Check-in rules rile Jetstar passengers
Jetstar passengers have been stung by the airline's strict check-in rules, with some forced to fork out for new tickets on flights out of Auckland.

About 30 people travelling to Wellington and Christchurch yesterday morning were barred from checking in at Auckland's domestic terminal, when the airline refused to check in anyone later than half an hour before departure.

Several passengers said they showed up right on the 30-minute mark but were told they were too late to join the check-in queue. Kiosks for electronic check-ins were disabled for their flights at the same time.

Simon Westaway, head of corporate relations for Jetstar, said it was up to customers to make sure they were on time.

"We are a low-cost, value-driven airline, and we need to ensure that the plane leaves on time. That's how aviation works. If they're late, they're late."

Jetstar's New Zealand launch last week was marred by delays of up to two hours that snowballed from a ground equipment glitch in Wellington.

Auckland businesswoman Candace Borchert said people who travelled regularly on business expected flexibility when it came to checking in. "I think it's only fair that Jetstar make their terms and conditions much clearer, because on every other airline you can check in almost 10 minutes before the flight.

"We've got about 70 sales staff who travel regularly I've already spoken to our PA and we won't be using Jetstar."

Christchurch student Shaan Antunovich said she understood flight staff were working to strict deadlines, but was surprised by their attitude. By the time she made it to the front of the queue, the 30-minute deadline had passed.

"They were so unhelpful the man who took my ticket just said, `Yeah, we've shut it'. I wouldn't have minded if they were apologetic or if we were really late if someone came along with 10 minutes left thinking they'll be able to walk in I'd understand, but there was still half an hour."

Ms Antunovich and Ms Borchert both paid for later flights to Christchurch with other airlines.

A Jetstar spokeswoman said it was the airline's policy to comb queues for passengers on impending flights, but anyone not in the queue by that time was considered late for their flight.

Other domestic airlines have more flexible policies. Air New Zealand asks that passengers arrive at check-in 30 minutes before takeoff, but a spokeswoman said "some discretion" was allowed.

Passengers could be allowed to board the aircraft up to 15 minutes before the flight was due to depart.

Pacific Blue would check passengers in up to 20 minutes before departure and would do its best to accommodate late arrivals, a spokesman said.

Budget airline Jetstar is urging the New Zealand Government to open up Whenuapai air force base as a secondary airport.

Jetstar chief executive Bruce Buchanan said opening up defence bases near Auckland, Sydney, and Adelaide and would promote competition that could reduce charges at existing airports, The Australian reported.

Mr Buchanan pointed to the impact of Avalon airport on Melbourne, and the Gold Coast on Brisbane, as examples of secondary airports having modified the way the major incumbents operated.

"Competition is a wonderful driver of behaviour in the industry," he said as Jetstar launched its New Zealand operations this week. Owned by Qantas, Jetstar yesterday started flying between Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington and Queenstown, replacing Qantas flights.
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Mr Mapp scrapped the previous government's plans to move the Air Force from Whenuapai to Ohakea in the middle of the North Island, and rejected any suggestion it could become a civilian airport.

Ad Feedback "The base at Whenuapai is going to stay as an air force base and there will not be civil scheduled air services out of it," he said. "That is an absolute commitment."

The Government has plans to upgrade the runway at Whenuapai, laid in 1940 at the same time as the Ohakea runway, which was recently ripped up and replaced at a cost of about $20 million.