Jetstar boss David Hall may soon have his inbox jammed with complaints from travellers fired up about his airline's costly online booking ticks.
Consumer groups on both sides of the Tasman are taking the budget airline to task over its practice of pre-ticking boxes for optional extras during the online booking process.
Consumer NZ and Australia's CHOICE say the strategy is misleading and can mean travellers paying up to 60 per cent more than the advertised price.
"In both markets, it uses the same sneaky practice of ticking boxes for travel insurance, seat selection and extra bags," Consumer NZ chief executive Sue Chetwin said.
"It's high time Jetstar stopped confusing its Kiwi and Aussie customers and ditched the ticks."
Jetstar is now the only major domestic carrier in New Zealand that still has optional extras preselected, with Air Zealand bowing to pressure from the Commerce Commission earlier in 2015 to remove its preselected travel insurance.
Matt Levey from CHOICE urged consumers to contact Jetstar's chief executive and encourage him to put an end to the "shonky" practice.
"Websites shouldn't be designed to trick consumers into paying for extras that they don't want or need. From pricey travel insurance to $5 seat selection fees and sky-high baggage tariffs, Jetstar has you cornered," Mr Levey said.
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