Media release – Catherine King MP, Minister for Transport, 22 December 2024
Aviation Customer Rights Charter out for consultation
The Albanese Government is working hard to get Australian travellers a better deal, releasing the draft Aviation Customer Rights Charter today for public consultation over the summer period.
The Charter sets out the expectations of fair treatment by airlines and airports to their customers to ensure customers get what they pay for or get their money back.
The Australian flying public deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, and this includes receiving timely and fair remedies when their flight is cancelled or delayed.
That is exactly what this charter is about, providing clarity to consumers on their rights – giving them greater certainty about what they can expect, and where to go if these conditions are not met.
The Charter proposes that customers have the right to:
- be treated with dignity and respect, in an accessible and inclusive environment;
- accurate, timely and accessible information and customer service;
- prompt and fair remedies and support during and after cancellations, delays and disruptions;
- safe and timely baggage handling and fair remedies for damage and delays
- the protection of their personal information;
- provide feedback, make complaints and exercise their rights without retribution.
The Charter was one of the landmark commitments of the 2024 Aviation White Paper; it will be a first for Australia after years of increasing customer dissatisfaction in domestic aviation.
It has been informed by submissions received through the Aviation White Paper process, as well as feedback from customers and industry about the standards of service currently being experienced across the aviation sector.
I encourage the flying public, industry and other stakeholders to give their feedback on the draft charter before submissions close at 5pm on Friday, 28 February 2025.
Find out more, and have your say, by visiting www.infrastructure.gov.au/Aviation-Rights-Charter.
Media release – Choice, 23 December 2024
Consumer group responds to proposed new airline customer rights
Choice responds to the Federal Government’s announcement releasing the draft Aviation Customer Rights Charter for public consultation.
Quotes attributable to Rosie Thomas, Director of Campaigns at Choice:
“Choice welcomes the release of a proposed Aviation Customer Rights Charter. The announcement is an important step towards giving consumers clear rights when flights don’t go to plan.”
“For too long, consumers in Australia have had to navigate complex, inconsistent and often unsatisfactory rights outlined in the terms and conditions of each airline. An effective Charter of Rights should ensure clear minimum standards for all consumers, regardless of which airline they fly with.”
“Choice is pleased to see the Charter acknowledges that prompt refunds will be the default when a flight is not delivered. This should put an end to unfair policies forcing people to accept hard-to-use flight credits, as became common practice during the travel disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“We are concerned that the proposed Charter does not comprehensively acknowledge rights to compensation for delayed or cancelled flights. Introducing a European-style compensation scheme is one way to do this, but even without a similar scheme in Australia, consumers deserve clear guidance about their compensation rights under the consumer law’s existing consumer guarantees. CHOICE will engage with the consultation process to make sure this is rectified.”
“Choice also urges the Government to release full details of the proposed Aviation Ombuds Scheme as a priority so that we can assess the Customer Rights Charter with certainty about the complaints body that will administer it. As the flawed Airline Customer Advocate demonstrates, consumer rights are only as good as the complaints processes to enforce them.”
Read Choice’s submission on the Aviation Ombuds Scheme: https://www.choice.com.au/consumer-advocacy/policy/policy-submissions/2024/october/aviation-white-paper .
