How is Jetstar still charging fare difference for name changes on flights when that practice was deemed illegal in a past court case.
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/archive/news/jetstars-tick…
I just don't understand how so many years later this crap is still going on. If a court found it illegal shouldn't they have been forced to stop doing it?
Similar to scalping issues with concert/sports events.
Plenty of people selling domestic tickets on gumtree without name changes - they just give you a printed boarding pass. Not entirely sure how it works - I thought there would've been an ID check along the way somewhere.
They don't usually check ID on domestic flights. Just go to the gate, flash your barcode and you are done. However, I'm not sure of the legality and I suspect the government will start checking IDs in the future like most other countries.
yes if you don't check your bags
It's an international flight, to bali to be specific.
For domestic they don't check ID most of the time. For international a "scalper" of that sort could just buy the bundle that lets them change names for free. The fee only hits those who didn't expect they'd need to change the names on their tickets.
Technically illegal - Section 376.4(2) of the federal Criminal Code Act 1995:
Constitutional flight offence—taking a flight using an air passenger ticket
(2) A person (the defendant) commits an offence if:
(a) the defendant takes a flight using an air passenger ticket; and
(b) identification information was used (whether by the defendant or another person) to obtain the ticket; and
(c) the information resulted in the identification of a person as a passenger on the flight; and
(d) the information is false in relation to the defendant; and
(e) the flight is a constitutional flight.
Penalty: Imprisonment for 12 months.
They just keep saying since it's a starter fare it goes by the Fare rules on https://www.jetstar.com/au/en/help/articles/starter-fare-rul…
which say
Permitted upon payment of the applicable Change Fee and Fare Difference within Change Deadline.
I got them a doctor's certificate and they said they'd waive the Change Fee ($75) but not the Fare Difference ($1200).
Which as per the old article I was quoting is illegal.
I don't understand how they're still allowed to do it regardless of the fare type. It's bullshit.
Am I understanding this correctly?
So they are asking for the fare difference even though it's the same date but different person?
Yes you are understanding it correctly. It costs them nothing but they want to charge $1200 to change digital letters.
@Dowhatuwant: Who's to say you are not some guy scalping a ticket to someone desperate for that flight.
Penalties exist to deter this kind of behavior.
@Ryanek: Scalpers just pay the smaller extra fee to get the max bundle when they purchase the ticket in the first place which lets them make additional changes like this for free. The fare difference only affects those who were not expecting they'd need to change their tickets so they clearly do not exist to deter scalpers but are simply a predatory fee used by an unethical company to get as much money as they can from desperate customers.
@Dowhatuwant: See here
This is a common and long-standing practice across the industry, which ensures there is no incentive for people to buy up sale fares with the intent of selling them on at a higher price closer to the date of travel
I don't know why you can't seem to grasp this idea.
So take them to VCAT and see how you go.
Should I vote communist or conservative right?
Soo, when's the next workers' revolution?
Ah #2partyrant. TL;DR. :)
Yeah, diji never encourages another party, just bags the main 2 ;)
You mean Labor or Labour?
same old tune. lol.
Where did you see them charging a fare difference?
Fee's apostrophe is illegal
Here is the actual ruling - http://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/sinodisp/au/cases/vic/VCAT…
You should read through it and see if it applies to your scenario exactly. Keep in mind that Jetstar may have tweaked their Terms and Conditions since then, so you need to see if the situation is still the same at the low level; not at the headline level. Then, you can either go back to Jetstar and point them to this ruling to see if they will waive the fare difference or do as the person did and lodge an application with VCAT or the equivalent in your state.
That VCAT decision was appealed and overturned.
http://www.news.com.au/news/cheap-fares-fewer-rights-judge/n…
If a court found
a tribunal (vcat) isn't a court.
https://www.liv.asn.au/Practice-Resources/Law-Institute-Jour…
If you have a confirmed medical issue and you can't fly then you can fill the compassionate submission form and you would get a refund or Jetstar credit for the amount so you can fly at a later date.
My father wasn't able to fly due to medical 48 hours before he was supposed to and we got Jetstar credit for the value of his and my mother's fares.
The earlier before your flight the most chances to actually get your money refunded instead of credit vouchers.
Change fees should be $55-$75 per Jetstar's Page which is inline with most airlines in the world. Reason being is that people (or resellers) buy up cheap seats and then resell the tickets. Similar to scalping issues with concert/sports events. Many airlines will allow changes of a couple of letters to compensate for spelling errors but not changing the entire passenger without fees.
For reference: Scoot is $60-$100, Air Asia not allowed, Tiger $70.