An Adelaide couple on holiday in the Northern Territory said they had to take a 48-hour bus ride home after their Jetstar flight was canceled over the weekend.
Key points:
- Therese Kenny spent 48 hours on a bus so she could return home after canceling her flight
- A Greyhound Australia spokesman said there had been an increase in sales due to flight cancellations
- Jetstar said customers were offered rescheduled flights, but admitted there was limited availability.
Therese Kenny and her husband George were on vacation in Darwin and were due to return home to Adelaide on Saturday morning.
But just five hours before the departure of their flight, they were told it had been canceled.
Mrs Kenny told ABC Radio Adelaide that the airline had offered its seats on another flight in about six days.
The former Liberal ministerial staff member and state candidate said he also found one-way flights from Darwin to Adelaide with an unspecified airline for $ 5,000 each.
“We weren’t in a position to do that, we could have gone to Europe and come back,” Kenny said.
“At the last minute we looked at Greyhound and if the buses were still running … and we just got back to the door after 48 hours non-stop, the wheels of the bus rolling from Darwin to Adelaide.
“We feel a little shattered to be honest.”
Adelaide’s wife Therese Kenny and her husband George. The couple ran aground in Darwin after their flight home was canceled. They took a 48-hour bus ride home. (Provided by: Therese Kenny)
Ms. Kenny said she felt sorry for the families who would have traveled during the school holidays and may have found themselves in a similar situation.
“I know it’s not the only story, we’ve heard a lot of people in similar situations,” he said.
“It does augur a bit of caution when looking to escape.”
Mrs. Kenny said there were other passengers on her bus trip who had been on the same canceled flight.
He said there were also passengers who had decided to take the bus instead of risking booking flights that would later be canceled.
Cancellation caused by staff problems
In a statement, a Jetstar spokesman said Saturday’s flight was canceled because “a crew member was ill.”
Traveling by bus was not an option presented by the airline, but the spokesman said customers affected by the cancellation offered new flights or a refund.
“Customers have been given alternative options, such as the next available flight, accommodation in Darwin and reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses incurred as a result of the interruption, including meals and transportation,” the spokesman said.
But the spokesman admitted there was “very limited availability due to very full flights”.
He said customers could also opt for a full refund.
Bus bookings are growing
A Greyhound Australia spokesman said the company had noticed an increase in bookings recently.
“We know a reasonable proportion of this is due to flight cancellations,” he said.
“While we do not follow customers’ reasoning to travel actively, we have observed through customer feedback when booking their service, that flight cancellations play a role, either reactively or proactively. with regard to flight cancellations “.
The spokesman said Greyhound had been able to accommodate the influx comfortably.
He said that while bus travel may not suit everyone, he encouraged people to consider using a bus service to avoid a potentially canceled flight.
“Thank you for coming home”
Mrs. Kenny said that despite feeling like a “wild woman” at the end of her trip, catching the bus hadn’t been so bad.
“It’s safe, it’s safe, and you’ll stop at some very unusual places that you probably never get up to,” he said.
“If you get into the right mindset, it’s a good way to rest and think about nothing and look out the window.
“That’s how we came up with it and we were so grateful to have been able to get home.”
Last week, a trio of Melbourne sisters said they were trapped in Darwin for almost a week after their flights had been canceled due to staff shortages.
“We were basically stuck, we didn’t have accommodation and we couldn’t get another flight for another five days,” Emma Pagotto said.
Erin Watkins and Mick Porter were also trapped in Darwin for almost another week when their flight was canceled.
Flights have been regularly delayed or canceled. (ABC News: Steve Opie)
Some airlines have reported an increase in demand, higher than pre-pandemic levels.
In an opinion piece posted Sunday on the Qantas website, national and international CEO Andrew David said delays across the country were reduced to COVID.
“Restarting an airline after a two-year ground connection is complex and the aviation labor markets, as with many others, are extremely tight,” he said.
“In addition, there is the fact that COVID cases are increasing again at the same time as the winter flu season.”
He rejected claims that the company’s decision to outsource ground assistance was one of the key reasons why the reboot had been difficult.