gq_dq

This is not a "connection" as they will be on separate tickets. We could not find a through fare from CNS to APW (Apia) so we have to break it up in BNE. Frankly, it's difficult to get through fares from CNS to most anywhere!

All the facts:
For travel next July 2017. We have already ticketed BNE-AKL-APW on VA (using DL miles). VA 150 BNE - AKL departs BNE 06:30 AM. There are several flights all day from CNS to BNE the day before, but the one which we are looking at is JQ 941 departing CNS 22:20 PM and arriving BNE 30 min after midnight (00:30 AM) so that will give us exactly 6 hours to make the VA flight. Normally this would be a long enough interlude, but it is the absolute last flight of the day from CNS and barring a 5 hour delay, the only thing which would cause us not to make our onward connection is a cancellation.

Yes, JQ is not Tiger (!!) but I haven't flown JQ for several years and didn't know if this was too risky a connection. I checked flightstats and there's not a lot of history for this flight number, or any flight leaving this late out of CNS. Is this a new schedule?

Dave Noble

I wouldn't class it as overly risky and no reason to expect it to be a problem

My only thought would be that it is not much fun sat in an airport for 5 hours at that time and would be inclined to take an earlier flight to just have a decent overnight

AustralianPoochie

Personally, I would not risk it.
I have had JQd cancel a flight on me.
I had to work the next day, so had to buy a QF semi whY ticket MEL - ADL as there were no other available JQd flights MEL - ADL with an open spot, was offered the first flight the next day, MEL - ADL, but this was too late for me, as I had to start work early that "next day".
If you want cheap, and there are spaces, I would go the 2nd last flight CNS - BNE.
While JQ is not TT, they are the same, ie, LCC and don't have spare planes.
If the flight coming into CNS from elsewhere goes techno, that means your holiday is down the lav.
If you can, go read "do not fly Jetstar" reviews, you would be worried.

Mwenenzi

More rubbish !! 1 cancelled flight is not all flights or typical.
QF do not seem to have a spare plane here http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qanta...dfw-today.html

henrus

Try using Google Flights, it'll piece togeather flights and then point you in the right direction for booking (note - unless you change the currency it will default to US$)

I could find a single ticket option CNS-BNE-SYD-APW and even CNS-SYD-APW and yes I understand you're using DL miles so that's part of the problem.

A 6 hour connection is no problem even if the JQ flight is slightly delayed but just note that the domestic terminal closes shortly after that JQ flight arrives and you'll need to make it over to the international terminal by taxi as the last train is around 10pm and the final transfer bus is at 11pm.

You can walk but it's around 2.5km (may give you something to do) and as there is no footpath you'll need to walk on the grass/dirt on the side of the road but the road will be very quite at midnight from the domestic terminal so don't worry about traffic.

Whilst the international terminal stays open all night, the shops and food places do close at around midnight and don't reopen until 5am so if you need food at that time then another taxi to the 24hr Woolworths (about 3km away) would be necessary.

VA check-in would open 4:30am but you will find that customs won't open until around 5:30am (depending on flights).

shillard

I have two golden rules when it comes to JetStar:

1. Don't fly JetStar.

2. If I violate rule #1, don't fly on the last JetStar flight of the day.

I've been burned too many times - I would go the day before.

og

IME - Jetstar is good in the morning ( ie going to where you are going), but fly QF in the evening - ie going home. Less stress, tears and uncertainty.

nux

I have had QF cancel a flight on me several times. Should I no longer use QF?

QF doesn't really have spare planes either, they maintain high aircraft utilisation as well so any aircraft going tech may cause knock on delays/cancellations.

Dave Noble

Indeed. I would have no more concern about JQ cancelling than QF. On a route such as SYD-BNE, the higher frequency of services helps reduce risk of impact, but otherwise they are pretty similar

serfty

I have a friend who flys little, but did book Jetstar once for a Melbourne/Sydney return.

Arriving at the airport to go home he was told his JQ flight was cancelled and he had been put on QF.

On getting back into MEL he realised his car was still parked at Avalon. He did not realise the ramifications, nor was he told.

He won't countenance the thought of flying Jetstar ever again.

Dave Noble

With a car at the other airport, he could have gone and asked to be booked to another flight to Avalon. How are the staff at the airline expected to guess that the person had a car parked at Avalon and that , what to most people ( I expect ) , would be a good solution to the issue, would be bad for him?

Seems bizarre to blame the airline and refuse to fly it again based on that

og

Maybe nice to cut some slack for a person who does not fly much - as identified by Serfty.

Dave Noble

It is no different a situation to , say, someone taking a rebooking from Heathrow to Gatwick and then finding themselves at an airport other than where a car is parked

It would hardly justify a fit and not ever flying that airline again. The passenger would not have boarded the aeroplane without knowing where it is going. I have trouble seeing this as something where JQ did anything really bad

serfty

Most Australian based regulars of travel forums such as FlyerTalk would have been acutely aware of the difference between AVV and MEL.

The airline's agent should have seen the PAX had been booked AVV-SYD, not MEL-SYD and discussed options in more depth - he states he was simply given a BP for Melbourne. He assumed the flight was for Avalon.

The cost for him to get to AVV from MEL late at night was a substantial impost.

kcupp95

Overall that sounds fine - apart from having to sit around an airport overnight before another long day of flying.

If it was me, I'd be flying down in the afternoon and getting a hotel for the night.