A Jetstar flight from Perth to Bali was cancelled at the last minute after a flight attendant called in sick. Photo: Supplied
Jetstar has apologised for cancelling a Perth flight to Bali on Saturday after one of its flight attendants called in sick.
Passengers waiting to board the flight were told over the airport loudspeaker at 6.20am that the flight was cancelled, the same time the flight was scheduled to depart Perth.
A Jetstar spokesman said the airline was forced to make the last-minute cancellation when it was unable to find a replacement crew member for the attendant, who "became unwell" shortly before the plane was due to take-off.
Under Australian aviation regulations, the Airbus A320 requires four flight attendants be on board.
A passenger due to board the flight told WAtoday it was not rescheduled and most passengers were asked to collect their bags and return to the front of the airport.
"Ten people got on the next flight in an hour and the rest of us had to walk back downstairs," she said.
"When we asked why [the flight was cancelled], they said a staff member didn't turn up. We saw the pilots on the plane so assumed it was a flight attendant.
"[Afterwards] the lines were huge and going nowhere at the Jetstar counter."
After boycotting the line and contacting Jetstar by phone, the passenger was offered an alternative flight at 8pm later that day but chose instead to make a last-minute earlier booking with another airline due to her short stay in Bali.
"My [Jetstar] refund won't be processed for a few weeks so I had to come up with the extra flight money, plus it was more," she said.
A Jetstar spokesman apologised for the disruption to travellers.
"While these types of cancellations are very rare, we understand it would have been extremely frustrating and our team worked to get passengers to their destination as quickly as possible on alternative flights," he said.
Most passengers flew to Bali later that day on alternative Jetstar flights but some were forced to wait until Sunday morning to fly out.
Jetstar provided delayed customers with food and beverage vouchers and accommodation.
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