I'm no fan of Jetstar. I think they should be held to account for the shocking service standards they set and consistently fail to meet. I don't think they are efficient, clean, or comfortable; I don’t even find them comparatively and consistently cheap. But having watched the news tonight I found myself having to jump into their corner. A most disturbing and uncomfortable place indeed.

Most of the majors ran a story tonight with the worrying byline that the airline was propping up the military junta in Burma. Now, I reckon they are a mob of pricks, but that was a pretty big accusation!

As the story goes on, we discover that Jetstar are flying four services a week into Burma, and, naturally, the airport taxes and landing fees they pay go to the Burmese Government. Just like they do in every country in the world. Yes, it's a bit of a shame that the Government of Burma is not very nice, but it's hardly being held afloat by suitcases full of cash being left in the dark alleys of Rangoon by Jetstar officials. So, while they are the official Government of Burma, they receive money in the form of taxes and fees legally levied against airlines that operate in their country. Just like every other nation on Earth.

It is incredibly unfortunate that the benignly named “State Peace and Development Council” should remain in charge of Burma after over forty years. It even makes it understandable, to some extent, that any story emanating from Burma provokes and emotive response. However, there are some beat ups that just don't have to beaten up.

In desperate need of a knee jerk response to shore up their flimsy story, the media managed to wheel out that monotone hornet Bob Brown, who demanded that Jetstar stop flying into this “repressive nasty regime”. Alright Bob, so we’ll cut them off will we? Let's think about that for a sec.

Me, I reckon that cutting off the aerial links to Burma may actually be a bit heavy handed. While it baffles me that anyone would want to go to such a country, maybe those who do should be allowed to. Who knows, maybe the money spent in local shops, and exposure to outside ideas, people and culture will go some way to galvanising the growing groundswell of popular resentment against the regime; maybe it’s even a way to speed up its demise.

You're not off the hook Jetstar, you've got a mighty amount of work to do to be regarded a decent corporate citizen. But keep the lines of communication open in Burma, it'll probably be good for you both.

Just a thought.

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