Two out of five Australians say they have had a flight cancelled or delayed in the past 12 months, in news that makes me want to take my chances on the overnight bus.
Data collected by Choice showed that Aussies are unhappy with their airlines, saying that travellers had about a 50/50 chance of getting what they paid for.
The survey collected responses from 9000 people from across Australia.
When it came to refunds, things weren’t much better. Of those who tried to get refunded, less than half of people said they got one within a month, and 20% said a refund took longer than six months.
Well over half of people whose flight was cancelled (63%) weren’t even given a reason why. “It appears that flight cancellations have become so routine that the airline doesn’t even bother to explain,” Choice said
Choice senior campaigns and policy adviser Bea Sherwood said consumers around Australia were still facing a number of “difficulties” when dealing with the aviation industry.
“The fact that people continue to experience such significant difficulties with air travel is simply not good enough,” she said.
“[The 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.”
It’s more bad news for an industry already deeply unpopular with its passengers. Earlier this year, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) took court action against Qantas after alleging the airline had sold thousands of tickets for flights it had already cancelled. It alleged the airline then did not tell ticket holders for days and sometimes weeks after a flight was cancelled.
Qantas responded by arguing that passengers weren’t actually buying tickets, but rather a “bundle of rights”. It even said it couldn’t guarantee flights and that there was no “fee for no service”.
What happens next?
In response to the criticisms against the industry, the federal government has opened submissions to its Aviation Green Paper. The paper is a consultation process that allows feedback from across the aviation sector, including from passengers.
Recommendations made included minimum compensation arrangements for delayed or cancelled flights, clearer rights to refunds, minimum requirements for travel vouchers and credits and minimum requirements for customer service. Such schemes could be similar to a system used in Europe, where passengers are entitled to compensation if they arrive at a destination more than three hours late.
Airlines disagree, arguing that mandatory compensation will lead to higher ticket prices. They also warn against significant policy changes, saying they would be an overreaction to a tough period for airlines during the pandemic.
Submissions to the green paper have now closed and will influence the government’s White Paper, due to be released mid-2024. Whatever happens, let’s hope we will all soon be spending a little less time in airport lounges.
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