Aussies stranded at airports, overseas with more Jetstar cancellations

Aussies are promising to “never again” book a Jetstar flight after the airline’s latest round of flight cancellations.

A young teacher has vowed “never” to fly Jetstar again after she said multiple last-minute flight cancellations left her $3000 out of pocket.

“It’s gotten to the stage where I’d be happy to pay extra just for it not to be Jetstar,” Shanai Mari of Sydney told NCA NewsWire.

Jetstar is under renewed pressure from customers after its most recent round of flight cancellations, this time impacting travellers mostly going to or stuck in Hawaii.

Four international services were cancelled this week, the airline confirmed.

It’s the second time in a number of weeks the budget airliner, which unveiled a new CEO this week, has left customers stranded overseas, after up to 4000 tourists were stuck in Bali after Jetstar cancellations two weeks ago.

Sydney teacher Shanai Marie is $3000 out of pocket after two of her flights to Honolulu were cancelled by Jetstar this week.

Shanai said her first flight from to Honolulu was cancelled on Monday as she was on her way to the airport, only for her rescheduled flight on Tuesday evening to be cancelled also.

She said she is yet to receive a refund, which has put her nearly $3000 out of pocket.

“Absolutely not” was how Shanai responded when she was asked by NCA NewsWire if she would fly Jetstar again.

Australians are currently stranded in Hawaii after Jetstar cancelled multiple flights to the US holiday destination. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nicholas Eagar

Gold Coast radiographer Elizabeth Libke is currently stuck in Honolulu for an extra week, where she has been celebrating her 50th birthday with her two children.

Ms Libke told NCA NewsWire her Monday flight was cancelled on Sunday evening, and said she was told by a Jetstar customer service that as she had booked through Flight Centre, the airliner wasn’t able to help her.

“It’s very stressful,” Ms Libke said.

She said one-way Qantas flights leaving from Honolulu were $5000 per person this week.

Stephanie Tully was appointed the new CEO of embattled budget airliner Jetstar this week. Picture: Supplied

Ms Libke said Jetstar had offered her a paltry $30 per person per day for food and $150 per night for accommodation, which she said was “not nearly enough”.

She is now set to fly home on Saturday, just a few days before she said her kids need to return to school.

It’s understood at least two flights from Australia to Hawaii have been cancelled since Saturday.

Jetstar told NCA NewsWire the company is “seeing improvements” in getting its customers to where they need to be, but said recent weeks had the Jetstar’s fleet “grounded” due to lightning strikes, bird strikes and damage caused by runway debris.

“Today, we have all but two of our eleven 787 aircraft operating. The final two will be coming back on line in the coming days.”

“We understand how frustrating disruptions are and sincerely apologise to customers impacted by these unavoidable changes,” the airline said.

“Impacted customers are being reaccommodated as quickly as possible, including on additional services and on other airlines, and many of them have already returned home.”

“For customers who need it, we’re covering accomodation and meal costs as well as other reasonable expenses.”

Originally published as Aussies stranded at airports, overseas with more Jetstar cancellations