Jetstar Asia passengers struggle to get refunds for cancelled flights
One day after Jetstar Asia announced that it would soon close, the low-cost carrier's passengers say they continue to struggle with rejected refund requests, congested helplines and disrupted travel plans.
Some of the airline's passengers told The Straits Times they received notifications that they were "not eligible for a monetary refund" after submitting requests to get their money back for cancelled flights, while others said they received links that did not work.
On June 11, the Singapore-based airline made a surprise announcement that it would close on July 31, citing rising costs and growing regional competition.
Since then, its customers have been gradually notified via e-mail to either apply for a refund or reschedule their flights.
Mr David Shuttleworth's June 14 flight to Penang was cancelled, but when he applied to get his money back, he was told that he was "not eligible for a monetary refund".
The 70-year-old consultant said he has been unable to speak to Jetstar Asia staff about his case because of congested chat lines.
Mr Wen Long also received a similar message after applying for a refund of about $50 for his flight to Penang.
The 38-year-old accountant spent 45 minutes on the airline's online chat service before being told that he would be refunded and sent a confirmation e-mail within seven business days.
Ms Atiqah A.R., 32, said the e-mail she received contained a broken link that directed her to Jetstar Asia's homepage, instead of a refund request form.
The tax consultant later found the form on the website, but felt the process is troublesome. She had paid $88 for a July 19 flight to Kuala Lumpur.
She also said she received an Instagram "follow" request from what she believes to be a fraudulent account called "@jetstarclaimresponse" on June 12.
"I almost fell for it. This is what happens when (Jetstar Asia) is not as responsive as they should be," she added. "People are desperate to get any sort of (response) and might fall prey to these scammers."
Other customers have found themselves stuck with travel expenses that they cannot get refunds for.
Ms Jazz Anana, 38, had her flight to Okinawa in October cancelled. It also means she will not be able to make a subsequent ANA flight from Okinawa to Tokyo that cost her $800. The homemaker has been told by ANA that her ticket is non-refundable.
"I didn't get travel insurance for this trip yet, I deeply regret not buying it earlier," she said.
The Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) said it received three complaints on June 11 and 12 from customers having issues getting refunds from Jetstar Asia, due to either navigation issues on the airline's website or a lack of clarity on who to contact.
Case president Melvin Yong said the consumer watchdog is working with Jetstar Asia on how it intends to process refund requests and reschedule flights.
Asked about the issues passengers are facing, a Jetstar Asia spokeswoman said all passengers are entitled to monetary refunds.
"By today (June 12), all customers will be contacted with details of alternative flight options where possible or offered a full refund. We ask customers to check the e-mail used at the time of booking for details," she said.
The spokeswoman also said that customers who have made "non-refundable deposits" for other travel expenses such as hotels and car rentals should contact the airline, and requests for refunds would be considered on a case-by-case basis.
A screenshot of a flight cancellation e-mail from Jetstar Airways to a passenger. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
Meanwhile, Jetstar Asia's passengers continue to have to deal with cancelled flights at Changi Airport.
Ms Aisyah Matsuni, 33, who works at an active ageing centre, was supposed to leave for Bangkok with her family at 7am on June 11, but had her flight cancelled twice.
She was put on a Singapore Airlines (SIA) flight to Bangkok on June 12 instead.
SIA Group said it is working with Jetstar Asia to accommodate Jetstar passengers on SIA and Scoot flights if seats are available. It has set up a counter at Changi Airport Terminal 2 to assist these passengers.
"All of us are very angry. Especially the kids - they're very excited for it, and you (the airline) cancel last minute without any notification," Ms Aisyah said, adding that she was worried her return flight on June 15 would also be cancelled.
Travel agencies are also dealing with the fallout.
Chan Brothers Travel's senior marketing communications executive Trista Foo said Jetstar Asia's closure has affected its tour packages to Okinawa in Japan and Broome in Australia. The airline is the only carrier offering direct flights to these places.
Customers who had bought tour packages to Okinawa are being provided with non-direct flights with transfers from carriers such as Cathay Pacific or China Airlines, said Ms Foo, which will take about 2½ hours longer than a direct flight.
Alternative flights to Broome could extend journeys by up to 10 hours, including layover times, she said.
Customers will receive a full refund if they cancel their bookings and do not take up the alternative arrangements offered by the agency, she added.
CTC Travel's deputy manager Diana Tan said it is working with alternative airlines for its group tours affected by Jetstar Asia's closure. Ms Tan said the agency has not had any cancellations so far.
Meanwhile, Income Insurance said in a statement that it would cover eligible customers of its travel insurance who have suffered losses from non-refundable travel expenses.
It said that it was doing so as a gesture of goodwill even though airline closure is not covered under its policies. The insurer said affected customers would be able to claim for expenses including accommodation, travel packages, amusement park tickets and transport bookings.
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