Jetstar responds after passenger’s luggage trashed on Melbourne-to-Sydney flight

Jetstar has responded after a Melbourne woman’s “brand new luggage” was trashed when she got it back in Sydney over the weekend.

A Jetstar passenger is furious after “brand new luggage” was trashed after she dropped it off at the check-in kiosk at Melbourne’s Avalon Airport on Saturday before a flight to Sydney.

Ian Farquhar shared a picture of his wife’s maroon and gold suitcase with after the flight. It showed broken zips and significant damage to corners on both sides.

“My wife just flew @JetstarAirways from Melbourne to Sydney, with her brand new luggage. This is what she picked up in Sydney…,” he wrote.

My wife just flew @JetstarAirways from Melbourne to Sydney, with her brand new luggage. This is what she picked up in Sydney… pic.twitter.com/5rANMCcr1N

— Ian Farquhar (@ianbfarquhar) January 7, 2023

Mr Farquhar said his wife opted to fly with the budget airline on Saturday because the other options on the day were “extremely limited and very expensive”. He said he and the other members of his family drove to Sydney but his wife had to fly for medical reasons.

A spokesman for Jetstar told news.com.au the airline was “very sorry” and had launched an investigation.

“We’re very sorry to see the damage to Ms. Farquhar’s bag,” the spokesman said.

“An internal review is underway. We’re in contact with Ms. Farquhar and will provide an update as soon as possible.”

Jetstar is not the only Australian airline under fire over its handling of passenger luggage.

Baggage handlers linked to Qantas, who were in December filmed recklessly mishandling luggage, were stood down after footage was leaked to the public.

Qantas and Swissport Australia immediately launched an “urgent investigation” after the employees were filmed slamming luggage onto a conveyor belt.

The footage, filmed at Melbourne airport, shows three baggage handlers throwing, kicking, and slamming passengers’ luggage onto a conveyor belt.

Some bags are thrown down so hard they fall over the other side of the carousel as one man laughs and another lifts a bag above his head and throws it down with force.

Swissport confirmed the men have been stood down as an urgent investigation is underway.

“Swissport trains and manages all staff to handle customer possessions with care and diligence,” a Swissport spokesman said.

“The actions of staff in the video appear to have contravened those service level standards.

“As a result, the staff in question have been stood down pending an urgent investigation.”

Melbourne man Patrick also spoke out in December after his $3000 golf clubs were cracked on a Qantas flight.

Jetstar is facing questions over its handling of passenger luggage. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nicholas Eagar

The 41-year-old boarded a flight from Sydney to Brisbane in February this year for a holiday, checking in his thousand-dollar golf clubs as oversized baggage.

Upon arrival, however, the clubs weren’t unloaded with the rest of the luggage from his flight. After scouring the terminal, Patrick found them discarded in a corner and damaged.

“They’d clearly been driven over,” he told news.com.au. “There was a bend in the bottom third of the bag and a black rubber mark clearly made by a tyre.”

He said Qantas has refused to foot the bill.

“Thank you for contacting us again,” a Qantas staff member wrote to Patrick in their last correspondence in November.

“What I can offer is a letter with any information you require so you can claim it through your personal insurance, as I am unable to offer you any financial settlement in this matter.”