Jetstar from Australia has concluded the calendar year with a rather embarrassing flight to nowhere.
Departing from Melbourne as JQ35. The scheduled flight operated by the 787 was expected to carry passengers to fly to the popular destination Bali.
A routine service for the Australian carrier that is part of the Qantas group. However, the aircraft never made it to Bali without a lack of trying.
The aircraft departed from Melbourne significantly late, which threw off schedules, to begin with. However, a delay doesnt mean that the aircraft in question should incur any difficulties.
As the Boeing 787 began to leave Australian shores, it turned around and headed back to Melbourne.
A flight to nowhere that saw passengers waste hours on an aircraft without getting to their destination. One of the record books.
Attached is a screenshot of the trip. Thanks to flight radar, highlighting the difficulties experienced and how far the aircraft travelled before it turned around.
Questions have arisen over how such a thing may be possible. Most technical issues resulting in the plane returning to its origin airport would have to occur relatively shortly after departure.
In this case, the plane flew back to Melbourne, despite just flying past Australian waters.
The aircraft never made it to Bali because Jetstar didn’t obtain the required approval or permission from authorities in Indonesia.
The explanation is thanks to the Australian airline swapping the aircraft from the routine A321 family to this Boeing 787. The 787 is a larger aircraft.
“Unfortunately, due to a miscommunication, the swap to a larger aircraft had not been approved by the local regulator in Indonesia. As soon as we became aware, the flight returned to Melbourne, and we have rebooked passengers on a flight for later today.”
Jetstar Spokesperson
This was quite the flight and, no doubt, quite the experience for the passengers onboard. A journey that could’ve taken them to Los Angeles instead for their time spent.
Still, instead, they were right back to where they originated, Melbourne and not in Bali.
Good piece here and what a joke of an airline now. Needless to say Qantas spin off!!
Went to Bali by Jetstar,hours late in the departure,then they have the cheek to charge you for crappy food. Never again Jetstar.
And this is why I will never fly Jetsar. Went to Syndney and they canceled my flight. Had to wait 12hrs AT THE AIRPORT just for my next flight…flew back to Melbourne from Sydney and they canceled mt flight again. What an absolute joke of an airlines.
Does not give me any confidence to fly with the carrier though I have flown from Perth to Cairns and to the other popular locations including Singapore but as the sky gets busier we passengers are more prone to accidents.
I recently flew to Sydney and back with Jetstar. 10 minutes late getting off the ground but landed on time. Trip home was the same. Wha is important is that the service by the checkin and flight crew was excellent on both flights. The problems are with the management and back office people, NOT the flight crews.
Jetstar is owned and operated by Qantas, as we all know Qantas has had so many problems since the covid restrictions where lifted, on 3 or 4 occasions Qantas has had to land at unscheduled airports, personally i think all the aircraft being parked up for 2 years has and will continue to experience problems with there planes..
Yes it was a different aircraft to what was scheduled but Indonesia could have been flexable and should be happy more ppl where travelling to that dump of a place, atleast Jetstar are safe compared to Indonesia National Carrier Garuda who’s safety record and poor maintenance has them banned from most European countrys, There fleet is old and unsafe, flew them once and wouldnt fly with them again even if offered 1st class for free. Remember seeing a Qantas 747 leased by Garuda, looked luke Qantas but painted over Qantas and looked like someone with a paint brush wrote Garuda.
What do you expect from a company who are far more concerned with virtue signalling, rainbow rights, and Greta worship than filling out a simple form. Fly at your own peril peeps.