Airline review: Jetstar Airbus A320 economy class, Sydney to Adelaide

DURATION

Scheduled duration is two hours and 5 minutes, non-stop. We take off late, but still land on time.

FREQUENCY

Jetstar currently operates 25 return flights each week between Sydney and Adelaide.

CARBON EMISSIONS

0.235 tonnes for an economy class passenger. Jetstar offers an offset scheme.

HEALTH

Masks must be worn at the airport and throughout the flight. Complimentary masks and sanitising wipes are available at the gate. Jetstar's Fly Well program includes a COVID-19 Help Hub online and travel checklists.

CHECKING IN

Check-in and bag drop opens two hours prior — and closes 30 minutes before — departure. Expect delays and crowds at airports as travel picks up. Best advice is to arrive at least two hours before wheels-up.

THE SEAT

There are 186 Main Cabin seats in a one-aisle, 3-3 configuration. Seat width (45.4cm) and pitch (73.7cm) is comfortable on this short flight.

BAGGAGE

It's a good idea to pay online for checked baggage at the time of booking. It costs more to add it online later, and significantly more at the airport. You can pay to check from 15 to 40 kilograms of baggage.

Standard carry-on baggage allowance is 7 kilograms, shared across two items. Jetstar does weigh carry-on bags and will charge — heftily — if this limit is exceeded.

ENTERTAINMENT

You get what you pay for. In this case, that means BYO entertainment. No seatback touchscreens, no airline magazine.

SERVICE

Dressed in signature black and orange uniforms, the look is more workhorse than show pony. Attendants carry out their duties efficiently, making time for a few jokes ("Sugar in your tea or are you sweet enough?").

This is clearly a workforce of diverse individuals, not an army of lookalikes. It's good to see inclusion hiring in terms of age, ethnicity, hairstyle and clothing size.

FOOD

Again, you get what you pay for. Drinks and snacks to buy include the usual tea, coffee, wine, chips, chocolate and nuts. More substantial bites include toasties, pies and muffins.

Most booking bundles include in-flight vouchers to spend on food and drinks. Major credit cards are accepted; cash is not.

ONE MORE THING

Jetstar recently announced new routes, including long-haul to South Korea and India. Take advantage of Friday Fare Frenzy sale prices to book a bargain international trip.

VERDICT

No frills, no complaints. This flight gets me from A to B for under $100 with a minimum of fuss. You don't buy a secondhand Toyota Yaris and expect it to run like a new Mercedes S class.

OUR RATING OUT OF FIVE

★★★

The writer paid for her own flight.

See jetstar.com