A Wellington woman is furious after Jetstar suddenly cancelled her flight to Dunedin to see Ed Sheeran in March.
Courtnay Fafeita booked four return tickets back in May, but was on Thursday told by the airline the only flight now available leaves two days earlier than planned.
When Ed Sheeran announced six New Zealand stadium shows seven months ago, Ms Fafeita didn't hesitate buying tickets.
"I'm going with my mum, one of my really good friends, my aunty," she says. "We've all got this group chat. We talk about it - we're so excited."
She also quickly snapped up four return tickets flying Jetstar from Wellington to Dunedin, so she could see Sheeran's March 31 concert at Forsyth Bar Stadium. But her planned arrival the day prior has been thrown into chaos, thanks to a sudden change by Jetstar.
"Yesterday I got an email from them saying that they have cancelled that flight and are going move me to a flight two days earlier," says Ms Fafeita.
The email asked her to accept the new flights, meaning she'd have to organise two extra nights' accommodation in a city already at capacity, with 100,000 visitors expected over the Easter weekend.
"The accommodation is terrible in Dunedin at the moment, so how am I supposed to find another two extra days when there's nowhere to stay in Dunedin?"
Jetstar claims the flight was cancelled after a "schedule change", and admits other passengers going to Sheeran's show have also been impacted.
On Thursday it offered Fafeita a refund. But in a twist, Jetstar on Friday afternoon came back with a new offer of tickets to Dunedin via Auckland, on a flight the same day as she'd originally booked. Ms Fafeita was only offered this after Newshub put questions to the airline.
Ms Fafeita says she has no other options so will take up the offer, but will now think twice about booking with Jetstar for major events.
Newshub.
