Need to know
- 2 out of 5 survey respondents said they'd had a flight cancelled or delayed in the last 12 months
- 85% of those whose flights were delayed were not provided accommodation or meal vouchers
- CHOICE and the Consumers' Federation of Australia are calling for new passenger rights in a joint submission to the government's Aviation Green Paper
Few things are less certain these days than the flight you paid for taking off on time – or taking off at all.
In a recent survey of nearly 9000 CHOICE supporters, two out of five respondents said they'd had a flight cancelled or delayed in the last 12 months.
Based on this snapshot, your chances of getting what you paid for from an airline for some flights are only slightly better than 50/50.
Of those who had suffered the terminal torpor of flight delays, 85% were not provided the decency of accommodation or meal vouchers.
"As we head into the Christmas season, a huge number of people will be relying on flights to visit family and friends. Unfortunately, our survey of people from across the country has found consumers still face a number of difficulties when dealing with the aviation industry," says CHOICE senior campaigns and policy adviser Bea Sherwood.
No reason, no refund
Well over half of those we surveyed (63%) reported that when their flight had been cancelled, they were not told why.
It appears that flight cancellations have become so routine that the airline doesn't even bother to explain.
The fact that people continue to experience such significant difficulties with air travel is simply not good enough
CHOICE senior campaigns and policy adviser Bea Sherwood
And of those who attempted to get a refund, 47% received it within a month, but 20% didn't get their money back for over six months.
"The fact that people continue to experience such significant difficulties with air travel is simply not good enough," Sherwood says, adding that the survey findings "do not bode well for the upcoming busy Christmas and New Year period when airports will be flooded with travellers flying to visit loved ones".
CHOICE calls for new rights
The time for a close look at what's gone wrong with the aviation industry has clearly come, which is why CHOICE and the Consumers' Federation of Australia have made several commonsense recommendations in our submission to the federal government's Aviation Green Paper – a consultation process that invites feedback from across the aviation sector, including from airline passengers.
Our recommendations include:
- minimum compensation arrangements for delayed or cancelled flights
- clearer rights to refunds
- minimum requirements for travel vouchers and credits
- minimum requirements for customer service.
We also want to see the establishment of a new independent travel and tourism industry ombudsman whose remit and powers far surpass those of the industry-funded Airline Customer Advocate.
Of those who had suffered the terminal torpor of flight delays, 85% were not provided the decency of accommodation or meal vouchers.
Qantas reaches new lows
When you look at the recent history of Qantas, it becomes easier to understand why we've all been living in air travel hell for so long.
In August, the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC) took Qantas to court for allegedly selling seats between May and July 2022 on about 8000 flights that had already been cancelled.
The ACCC alleges that, on average, tickets were being sold for more than two weeks after Qantas had cancelled the flight.
In some cases, tickets were available for up to 47 days after the flight had been cancelled.
The ACCC's case is founded on the simple notion that it's false, misleading or deceptive when you don't let customers know in a timely manner that the flight they booked has been cancelled
Qantas then took an average of 18 days to pass along this information, and in some cases up to 48 days.
In defending itself, Qantas says that you are not actually reserving a seat when you book a flight, but buying something they ambiguously call a "bundle of rights".
The ACCC's case is founded on the simple notion that it's false, misleading or deceptive when you don't let customers know in a timely manner that the flight they booked has been cancelled so they can make other arrangements.
Instead, you leave them in travel limbo, a sort of layover on the way to travel hell.
Financial and emotional impacts
ACCC chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb summed up the feelings of many when the Qantas court case was announced.
"There are vast distances between Australia's major cities. Reliable air travel is essential for many consumers in Australia who are seeking to visit loved ones, take holidays, grow their businesses or connect with colleagues. Cancelled flights can result in significant financial, logistical and emotional impacts for consumers."
In its submission to the Aviation Green Paper, Qantas says a mandatory compensation scheme for passengers is likely to lead to higher fares. And the airline warns against a significant industry shake-up.
Reliable air travel is essential for many consumers in Australia who are seeking to visit loved ones, take holidays, grow their businesses or connect with colleagues
ACCC chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb
Chief corporate affairs officer Andrew McGinnes says the airline's submission "calls for careful thought around permanent policy changes in response to what was an unprecedented and temporary shock for the aviation industry as it came through the pandemic".
Yet it was the airline's treatment of customers as the pandemic lifted and flight credits proved difficult or impossible to redeem that led to it receiving a CHOICE Shonky award.
Surely a shake-up is in order.
"CHOICE looks forward to the federal government's final Aviation White Paper," Sherwood says. "We hope it will set out a clear plan to strengthen consumer protection in the aviation industry."
Sensible reforms such as an independent ombudsman scheme "will ensure people no longer have to deal with the emotional, financial and logistical hardships so many travellers have experienced over the past few years".
We're on your side
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With no self-interest behind our advice, you don't just buy smarter, you get the answers that you need.
You know without hesitation what's safe for you and your family.
And you'll never be alone when something goes wrong or a business treats you unfairly.
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Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.
