Darwin Airport warns of ‘congestion’ at terminal after Jetstar cancellations overnight

School holiday plans have been thrown into chaos after a number of flights were cancelled overnight, with some people being issued tickets a week after their cancelled flight.

TRAVELLERS are facing waits of up to a week to get return flights home after one airline cancelled eight flights at Darwin International Airport.

Authorities are predicting chaos after Jetstar cancelled red-eye flights in and out of Darwin on Wednesday night and Thursday morning.

Passengers were being warned they could be issued replacement tickets for flights several days later than when they initially expected to take off.

Among those at the airport was Noosa resident Ted Brackman, who had his tickets reissued for next Wednesday, a full six days after he was supposed to fly to Cairns.

The tourist was meant to by flying out at 8.55am Thursday and was only told at 3am his flights were cancelled and he would have to wait six days for his flights.

Ted Brackman has had his flight cancelled and new tickets issued for next week, amid airline chaos at Darwin Airport. Picture: Floss Adams

“Amazing, isn’t it?” Mr Brackman said.

“I’m not very happy – I’m rather upset – because it’s not just the flights. It’s the accommodation we had booked in Cairns.

“We had a train booked down to Proserpine to see our son and the new twin granddaughters.

“Whether or not this is all going to happen – I don’t know."

Mr Brackman said he wasn’t yet sure where he would be staying but that Jetstar were hoping to find him accommodation.

“There’s not much accommodation available in Darwin at the moment.”

Another weary traveller who wished to go only by her first name, Maior was travelling with her 13-year-old daughter when they were left stranded after the first Jetstar flight of their journey home to Aubrey was cancelled on Wednesday.

“We haven’t had any information at all,” she said.

The pair had purchased their travels through the third party booking agency Webjet.

“I rang Jetstar and after an hour and ten minutes of being on hold, I finally got through to a person who said no we can’t help you at all, you’ve got to go through Webjet,” she said.

“And then we came to the airport and were told nothing and they couldn’t help us, they didn’t know what was going on.”

Jetstar interrupted many holiday-makers’ travel plans with the cancellation of four red-eye flights leaving Darwin on Wednesday. Picture: Floss Adams.

Maior and her daughter were able to stay at nearby airport accommodation on Wednesday night but in doing so, she had to spend a total of $4000 to secure alternative flights home.

“I could have gone anywhere in the damn world with that money I’ve spent,” Maior said.

“I just wonder about the people who may not have that money – they must be really stuck.”

Maior said she would try and get recompensed for her cancelled flights but was not sure she would ever see it return to her wallet.

“Like we’re usually fairly flexible but I think it’s just been one ordeal after the other – I wasn’t impressed,” she said.

Despite predictions of a crammed Darwin International Airport after the cancellations, the terminal was relatively quiet on Thursday.

A spokesman for Jetstar said the abrupt changes to holiday-makers’ travel plans were due to the “operational challenges” that forced them to cancel overnight services.

“We sincerely apologise for the frustration and disruption this has caused customers, especially during the school holiday period, and are working with our Northern Territory partners and stakeholders to explore every option to minimise the impact to customers’ journeys,” the spokesman said.

Tickets on alternative Jetstar or Qantas flights and refunds were being offered to affected passengers.

A lack of taxi services was expected to add to the passenger crush. Picture: Floss Adams.

“Due to very full flights and few spare seats, some customers new flights may be up a few days after the original flight time,” the spokesman said.

Meanwhile, a Darwin International Airport spokeswoman said the terminal was bracing for “congestion”.

“Due to rescheduling these flights are expected to land and depart between 10am and 2pm (Wednesday),” the spokeswoman said.

“A significant number of passengers will be checking in and disembarking during this time.”

The spokeswoman cited ongoing staff shortages for the cancellations, saying they were having impacts on baggage collection, foot and beverage services and transport.

A shortage of taxi drivers was also expected to complicate efforts to clear the backlog of passengers.

Jetstar cancelled a number of flights in and out Darwin overnight. Picture: Glenn Campbell

“We encourage passengers to make alternative transport arrangements to and from the airport where possible,” the spokeswoman said.

Chief Minister Natasha Fyles acknowledged post-pandemic travel was going to “be a bumpy road into the future”.

“People are advised to arrive at the airport well ahead of time to make sure that they have the up to date details with their airlines,” Ms Fyles said.

“But we are working in an environment that has factors that are sometimes out of the control of both our communities and our airlines.”

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Originally published as Darwin Airport warns of ‘congestion’ at terminal after Jetstar cancellations overnight