Jetstar takes cash but trip still up in air

Kenneth Henning is appalled at Jetstar's customer service. Photo / Mark Mitchell

A man who used Jetstar's online booking service had $500 taken from his bank account but in return didn't receive any confirmation of the flight he paid for.

Kenneth Henning thought he had booked a Jetstar flight from Auckland to Phuket for a July holiday, but became concerned after he failed to receive a booking confirmation or itinerary.

"I rang Jetstar to see what the problem was. And they told me that I didn't have a flight because the transaction was denied," Mr Henning said.

When he checked his bank account, $518 had gone to Jetstar's Asia account.

The 27-year-old initially thought a quick phone call would sort the error out, but said he called Jetstar's customer services at least eight times after the botched booking on April 6.

"I'm getting absolutely nowhere with them. None of them seem to be able to help me, or to put me through to someone who will be able to," he said yesterday.

Mr Henning thought a breakthrough had come when he was asked to fax through proof from his bank that the transaction had been approved, which he did last Thursday.

"It cost me $12 just to fax that information through, and I've just been completely ignored. No one's got back to me at all."

He said emails sent to Jetstar managers also went unanswered: "I'm at a complete dead end on this".

After the Herald contacted Jetstar yesterday the airline investigated the transaction and confirmed it had been processed.

Jetstar spokeswoman Andrea Wait said Mr Henning should receive his itinerary in the next 24 hours.

"There was an issue with the funds going through ... there could be any number of reasons for that. It's all been resolved."

Ms Wait said they only had a record of Mr Henning calling once, and the airline had been looking into his case before being contacted by the Herald.

Mr Henning works two fulltime cleaning jobs and lives in backpacker accommodation to save for the six-week trip through Southeast Asia.

"I'm just trying to be as miserable as possible as far as spending money goes ... I'm meant to be meeting a few friends from Ireland who I haven't seen in a couple of years."

Mr Henning said he was appalled at Jetstar's customer service. "They may be a budget airline, but they should be able to do a lot more to help people."

Jetstar has attracted flak for its customer service since starting its New Zealand operations.

Last week, Disability Issues Minister Tariana Turia criticised the airline after it stopped two passengers in wheelchairs boarding a flight because they weren't accompanied by caregivers.