Christmas flight reschedule angers Jetstar passengers

The travel plans of scores of New Zealanders in Melbourne are in turmoil after Jetstar told them it was cancelling their pre-Christmas flight home and offered them a Boxing Day flight instead.

The airline is now promising to get the 80 or so passengers home before 25 December, but the move was too late for some who had already paid hundreds of dollars more to rebook on other airlines.

Jetstar has refused to say why it cancelled the 23 December flight from Melbourne other than to say rescheduling happens from time to time.

Many customers have vented their frustrations on Jetstar's Facebook page.

One, Aucklander Duncan Robinson, says he was offered two alternative flights - one after Christmas and one a week before.

He says he was forced to ask for a refund and had to spend an extra $500 to rebook with Air New Zealand. Mr Robinson says he will never fly with the budget airline again.

Consumer New Zealand chief executive Sue Chetwin says Jetstar is within its rights to make schedule changes, but the move is not a good look.

She thinks Jetstar is scrambling now to avoid a public relations disaster.

 http://www.radionz.co.nz