A Jetstar passenger’s complaint about cabin crew service on the budget airline while traveling with her baby has created a divide online.
Melbourne mother and small business owner Larissa Gray took to her Tik Tok account to share a recent experience she’d had with Jetstar while flying from Melbourne to the Gold Coast with her young baby.
Gray, who labeled the experience as a complete “disgrace” said she was traveling alone with her baby when the “disgusting” ordeal occurred.
“My sister was on the same flight [but] that morning of the flight they put us on separate flights so I am traveling alone with my baby,” she explained.
Gray claims she then questioned a Jetstar staff member as to whether they would be assisting with luggage given she no longer has the assistance of her sister on board. The young mom said the response from the employee was “only if they want to.”
“It gets better,” she joked.
“When it comes to boarding, I’m in line and I hadn’t picked up the pram … I was on my own … they make me get out of the line and get to the very back.”
“So I am all packed up and I have my daughter on my hip, nappy bag and pram in hand … I literally don’t have a free hand, and I get to where they check you in with your boarding pass.”
“I said, can someone help me across the tarmac cause it was raining and I had to walk out there and she goes, ‘it’s not our responsibility’.”
Gray said the response from the employee was “disgusting”.
“They are just a**holes,” she said.
“As far as I’m concerned, all staff on Jetstar JQ438 need to get a lesson in manners and a new job.”
In a response sent to news.com.au, a spokesperson from Jetstar said they had reached out to Gray regarding her experience.
“We want all parents to feel welcome and comfortable on our flights and we’re really sorry to hear about her experience,” the statement read.
“Our customer care team has reached out to her to better understand what happened.”
It is understood Gray’s flight departed 40 minutes after her original flight time, while her sister travelled within three hours of her original flight time.
But despite Gray’s experience not living up to her expectations, not everyone on her social media platform supported her.
“Babe that’s not cabins crew job,” one wrote.
“They don’t help you with your bags. It’s so much more than that, if they injure themselves they aren’t covered. U (sic) need to pack accordingly or check bags in.”
“Unfortunately it is what it is,” another added.
“Jetstar is also a cheaper carrier, so I’m not sure what you expect or why you expect other people to be responsible for you.
“Just because you travel with a baby doesn’t mean everyone must bend over backwards to help.”
Another said the young mom should simply “plan better”.
“I have travelled extensively with my two kids and never expected or needed help,” the man wrote.
“I always put baby in the carrier, and put all their stuff in a backpack and then I have two hands free.”
Others, however, were more sympathetic to Ms. Gray’s complaint.
“Their job title is ‘flight attendant’ … a part of their responsibility should be to help people get on and off the flight with ease,” one wrote on the video, which has been viewed more than 143k times.
“You asked for the bare minimum … Your frustration is warranted.”
Another said they were surprised she wasn’t offered assistance given the circumstances.
“Long gone are the days of customer service,” they wrote.
“You would think someone would’ve helped her. It’s free to be nice.”