Saturday night’s cancellation of a single aircraft from Singapore to Melbourne left hundreds of Australians stuck, with the majority spending an entire day in the airport.
The Jetstar flight was cancelled after midnight on Saturday, forcing passengers to scramble for alternative accommodations, with many being forced to overnight around Changi Airport in Singapore.
The grounding of flight JQ8 occurred during Singapore’s and its hotel industry’s biggest weekend, with the Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix driving up costs and reducing availability.
Travelers were offered up to $800 to cover the cost of their hotel room for the night, a significant increase from the typical $150, but the money made little difference because the majority of hotel rooms in the region were already filled.
John Lethlean, a traveler, shared on Instagram: “This is what a Singapore gate lounge looks like when Jetstar cancels your flight at midnight and tells you to find your own accommodation till the trip resumes in 24 hours.”
Oh, and it’s Grand Prix weekend, so you can’t find a hotel in Singapore for less than 800 Singapore dollars, which is equivalent to roughly $800 Australian dollars.
Saturday night’s cancellation of Jetstar’s flight from Singapore to Melbourne forced many passengers to wait 24 hours at Changi Airport (pictured)
A spokeswoman for Jetstar informed Daily Mail Australia that the airline was compelled to cancel the trip in order to “put safety first” after pilots got a warning signaling a problem with the auxiliary power unit.
The spokeswoman for Jetstar stated, “Engineers addressed the issue, however as a result, the flight was delayed for 24 hours.”
We acquired accommodations for approximately 50 consumers and assisted others who required hotel rooms. Due to the Grand Prix taking place in Singapore over the weekend, several passengers remained overnight at Changi airport.
These clients were provided with lunch coupons and will be reimbursed for other acceptable out-of-pocket expenses.
Sincerely apologizing to customers for the delay, we acknowledge that this was an incredibly aggravating experience.
The journey from Singapore to Melbourne was on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, an aircraft that has recently been plagued by problems due to bird strikes, lightning strikes, and delayed parts.
The grounding of flight JQ8 occurred during the peak weekend for hotels in Singapore, with the Singapore Grand Prix driving up room rates.
Travelers were offered up to $800 to pay the nightly cost of their hotel accommodation, a significant increase from the customary $150.
Last month, hundreds of Australians were stranded in Hawaii after Jetstar abruptly canceled their return flights.
At least two Jetstar aircraft heading for Australia were canceled, leaving around 600 passengers stranded in Honolulu.
Lightning and a technical issue, according to Jetstar, were responsible for the flight cancellations.
The fact that the shells of the new Jetstar 787s are composed of composite material, as opposed to metal on earlier aircraft, exacerbates the hazards associated with lightning strikes.
With a metal shell, an electric charge would leave a single entry and exit hole on the fuselage or wing, making it simple for maintenance crews to evaluate the damage.
But the composite material, which contains a substantial amount of carbon fiber, conducts electricity differently, and a lightning strike can result in a patchwork of tiny holes requiring a significantly longer maintenance period.
Speed tape, which is often used on aircraft and race vehicles, is wrapped around a plane wing.
Carbon composite materials also issue with paint peeling, requiring airlines throughout the world to repaint airplanes in a time-consuming and expensive procedure.
Recently, images of the afflicted 787s with duct tape patches on their wings and bodies have appeared.
The tape is technically known as “speed tape” and is a popular pressure-sensitive aluminium material found on aircraft and race cars.
Engineers can utilize this workaround to prevent water from entering the material through the peeling paint, but it is not a permanent solution.
In addition to the aircraft problems, both Jetstar and Qantas are experiencing maintenance labor shortages, which are delaying repairs and increasing the number of flights that are canceled.
A Qantas group insider told Crikey last week, “Part of the problem with Qantas and Jetstar is that they lack extra planes.”
“The timeline is extremely tight, and there is nothing that can be done when many planes fail. Typically, we do not have a spare aircraft that can be rolled in at short notice.
Qantas frequently lends Jetstar aircraft to fill schedule gaps, but this causes problematic when demand for Qantas is high, particularly during the holiday season.
The Qantas group has purchased additional aircraft, but they won’t arrive for a few years (pictured: queues at Sydney airport in September)
JETSTAR’S FULL STATEMENT ON DREAMLINERS BOEING 787 FLEET
Our engineering staff has been diligently working to return our Dreamliners to flight, and we anticipate that the last two Boeing 787 aircraft will return to service within the next twenty-four hours.
In recent weeks, our fleet has been involved in a number of unfortunate incidents, including repeated lightning strikes, bird strikes, and debris damage to an aircraft.
Customers impacted by these necessary changes have our sincere apologies; we are aware of how annoying disruptions can be. No airline wishes to inconvenience its passengers, and we do everything possible to avoid delays and cancellations.
The bulk of impacted passengers have already returned home, and they are being re-accommodated as swiftly as feasible, including on additional services and other airlines. We are covering lodging, food, and other reasonable charges for consumers who require assistance.
On the wings of Boeing 787 aircraft that have been in service for more than four years, paint peeling is a typical occurrence that has been seen by airlines around the world.
The tape utilized by aviation engineers prior to repainting is a pressure-sensitive aluminum tape (or high-speed tape) used for minor aircraft repairs. It poses no threat to safety.
Jetstar is in the process of repainting the wings of all of its 787 aircraft, of which four have already been completed.
Boeing is also introducing a new undercoat paint in 2023 that will increase the durability of paint on 787 wing surfaces.
Regarding lightning strikes, a Jetstar spokeswoman was quoted as saying:
Two of our planes have lately been struck by lightning.
Aircraft are intended to endure lightning strikes and continue flying safely, and at no point was the aircraft’s safety compromised.
Both aircraft have been restored by our engineers and have returned to service.