New laws set to go before federal parliament may provide airline passengers with greater protections against cancelled or delayed flights. The coalition plans to introduce a private senator’s bill in February aimed at boosting consumer protections, following the Qantas ticketing scandal and alleged ghost flights. Bridget McKenzie, the opposition transport spokeswoman, stated that the bill is designed to clean up Australia’s airline industry and ensure concrete protections for passengers by clarifying a passenger’s ticket details.
The private senator’s bill comes in the wake of data showing more than 2200 services were cancelled in Australia in December 2023, with Senator McKenzie emphasizing the need for better customer experiences following cancellations and delays. Calls for improved consumer protection have grown, with former consumer watchdog boss Alan Fels accusing Qantas of price gouging. Fels urged for more competition in domestic airlines, citing the aviation sector’s duopoly dominance by Qantas. Qantas responded by pointing out the presence of four large jet operators in the market.
Overall, these proposed laws seek to address the widespread disruption and customer dissatisfaction caused by cancelled and delayed flights, aiming to bring about improved protections for airline passengers in Australia.