STRANDED ... The Franck family, from left, Maddie, 9, Lottie, 7, Kevin and Laurie, wait to fly out of Hobart before a five-hour wait in Melbourne to get home to Sydney.
Tourists still stuck after Jetstar jam
MERYL NAIDOO
October 07, 2008 12:00am
FORTY Jetstar passengers will spend a third day delayed in Hobart after their flights were cancelled on Sunday night
About 700 passengers travelling in and out of Hobart spent the day in hotels or long hours waiting at terminals yesterday.
Some were forced to further delay travel until today with no available seats on Jetstar, parent company Qantas or competitor Virgin Blue.
Jetstar's computer system crash on Sunday caused national delays, with Tasmania worst affected.
Jetstar passenger service manager Steven Latham said staff had to check in passengers manually from 1pm on Sunday.
The airline cancelled a return flight between Sydney and Hobart and a return flight between Sydney and Launceston -- four flights.
"There are only a handful of people waiting for a new flight now," Mr Latham said.
Compounding the airline's woes, Jetstar passengers had to fly to Melbourne while the airline arranged a connecting flight to Sydney.
The Franck family, on its first trip to Hobart, felt the airline glitch had tainted its four-day holiday.
"It's frustrating," said Kevin Franck, due back at work yesterday.
"And now they're sending us to Melbourne where we'll wait for another five hours for a connecting flight to Sydney. They didn't tell us this before.
"If we have a choice we won't use them again."
Most stranded passengers -- many of whom denounced the airline -- spent the night in hotels.
Federal Hotels corporate affairs manager Brendan Blomeley said 31 rooms had been booked by Jetstar.
Passengers were provided with accommodation and meals at Wrest Point.
Mr Latham said staff worked late to look after passengers and find accommodation.
"They did their best in trying circumstances," he said.
Mr Latham said the computer system had returned to normal and only a handful of passengers departing from Hobart remained here.
Jetstar spokesman Simon Westaway said 1500 customers had been affected nationally.
"We express sincere apologies to our loyal customer base that were disrupted," Mr Westaway said.
"We operated every service ... despite having the system shut down for a number of hours.
"It's something we don't want to relive."
The problem was compounded because most flights were fully booked because of interstate school holidays and a national dance championship that finished in Hobart on Sunday.
Jetstar's financial loss was estimated at a six-figure sum.
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