Jetstar scores another own goal

From its first week of operations Jetstar has managed to time and time again alienate and offend its own customers, and potential customers. I’m not even sure if the problem is fixable – their DNA seems to lack the customer service gene.

Personally I will not fly Jetstar in NZ. If a group in Auckland wants to fly me up to speak to them, I now make it a condition that I not be booked on Jetstar.

Their latest stupidity is in Stuff.

Jetstar’s treatment of two high-profile disabled campaigners has been condemned as unacceptable by Disability Issues Minister Tariana Turia.

Tanya Black and Dan Buckingham – presenters of TVNZ disability show Attitude – had been due to fly from Auckland to Wellington yesterday morning but were not allowed on to their aircraft after they were told they each needed to fly with their own caregiver.

After an embarrassing standoff of 20 minutes or more, they ditched Jetstar and bought new tickets to Wellington on Air New Zealand.

Jetstar told The Dominion Post it would be apologising, and refunding their fares. It confirmed part of the airline’s concern was about how they might get to the toilet on the hour-long flight.

They had one “care-giver” between them, which is more than adequate. The chances of them both having to go to the toilet at the same time on a one hour flight is pretty much nil.

I recall when Ansett started up in NZ. They knew they had to gain market share, so they went for superb customer service. Everytime you flew with them, they personally thanked you for supporting their airline. They had the exact attitude an under-dog should have.

Jetstar seems to have developed an attitude normally found reserved for the Belarus Government. They seem to treat customers as a distraction. You can almost imagine they moaning how easy it would be to fly these planes about if there were no passengers to slow things down.