Move to fast-track new airline rules
Written by admin on August 26, 2024
The federal government will not wait for parliament to legislate its new airline ombudsman before beginning work on a “charter of rights” for customers, Transport Minister Catherine King says.
Ms King is set to unveil the government’s plan to bolster passengers’ rights on Monday morning. It involves an independent ombudsman with powers to compel airlines and airports to resolve customer complaints and report on their conduct.
It would also establish a framework outlining customers’ rights, including when passengers are entitled to a cash refund for cancelled or delayed flights.
“We know customers of airlines and airports have struggled to enforce their rights under Australian Consumer Law and this sets up a new independent ombudsman scheme to establish a charter of rights,” Ms King told the ABC.
“What has been happening for people is they have struggled to actually get anyone, often hours on phones trying to struggle to understand what it is they are entitled to and the ombudsman scheme allows that independent look – a complaints mechanism and it sets out clearly what the expectations are for the conduct of airlines and airports when it comes to customer rights.”
She said the ombudsman would be legislated and have powers to dish out and enforce penalties.
While it would not be able to take complaints until next year, Ms King said her department would appoint an interim ombudsman to kick things off while parliament mulled over the legislation.
“We want this to start as soon as possible,” she said.
“We have heard loudly and clearly that the experience of people at our airports and on our airlines hasn’t been what it should be or what they have paid for.”
She said the interim ombudsman would begin work immediately on developing a “charter of customer rights” for passengers, with the “scheme up and running next year”.
Under the scheme, airlines would also be forced to report reasons for delays to the government in a bid to increase transparency and public accountability.
The Australian Consumer and Competition Commission reported cancellation rates had fallen below the long-term average for the first time since October 2020 in its latest quarterly domestic aviation monitoring report.
More to come
