Fury, frustration and confusion for passengers

We’re sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. We’re working to restore it. Please try again later.

Advertisement

This was published 12 years ago

Fury, frustration and confusion for passengers

By Cameron Houston and Michael Bachelard
American student Austin Rose could not fly to Sydney to meet his parents.

American student Austin Rose could not fly to Sydney to meet his parents.Credit: Wayne Taylor

THOUSANDS of furious Tiger Airways passengers flooded service counters of other airlines yesterday in a desperate bid to reschedule flights as the school holidays began in chaos.

While some received a 6am text, many Tiger customers only discovered their travel plans had been dashed when they arrived at the terminal. Some were forced to spend hundreds of dollars as they scrambled to secure flights with rival airlines, while others had to cancel school holidays and forfeit accommodation.

Passengers complained that Tiger's online booking system began failing earlier in the week, including listing at least one phantom flight.

Loading

Passengers have been promised refunds but some were told it could take up to five weeks or more and others have been told they will not be compensated for prebooked accommodation, credit card transaction fees and other costs.

Hundreds of passengers were also left seething after being told by Tiger staff that Virgin and Qantas had scheduled extra flights to all destinations for just $100. Only a lucky few were able to secure a cheap seat on another flight.

''That was just a blatant lie,'' said Welsh backpacker Vicky Edwards, who will spend the weekend in Melbourne after the cancellation of her Tiger flight to Cairns.

Kristina Purcell and son Alexander had to rebook with Virgin after their holiday flight to Canberra was cancelled.

Kristina Purcell and son Alexander had to rebook with Virgin after their holiday flight to Canberra was cancelled.Credit: Wayne Taylor

''I'm now waiting in a very long queue of Tiger customers who are about to be former Tiger customers,'' said Angela Anderson, whose holiday to Cairns had been thrown into disarray.

Advertisement

Bentleigh mother Kristina Purcell was taking her son Alexander for school holidays to Canberra but her 11.30am flight was grounded. She was fortunate to find an alternative flight on Virgin late yesterday afternoon.

''You take a risk when you book a flight with a cheap airline and it now seems obvious that they've cut a few corners. I'm dreading having to deal with their customer service department, when I try to get a refund,'' Ms Purcell said.

Other Tiger customers were not so lucky. Shane Reid of Edithvale is likely to miss a close friend's 50th birthday in Brisbane and is unlikely to be reimbursed $600 in hotel accommodation.

''The last time I flew Tiger, I said, 'That's the last time','' he said. ''But this is the last straw. These people are incompetent, but it's us who has to pay the penalty.''

Many customers were scathing of the company website, which crashed on Wednesday and Thursday and still only provided scant information yesterday. A separate computer glitch created at least one phantom flight from Sydney to Melbourne that never existed and was later cancelled.

Radio producer Michael Hilder, 27, was unable to visit his four-year-old daughter in Melbourne this weekend, after he was booked on a flight that never existed. He was booked on another Tiger flight that was cancelled due to ''operational reasons'' and rescheduled on a flight to Melbourne next Friday, which has also been cancelled.

''The person at the service counter informed me that the flight I booked was a 'fictitious booking', and that it was fictitious due to an error in the system,'' Mr Hilder said.

American student Austin Rose was told his Sydney flight was cancelled when he arrived at the Tiger Airlines terminal yesterday after travelling from Monash University by bus, tram and Skybus. ''I'm in a lot of shit. I'm supposed to meet my family in Sydney a 4pm today, I don't have a phone, I don't even have their number,'' Mr Rose said.

He was forced to make the same long journey back to Clayton yesterday, after Qantas demanded $650 for a business ticket and Virgin flights were full.

Melbourne artist Matthew Quick is distressed that he might miss the opening of his new exhibition, New Works - Introduced Species 2011 in Sydney on Thursday. He has been working on it for the past 15 months.

''I've been worried about this ever since I made the booking (on Tiger) to be honest,'' said Mr Quick, 44, who works out of a studio at the Abbotsford Convent.

''Everything is riding on this one event and it sounds like such a cliche but it's not easy making money in this business so you've got to make do with what you can.''

Sign up for the Traveller newsletter

The latest travel news, tips and inspiration delivered to your inbox. Sign up now.

Most viewed on Traveller

Loading