We like to tell it like it is here at NQ Music Press, and aren’t afraid to name and shame a person or company that has treated musicians shabbily. We all know Jetstar offer some of the cheapest flights around for the struggling Muso, but you may want to take the following story on board before trusting them with your travel arrangements..
Recently we had the amazing Thando Sikwila in Town playing at Resonate. Before leaving Melbourne, Thandos manager Victoria Porter called Jetstar to make sure they could take the bands Keyboard could travel on the plane with them to North QLD. They were told no problem provided they paid for the extra weight. Upon arriving at the airport ready to board the plane to North QLD, it appears Jetstars policy had changed somewhat. Victoria explains..
“I had called them and checked about the keyboard, they told me to purchase additional weight and check it in as oversized baggage. (Annoying as it was about an hour length phone call). When we got therer they said it was 2 kilos too heavy for their safety standards and refused to let it on. They only way we where allowed it on was if we took the keys out of the case and checked the 2 items separately, (obviously not going to happen, it is a $4000 Nord Keyboard)”
2 Kilos, really Jetstar? If it was so critical why did your staff tell Thando’s people it would not be a problem when the took the effort to check in advance? The poor band had to scrounge up a keyboard in every town they played on the tour thanks to Jetstar’s misinformation.
I am happy to report, this story, and the tour ended well due to some Northern hospitality and kindness from strangers. Victoria was glowing with appreciation for the help she, Thando and the band received in NQ.
“Everyone has been so great and really helped us out – friends of friends have reached out and the music community has been really great. So far we are still in QLD and we have had great instruments lent to us every step of the way, Mikki from Catch a fire lent us her keys in Cairns which was great for our shows there. When we headed to Townsville, Mike Beeton from the Townsville Army band helped us out delivering and picking up the top class keyboard from the venue for us. In Airlie Beach, some patrons Gavin and Johnno reached out and lent us their guitars and even got up for an awesome jam session. Through all of this it has given us a sense of community and shown us how great Aussie Muso’s really can be!!”
We look forward to having Thando back performing in NQ.
Todd Macalpine
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