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Qantas urged to 'do better' after complaints about airline soar
Qantas is the nation's most complained about airline, according to the to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), with contacts to the regulator up by nearly 70 per cent.
New data showed the ACCC was contacted nearly 1740 times over the 2021-2022 financial year, more than any other airline, and 68 per cent up on the previous year.
The data was collected following a period of staff shortages and supply chain issues.
READ MORE: Airfares down from 15-year high, but people still flying less
The number of contacts about Qantas was more than one-third higher than the second-most reported company, according to the ACCC.
Leading complaints included issues related to refunds and flight credits related to flights cancelled due to pandemic travel restrictions, and delayed and cancelled flights in mid-2022.
Complaints to the consumer watchdog involving Jetstar declined 33 per cent from 2020-21 to 544, and complaints related to Virgin Australia fell 27 per cent to 359.
"As Australia's largest airline [Qantas], and an airline that generally charges a premium to fly, consumers expect a better service," the ACCC report said.
READ MORE: Sydney commuters told to be prepared for more possible delays
"Qantas needs to do more to adequately invest in its systems, processes and people to dramatically improve its customer contact services and customer dispute resolution."
The consumer watchdog said it is continuing to investigate issues raised by consumers about Qantas.
The ACCC also found plane tickets have eased from their 15-year highs, but are still well above pre-pandemic levels.
And while airlines have increased capacity on domestic routes, people are flying less than they did before the pandemic.
Airfares hit a 15-year high in December last year, but discount tickets dropped by a third in January.
The ACCC cited the invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent jump in oil prices as a major cause of airfare rises.
9News.com.au has contacted Qantas for comment.
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