I had just returned from Melbourne on Jetstar because it had the only seat available into Tassie that allowed me to make an 8am appointment the next morning.
I never – on principal – ever travel Jetstar, but this time my PA had no alternative.
The distance from Melbourne security clearance to gate 50 or 52, from which the Launceston flights depart, is about one kilometre.
I was over an hour early and was sitting at gate 52 minding my own business when I heard this over the speaker system: “Would the ….. family please go immediately to gate 50 as the Townsville flight is about to depart.”
I thought to myself that this would be interesting – and it was.
A girl, probably about 10, came running down the hall and up to the Jetstar Harridan. My deaf aid battery was flat so I could not hear what was being said.
The rather overweight mother came next, then about two minutes behind came the father, and although he was obviously crippled in one leg he was supported by his other daughter.
The father hobbled to the gate exhausted.
The Harridans promptly closed the gate.
All the family burst into tears and retired to the empty seats.
I took it on myself to intervene and asked the Harridans why, as the passengers were still getting on the plane, were they prepared to cause such distress.
The reply: “This is a budget airline and rules are rules, and anyway it was none of my business and I had no right to invade their workspace … ”
It takes a long time to find the luggage on the plane, and then offload it if a passenger does not make the flight.
But half an hour went by and still no departure.
After 20 minutes the family left. Nobody from Jetstar ever addressed a single word to them.
The passengers for the Launceston flight started to leave gate 52, and even after fifty minutes since this upset there was still no movement from the Townsville flight.
As I was about to ascend the steps up to my Launceston plane I noticed all the passengers disembarking from the adjoining Townsville flight.
The plane must have broken down.
Budget or Buggered ?
There is a God.
Harridan definition: an unpleasant woman, especially an older one, who is often angry and often tells other people what to do.
*John Hawkins was born and educated in England. He has lived in Tasmania for 15 years. He is the author of “Australian Silver 1800–1900” and “Thomas Cole and Victorian Clockmaking” and “The Hawkins Zoomorphic Collection” as well as “The Al Tajir Collection of Silver and Gold” and nearly 100 articles on the Australian Decorative Arts. He is a Past President and Life Member of The Australian Art & Antique Dealers Association. John has lived in Australia for 52 years and is 77 this year. In two of the world’s longest endurance marathons and in the only teams to ever complete these two events, he drove his four-in-hand team from Melbourne to Sydney in 1985 and from Sydney to Brisbane in 1988.
