It is Called "No-frill" for a Reason!

The term no-frills is associated by most as cheap and budget. It is the case when it comes to travel - no-frills, budget or low cost - carriers allows many to see many different parts of the world for the first time, or even being inside an aeroplane for the first time.

These carriers often aggressively market themselves to the general public as you only pay for what you need, in another word, you will pay extra for the privilege in choosing a desired seat, have your luggage check-in, inflight snacks and drinks serve to you, the availability of inflight entertainment; all on top of what is perceived as cheap airfares comparing to full-serviced carriers, like Qantas.

Budget carriers, especially Jetstar, should come with a health warning label to all customers, like warning the user on potential hazard of overdosing, because budget carriers can inflict real health hazard like stress and fatigue when it fails to deliver what it promised - getting you there.

Jetstar has been stellar one fine August morning for the unfortunate passengers of JQ8. Scheduled and prepared to land in Melbourne at 06:45am after an 8 hours flight, it was diverted to Sydney due to fog, the flight expected to return to Melbourne at 11:00am. JQ8 arrived in Sydney at 08:54am, sat on the tarmac with all passengers strapped onto their seats, for 2 hours nothing was convey to them what will happen and if the flight will take off once given the all clear.

Finally the passengers were told to disembark because of some regulations concerning the aircraft, but without further information on when or how they will get to Melbourne. For more than an hour at the hectic international waiting lounge, there weren't any Jetstar ground staff to be found.

The passengers were then told to clear immigration and custom, and were told to wait at the Jetstar check-in counters. At midday meal vouchers were distributed and hope renewed with the announcement of boarding information, accordingly a replacement aircraft will fly the stranded passengers to the correct destination. A few moments later, another announcement told the passengers Jetstar will accommodate them in hotels should a replacement aircraft is not found.

After hanging around as the clock ticked by without further information if the passengers will get to Melbourne on the same day, Jetstar finally announced that they will be boarding at around 15:00pm and passengers were told to proceed to check-in. The flight finally took off an hour later and landed in Melbourne in late afternoon. The total delay is around 8 hours, enough for the aircraft to fly back to Singapore.

Imagine that, all these hassle because of a lousy fog caused by mother natural, but the worst thing from this ordeal is something which humans, in this case Jetstar, can control: the lack of communications, and that is what I called no-frill no thrill.