Jetstar locks passengers out of Terminal

IT was Sydney airport that locked stranded travellers out of one of its terminals early yesterday but it was low-cost carrier Jetstar that copped a bollocking from angry customers

The passengers were stranded after a combination of storms and Sydney’s 11pm curfew prompted Jetstar to cancel four flights on Thursday night.

The airline rebooked the passengers at no extra cost on flights yesterday but did not offer to cover accommodation or other expenses. The situation worsened when airport authorities kicked them out of the terminal for three hours.

Jetstar spokesman Simon Westaway said the airline’s policy was that it did not provide accommodation for cancellations or delays caused by events beyond its control, such as weather.

It does provide another flight in these circumstances at no extra charge even though travellers’ original fares become invalid because of the cancellations.

The airport said accommodation arrangements were the airlines’ responsibility and its terminal was not operated on a 24-hour basis. One airport official told radio 2UE that authorities would have kept the terminal open if an airline had requested it to do so, but no one had asked. Virgin Blue cancelled 11 flights but provided its passengers with accommodation.