Hey,
Just got back this morning from one month in Bali. We (my husband, our 6 month old daughter and I) travelled Jetstar. I have travelled with them many times before and didn't know what all the complaining was about... until now! At Sydney airport we got there 3 hours prior to departure so we would be first in line because we needed a basinette and there are only 3 per plane that are first in best dressed no prebooking. We knew our bags would be a few kilos over because I was taking enough baby food and supplies for one month. Our bags were weighed by a very unfriendly check in lady. She walked away and spoke with the supervisor. Then came back and said we had to pay approx $300 because our bags were overweight. I said that it was all baby supplies because my baby is sensitive and has skin allergies and gets eczema. Still $300. I asked if they could be lenient as we were going over and most peoples bags would be empty so that would balance out ours. Still $300. I was just about to tell her I only weigh 57kgs and my husband 75kgs and that us together would be the same weight as some of the other passengers but thought better of it and kept it to myself. She said we would have to unpack some items or pay. Lucky my Mum had come to see us off so we unpacked a lot of food and bottom wipes, all but one pair of pants each for my husband and I and a few tops each. Then went back to the counter. She weighed our bags again. 1 Kilo over... She then rings the supervisor and has a BIG discussion over 1 kilo. Then hops off and says "I'll let you get away with being over, but know I need to weigh your hand luggage". So off I go to where my Mum is minding my crying baby (because we have been well over half an hour with this lady and it is feed time) and take back our hand luggage (nappy bag and one on board. Totalling 12 kilos. She still isn't happy because the on board bag is over 7 kilos and makes me unpack in front of everyone again and put some items in the nappy bag and a plastic bag so the on board comes to 6 kilos.
Bag dilemma over she then hads us our boarding passes. I look and see row 24. I say "Are you sure row 24 is a basinette row?" She abruptly says "yes" So I believe her.
We board the plane and find that row 24 is one row behind the basinetee row and that a man and 12 year old boy have row 23 (basinette) in front of us. The man looks at us and our baby and says "don't you need this row". After much thanking we swap seats. Now call me crazy but I think that the charming lady on the check in counter did this on purpose. I'm sure she knows what row is a basinette.
Anyway we got to Bali and I had to buy baby food for 2 weeks (my Mum arrived after that with food and other baby items we had left behind) We got it from Bintang supermarket at $3 - $4 Aus each jar. We could not find and unscented sensitive skin wipes that would not affect my daughter skin so for two weeks we used tissues and a spray bottle.
I have another trip booked with Jetstar for March... however I am seriously considering selling my tickets.
After we had checked in I sat down and fed my baby and watched this lady not weigh anybody elses hand luggage and allow people to have 3 kilos over in their luggage. I am going to write a letter of complaint to Jetstar that I am sure will get nowhere. I just have to find a complaint address. I felt so singled out I really have no idea why she picked on us. Maybe she has been on a long plane flight with a crying baby and now hates people who fly with babies. By the way my baby did not cry the flight over and slept the whole way back.
I will write more later about our trip with a 6 month old but just wanted to get that off my chest.
Melanie