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Qantas fined US$66 million for misleading customers about cancelled flights
May 7th 2024
Qantas has been fined A$100 million (US$66 million) and directed to pay A$20 million in compensation to 86,000 customers. Read More » The penalties are part of a settlement with Australia's competition regulator in a legal action that examined allegations the airline had cancelled flights but not removed them from sale. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said the settlement included a Qantas admission it misled consumers by advertising tickets for tens of thousands of flights it had decided to cancel and that it cancelled thousands more flights without promptly telling ticketholders of the decision. “We are pleased to have secured these admissions by Qantas that it misled its customers and its agreement that a very significant penalty is required as a result of this conduct,” ACCC chair, Gina Cess-Gottlieb, said. “The size of this proposed penalty is an important milestone in enforcing Australian Consumer Law. The Qantas conduct was egregious and unacceptable.” The ACCC launched its legal action against Qantas in August last year. The settlement requires court approval. Qantas Group CEO, Vanessa Hudson, said: “We have since updated our processes and are investing in new technology across the Qantas Group to ensure this does not happen again.”
