Jetstar flight grounded in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

A Melbourne-bound Jetstar plane has been prevented from taking off in Vietnam just days after the airline’s Alice Springs headache.

A Jetstar flight departing from Ho Chi Minh City has been delayed after “an issue with an aircraft door” prevented the plane from taking off.

Jetstar confirmed on Tuesday morning that the Melbourne-bound flight from Vietnam had to be grounded and passengers would be staying in hotel accommodation until the delayed flight was able to take off, currently scheduled to take place on Tuesday evening.

“Unfortunately, one of our flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Melbourne has been delayed due to an issue with an aircraft door, which may require a part to be flown in from Singapore,” a Jetstar spokesperson said.

“Customers are being provided with hotel accommodation and other reasonable expenses and the flight is expected to depart Ho Chi Minh City tonight.

“We never want to delay a flight but safety is always our No.1 priority and we apologise for the inconvenience.”

Jetstar says a part may need to be flown in from Singapore to fix the ‘issue’. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nicholas Eagar

One passenger told 7 News that they boarded the plane twice before being removed and proceeded to wait for four hours.

This incident is the latest in a series of severe delays for the airline after passengers on a diverted flight from Bangkok to Melbourne, due to a medical emergency, were stuck on the tarmac in Alice Springs for several hours.

While sitting on-board the plane in Alice Springs after being forced to land there, it was discovered the aircraft had an electrical fault, forcing passengers to remain on-board until a second plane arrived.

Passengers are reportedly still waiting for their luggage to arrive more than 24 hours after they landed in Melbourne.

Jetstar staff are now sorting through baggage to send it directly to customers, more than 24 hours after they arrived in Melbourne. Their plane from Bangkok made an emergency landing in Alice Springs, leaving passengers stuck on the tarmac for hours. @[e-mail]/Zx2gU7Qhg0

— Hope Wilson (@hopemegwilson) February 27, 2023

Many of the frustrated passengers took to social media to complain about the airline’s handling of the incident.

“Whilst I understand the medical emergency yesterday and the complete sh*t show managing it, today’s state of affairs is just appalling,” one person said on Monday.

“We have no bags and are once again sat in an airport terminal.”

The fiasco followed claims made by a Melbourne couple in early January that they were forced to sit in vomit on their six-hour Jetstar flight from Bali, subsequently falling ill.