Review of Jetstar Airways flight from Melbourne to Sydney in Economy

Jetstar JQ518 Melbourne to Sydney

Flight details:
Airline: Jetstar
Flight: JQ518 MEL - SYD
Reg: VH-VWN
Aircraft: Airbus A321-232
Seat: 5F
Departure Melbourne Airport International Terminal 4 Gate 41: 13:50PM AEDT [On time]
Arrival Sydney Airport International Terminal 1 Gate 49: 03:45PM AEDT [Actual time:04:01PM AEDT (16mins late)]
Total time: 1hr 28mins

Video: Jetstar JQ518 Melbourne to Sydney

Introduction

This trip report is from Nov 2024. This report is the return trip to Sydney. I had travelled on Jetstar to Melbourne Read the trip report - Jetstar JQ63 Sydney to Melbourne.

Online Booking

I had booked the ticket through the Jetstar website.

During the booking, I had paid for the seat in the front section.

I had checked few days earlier and check-in would open on 28th Nov.

I paid for the ticket after checking the details.

Check-In

I logged in the Jetstar website on 28th Nov to complete the check-in. Selected the passenger.

The flight

Selected the health check question

I had selected the seat at the time of booking.

I had selected seat 5F on the starboard side.

Got to select the dangerous good question.

Followed by spare battery question

Boarding pass could be sent by sms or emailed as pdf

I selected the pdf boarding pass as I like to keep a copy in the email.

Boarding pass was emailed to the provided email address

PDF boarding pass

Hotel Check-out

I woke early on the day of travel.

I went to the restaurant to have breakfast. Choice was Continental or Asian selection. After breakfast, I returned to the room and rested.

Check-out time was 11a.m. I got ready and checked out on time.

Walking to airport

I used the connection from the car park to terminal as it was raining outside.

Video: Walking Hotel to Melbourne Airport

It was raining since the previous night.

View of International and Qantas terminal

Virgin Australia terminal

Hotel view from the terminal

I went to the Qantas Terminal, forgetting that Jetstar is a Low Cost Carrier and operates from Terminal 4.

Qantas Terminal undergoing upgrade.

I had plenty of time and walked to the opposite for Terminal 4.

Terminal 4

Check-in for Jetstar, Rex and regional flights is on lower level.

I was early and check-in wasn't open.

I waited till 12.18pm for the check-in to open.

Check-in

I had completed the check-in online.

As a backup, I printed the boarding pass.

After collecting the boarding pass, I took escalator to the departures level for security check.

As always, I took photo of boarding pass.

I checked the flight information on flightradar24

Security check

I passed through security check without issue. Handbag was x-rayed.

Departures

I entered the departures and found a place to seat by the window.

Planespotting

After few minutes of resting, I did some planespotting at terminal 4. Jetstar Airbus A320

Jetstar Airbus A321

I decided to check the gate location to estimate time required to reach.

United and Boeing's

Video: Melbourne Tullamarine Airport

Jetstar VH-VWN Airbus A321-232 at gate 41

United and Singapore Airlines in 1 frame.

Terminal 3

Virgin Australia baggage loading

International Terminal in the background

Air India and Fiji Airways parked at International terminal

It was raining and decided to check if flight was on time.

Returning to boarding gate

T3 and T4 flight schedule

Royal Brunei departing to Bandar Seri Begwan

Jetstar's preparing for next flights.

Jetstar VH-VWN would be operating JQ518 to Sydney

Boarding

When I arrived at the gate 41, boarding was in progress.

Seated in front, I joined when the crowd had subsided.

Final call on display. Another flight to Sydney was cancelled and passengers of that flight joined the queue to enquire. They were directed to customer desk.

Jetstar Airbus A321-232

Onboard

Showed the boarding pass to crew and reached selected seat. The aisle and middle seat was occupied by a couple. I placed my handbag under the seat for easy disembarkation.

Seat pocket content

Pouch to keep personal items

I fastened the seat belt for pushback.

Pushback and taxi

Cabin crew closed the door after boarding was completed. Pushback occured on time. As it was raining, rain drops blocked the outside view.
Cabin crew and Pilot made announcements.
Crew conducted safety demonstration and then checked the cabin and passengers were ready for departure.

Departure

During taxi, I saw the Sichuan Airlines Airbus A350 in special panda-themed livery again as it taxied past the aircraft. Air India was pushbed back for flight, Delhi. Aircraft taxied for few minutes to runway 27-09.  Aircraft waited few minutes for the Thai Airways A350-900 to depart followed by a Virgin Australia Boeing 737 landing.

Video: Wet Melbourne airside action

Aircraft rolled on the runway and departed to the South. As it was raining, ground disappeared with few meters of lift off.

Cabin view

This flight is short hop of 1hr, Crew announced buy on board would commence shortly.

Passengers were informed that hot drinks would not be provided due to cloudy weather during the flight.

Seat pocket content

Checked the seat pocket content and found safety card and menu along with airsickness bag.

Jetstar Airbus A321-232 Safety card

front

reverse

Menu

inside

Open

Back

Descend

Time passed as I rested, pilot announced descend would commence.

South Sydney suburbs

Heading East

Over Tasman sea for approach

Suburb of Kurnell, As can be below, wave breakers placed as sand is eroding in Botany bay.

Port Botany

Landing in Sydney

Landed smoothly on runway 34L and continued to exit into the taxiway.

Crossing runway 07-25 [ East -West runway ]

Qantas Boeing 737-800 taxi to runway

Jetstar Airway A320 pushback

View looking South

Reached gate 49

Boarding in progress at neighbouring gate

Disembarkation

On reaching the gate, waited for door to open.

Window view

Door was opened, disembarkation from the front and rear door. Front using the aerobridge and rear using the stairs.

As I had only handbag, grabbed and off the plane.

Head view of aircraft from the terminal 2.

Walking towards the exit.

Looking back at the gate.

Exiting the terminal

Took escalator down to lower level to exit. Bag for the flight was on belt 5.

I took train to city and followed the train sign.

Escalator to Domestic terminal station

Direction of station and terminal

Flight schedule and terminal directions

Escalator to station concourse

Directions, my opal card was low on credit as I had turned off the auto update. When I tapped it wouldn't work.

I topped the card but it doesnt happen immediately, I missed the train and had to wait for the topup to update.

I missed the train and the connection.

Due to track work, timetable was changed and train stopped all stations. Having missed the previous train, resulted in delay of 45 mins.

Flight and aircraft information

Flight route

Arrived few minutes late

Flight information

Aircraft information

Video: Jetstar JQ518 Melbourne to Sydney flight information

Flight details

Detailed information

End of Trip

Hope you enjoyed this trip report.

Thanks for reading and watching the video.

:)