Having purchased our tickets using American Airlines frequent-flyer miles, four of us flew Qantas Airways to Auckland, New Zealand, on Feb. 22, 2011, and then on toward Christchurch aboard Jetstar. Ten minutes before landing, we were informed there had been an earthquake in Christchurch and our flight was returning to Auckland.
After a few hours in the airport, we learned our flight was canceled. We were told by a person at the Jetstar counter that the airline would reimburse us for our hotel rooms in Auckland. She gave us forms to fill out, and we promptly mailed them in New Zealand.
We did get rooms, though we had to change hotels the second night. I managed to purchase new tickets to Dunedin on Air New Zealand for the four of us, and on Feb. 24 we continued with our trip.
In May 2011 I called Jetstar at their toll-free customer service number. The call-center lady said they had called us three times, but I had found no messages from them on our answering machine. They did have the correct phone number.
The lady did not have the power to do anything except refer me to a higher authority. She said I would be contacted in seven to ten working days.
On Aug. 3 I called again. I was referred to a supervisor, who assured me I would get a call that day. Nothing.
On Aug. 4 I got through to a supervisor, Greg, who forwarded the issue to Customer Relations and assured me I’d hear from them in five to seven business days. I made sure Greg had our home phone number, my cell number and our e-mail address. Nothing.
On Aug. 10 I was told they had called me three times and gotten a wrong person. I then spoke to Greg, who again assured me they would call in five to seven business days. On Aug. 22 I was told by a rep that they would call me.
It is Aug. 25, six months since our flight, and we’ve heard nothing on our refund claim. We have trip insurance, but they won’t pay until the issue is settled with Jetstar. I just need Jetstar to tell us one way or the other. If they’d at least say they won’t pay, then our insurance will. For Jetstar to give us this runaround is not the way to run any business.
JANICE DONG
Los Gatos, CA
ITN e-mailed copies of Ms. Dong’s letters to Jetstar (GPO Box 635, Sunshine VIC 3020, Australia) and received the following response on Sept. 28: “We have tried making contact with pax to explain issues faced with her refund. All contact details are invalid — no phone numbers connect. Can you please confirm a phone number? — Jennifer Timm, Corporate Communications Adviser, Jetstar Airways”
ITN contacted Ms. Dong, then forwarded the following message from her to Jetstar Airways on Oct. 3: “The phone number you have (xxx) is correct. The phone personnel have repeatedly said they couldn’t reach me, but there’s never a message on our answering machine at home or on my cell phone.”
ITN received this e-mail from Ms. Dong on Oct. 16: “My insurance company has reimbursed us because they, too, were unable to contact Jetstar…. This week I had two calls from Jetstar on my cell phone but was unable to understand the messages. Today they called on my landline and said that if I would send the information about our expenses, they would reimburse us. I explained that they already had that information. The caller then offered us a voucher for $100. I explained we wouldn’t be able to use that and, at that point, I just wanted Jetstar to know that I felt their customer service was terrible.”