How do I make a complaint about Jetstar?
Have a Jetstar cancellation, refund, or baggage complaint? Learn your consumer guarantee rights and use our free tool to escalate to the ACCC or Airline Customer Advocate.
Regulator
ACCC (and the Airline Customer Advocate for airline-specific complaints)
Key legislation
Australian Consumer Law consumer guarantees; Montreal Convention 1999 for international carriage
Dispute path
Letter first, deadline tracked. If they go quiet, escalation to ACCC (and the Airline Customer Advocate for airline-specific complaints) is prepped and ready.
If your Jetstar flight was cancelled or badly disrupted, or your baggage went missing, you have rights under the Australian Consumer Law. Airlines must provide their services with due care and skill under the consumer guarantees (Australian Consumer Law s 60). Where a cancellation or major disruption is within the airline's control, this is generally a service failure, and you can usually choose between a refund and rebooking rather than accept whatever is offered first (Australian Consumer Law s 260). A non-refundable fare label does not override these rights when the failure is the airline's.
Put your complaint in writing and keep it factual. State your booking reference, the flight details, what went wrong, and the outcome you want, whether that is a refund or a rebooking. For international carriage, the Montreal Convention 1999 makes airlines liable to compensate for lost, damaged, or delayed baggage where the correct steps are followed (Montreal Convention 1999 Art 22), so lodge any baggage report promptly. A formal complaint should be answered within 30 days. Our free tool drafts the letter and tracks that deadline for you.
If Jetstar ignores your complaint or refuses a remedy you are entitled to, you can escalate. Once the airline's own process is exhausted, the Airline Customer Advocate is a free complaints body for airline-specific disputes. The ACCC also oversees conduct under the Australian Consumer Law, and where you booked through a separate platform the ACL applies to that platform's own conduct too. Escalation is free. Use our tool to generate your dispute letter and keep a clear record of every response and deadline.
Frequently asked questions
Can Jetstar refuse a refund because my fare was non-refundable?
A non-refundable fare label does not override the consumer guarantees when the failure is the airline's. If a cancellation or major disruption was within Jetstar's control, it is generally a service failure, and you can usually choose between a refund and rebooking rather than accept whatever is offered first. The fare type does not remove that right.
What are my rights if my Jetstar flight is cancelled?
Airlines must provide services with due care and skill. Where a cancellation is within the airline's control, it is generally a service failure, and you can usually choose between a refund and rebooking rather than accept whatever Jetstar offers first. Put your preferred outcome in writing so there is a clear record of what you asked for.
What can I claim if Jetstar loses or damages my baggage?
For international carriage, the Montreal Convention 1999 makes airlines liable to compensate for lost, damaged, or delayed baggage where the correct steps are followed. Report the problem promptly and keep your baggage claim reference and any receipts. Putting the claim in writing helps establish that you took the required steps within time.
How long does Jetstar have to respond to my complaint?
A formal complaint should be answered within 30 days. If Jetstar does not respond in that time, or refuses a remedy you are entitled to, you can escalate for free once the airline's own process is exhausted. Keeping a written record of dates and responses makes that escalation stronger.
Where do I escalate if Jetstar ignores me?
Once Jetstar's own complaints process is exhausted, the Airline Customer Advocate is a free complaints body for airline-specific disputes. The ACCC oversees conduct under the Australian Consumer Law, and if you booked through a separate platform the ACL applies to that platform's own conduct too. Escalation costs nothing.
What if Jetstar just ignores my letter?
Silence is not a dead end, it is a deadline breach. Jetstar is expected to respond to a formal complaint within 30 days. Build your letter with us and we track that deadline for you: a countdown check-in two weeks in, and if they miss the deadline, your escalation to the ACCC or your state fair trading body arrives pre-filled and ready to lodge. Escalating is free.
Related fights
The Armoury
Every weapon that works against Jetstar
Dispute tactics ranked by verified outcomes from real fights, escalation paths, magic words, and the levers Jetstar hopes you don't know about. Use one, report back, and the next person walks in better armed.
Open the Jetstar armoury →screwtheman.com is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. The content on this page is for general information on consumer rights, legislation, and dispute pathways. For complex legal matters, consult a qualified lawyer or the relevant regulator.