting at the bottom of the
stairs, in the cold, where there were also strong aviation fumes. I notified
the head steward when I reached the cabin, as I felt it was inappropriate that
someone of that age should be left outside in the cold while the rest of us
able-bodied passengers boarded ahead of her. My comment was treated with
derision and I was informed that the head steward's responsibilities "did
not include anything outside the plane". He did not even attempt to
address my concerns and I noticed that the lady was the very last passenger to
board the plane. I find it hard to believe that Jetstar could not have assisted
this woman to board earlier, or in fact, at all during the boarding process.
Other passengers certainly took notice and it made my trip very uncomfortable
due to the obvious disrespect bestowed on the elderly woman. I am happy to
speak to someone about this further. It was an absolute disgrace.
Peter’s
Comment
Jetstar is a budget subsidiary of Qantas Airways and has
been beset by passenger complaints since its launch a few years ago. They
operate Airbus aircraft with comparatively inexperienced crews. There is even a
website devoted to Jetstar complaints: http://www.dontflyjetstar.com/
However, I flew Jetstar a couple of times without finding
fault other than crammed seating. They were the cheapest at the time so I suppose
you only get what you pay for.
With a good book you can
block out the poor service
PO Box 110, Ngatea 3541, New Zealand
Print books: http://www.gypsybooks.co.nz
For your Kindle: https://www.smashwords.com/books/search
There is another way in which cheapest is not always best
and that is in the choice of aircraft. In some aviation circles there is a
saying: Boeings are designed by experts and can be flown by idiots. Airbuses
are designed by idiots and must be flown by experts. Because most pilots and crew, like passengers,
value their hides most will want to fly in Boeings thereby leaving the Airbuses
to the least experienced crews.
Jetstar may need improving in some areas, but what Daniel Hazard has written doesnt appear to be all that credible. I have questioned his verion of events and in return he blocked me from the forum in which there are approximately 9,000 commentators/posts....not exactly transparent. You can see my comments and the response from Jetstar below :)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.142979845843059.31459.100003931320736&type=1
The post that was written shows a flight number DJ189. DJ is the prefix used by Virgin Australia, not Jetsar. A Google search of this flight number also shows that its a Wellington to Brisbane flight.
ReplyDeleteJetstar have also left this comment:
Hi, many of you have commented on a post regarding an elderly passenger in a wheelchair at Brisbane airport last month. The scenario described was really concerning so we looked into it and are happy to share what happened .
At many airports, including Brisbane, Jetstar uses stairs on the tarmac (rather than enclosed air bridges) for passengers to board aircraft. Passengers in wheelchairs are lifted up to the aircraft door using a lift and escorted onto the aircraft, usually before other passengers board.
That’s exactly what happened in this case, except the wheelchair was a last minute request. This meant people had already started boarding, so a ground crew member waited with the passenger in a wheelchair at the bottom of the stairs until boarding was completed, in the interests of safety. This passenger was never left to their own devices (having already been escorted through the terminal) and the weather was mild.
Every year around 40,000 passengers who need special assistance including those in wheelchairs choose to fly Jetstar. Our staff are trained to ensure they and all our passengers travel safely and comfortably.
P.S. I am not affliated with either airline.
This last comment throws a better light on the incident. Daniel Hazard, while rightly concerned for the elderly passenger's well-being, may have been a bit confused on some of the details.
ReplyDeleteIt has been correctly pointed out that DJ is a Virgin Australia flight prefix and 189 may be on different route.
The explanation about a late request for wheelchair assistance seems to be a logical interpretation of the facts and Brisbane from my experience rarely has weather other than tropical or mild near the coast.