We booked return tickets from Melbourne (Tullamarine) to Launceston for a week long family holiday (with two primary school kids). We were told that the baggage check in closed 30 minutes prior to departure so we made sure we arrived an hour beforehand.
Unfortunately the first automated check in kiosk we used was faulty (it was unable to print baggage labels) so we had to try another one. This one worked for 3 of us but the fourth baggage label got jammed while printing so we had to get assistance (as you cannot re-print baggage labels at the kiosk). This "assistance" consisted of someone simply printing a new baggage label for us and then sending us back to queue up to drop off our bags.
By the time we figured out how to use the baggage drop off we had 40 minutes to departure (there was no-one at baggage drop off to tell us how to use the baggage drop off so we checked in luggage one at a time instead of using the "group" check in which we later found out about).
40 minutes is still plenty of time normally - particularly as we were 10 minutes ahead of the 30 minute shut off for baggage check in.
So we headed upstairs to security screening where there was another queue - still not too stressed as no announcements could be heard for our flight and we could hear announcements for other flights from the queue. Finally we get through security and head for the gate - we follow the signs leading us to a bridge only to see a sign at the bridge (no signs before that) warning us that there was a 7 minute walk to the gates (which is actually false - it is a 7 minute walk along the bridge connecting 2 buildings, the actual walk to gates is much longer).
Again we hear no announcements about our flight or anything along the lines of "could the last passengers to board flight XXXX make their way to gate 52 IMMEDIATELY" (we were later told that announcements were made but I can only assume the speakers on the bridge were not working or that announcements were only made at the other end of the bridge as we heard NOTHING and at this point I was getting stressed and really listening for any announcements).
So we proceed as fast as we can with 2 kids and our carry on luggage and get to the end of the bridge and down the escalators and we can finally see our gate (at the very, very end of the new building) and we can see the Jetstar person at the gate look at us then look away and get on the phone. So we get to the gate and of course we are told we have missed the flight. They have only just begun to unload our bags but the policy is that once they make the decision to unload it is too bad.
So we lose our fare completely and need to purchase new tickets or miss out on our week holiday.
I can't recall the number of times we were told "Jetstar's policy is to ..." (it is like this phrase is a magic shield which deflects common sense - for example, the plane could leave faster if we were allowed to board rather than removing the bags, but "Jetsar's policy" will not allow this. Either staff have been deprived of all decision making or they were having a bad day and wanted to ruin ours too).
Bu really the most annoying part was that there was zero comprehension on Jetstar's part that they should warn passengers about the walking time required at the Jetstar terminal in Tullamarine - no other gate requires the same amount of walking time from security check in as gate 52. I appreciate that Jetstar cannot control security screening time, but they can:
1. make sure their automated terminals are all working and can print baggage labels properly; and
2. have more staff on hand during busy periods to assist with check in and baggage drop off (and perhaps those staff could do more than just print a baggage label when you need assistance).
And Jetstar should speak to the Tullamarine airport to do their announcements better - I noticed on our return to Melbourne that announcements could be clearly heard in the bridge, so either the speakers were fixed or else the announcements for our flight were not made to the bridge area. Jetstar also told me they are not allowed to make announcements in the security screening area (not sure why other airlines can).
When I raised these issues with the staff at the terminal their response was simply that check in commences 2 hours before hand so we should have arrived even earlier than 1 hour before the flight. But when travelling with children you want to minimise the time in an airline terminal, so I figured that 1 hour prior to a domestic flight was easily enough time - but not with Jetstar. If they had warned us about the long walk we could have arrived earlier - Jetstar use the terminal every day and know how busy they can be and how long things take, we don't. Further if Jetstar are going to set a cut-off time for baggage drop at 30 minutes prior to the flight then it is reasonable to assume you could still make it to the gate if you dropped off your baggage at 30 minutes prior to the flight (hah! only if there is no-one at security and you jog along the bridge).
And just to add insult to injury - we purchased replacement tickets with Jetstar (all the other airlines with flights to Launceston on that same day only had business class tickets left) and that flight was delayed BY AN HOUR!!! Apology? None.