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Jetstar just added a fee for sitting inside the plane. Here's what that means for your rights.
Jetstar has introduced a new seating fee, meaning passengers who thought they'd bought a ticket to sit on a plane now have to pay extra to actually choose where they sit. If you've been caught by this change, or you're trying to figure out what you actually agreed to when you bought your ticket, you're in the right place. This is the kind of ticketing shift that deserves scrutiny under Australian consumer law, and we're going to walk through exactly what that looks like.
What the law says
Under the Australian Consumer Law, airline services must be provided with due care and skill and be reasonably fit for purpose. When an airline changes the terms of what you're getting after you've already paid, or structures fees in a way that makes the original ticket misleading about its actual cost, that raises real questions about whether the service matches what was represented at the point of sale. If Jetstar's new seating fee means you're paying more than you understood you would when you booked, check your fare rules for the specifics of your ticket. If the airline pushes back on a complaint, the Airline Customer Advocate is the free, independent complaints body for Australian domestic airline disputes once you've exhausted Jetstar's own complaints process.
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screwtheman.com is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. This page gives general information on consumer rights and dispute pathways. For complex legal matters, consult a qualified lawyer or the relevant regulator.