Entitled traveller complains about Middle East flight delays

Entitlement is alive and well on social media.

Take this post on a Facebook travel site today:

“Stuck in Sydney. Due to fly to Manchester via Dubai. Not getting any help from Emirates. Tried ‘chat’ but they cut the connection before it even starts. Anyone getting assistance from Emirates?”

No one bothered to tell this self-absorbed person that Trump and Netanyahu's coalition of the crazy has turned the Middle East upside down with its attacks on Tehran.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and top security officials were killed as part of the US and Israel’s ongoing regime change attacks.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, meanwhile has pledged revenge and says it has launched attacks on 27 bases hosting US troops in the Middle East, as well as Israeli military facilities in Tel Aviv.

Explosions continue to be heard in Iran, Qatar and the UAE, Al Jazeera reports.

What Israel call “preventative” or "pre-emptive" attacks are what most civilised people call warmongering. But the timing could not be better for Trump, as he desperately tries to divert attention away from the Epstein Files.

The logic behind the attacks appears to be: "Those nasty foreign people want to have the same weapons we chosen people have. We have to attack them."

The end result is deaths across Iran, airports closed across the region and thousands of flights cancelled.

As one response to our self-absorbed flyer put it: "In the nicest possible way.... pull your head in .... War has broken out..... places are being bombed....Maybe think about how everyone is being impacted and scared.... worst places to be stuck than Sydney.... Emirates will be in touch as soon as they can and with a solution.....Goodness me".

Couldn't have said it better myself.

* Image: Tehran before the bombings  

Iran protests cause airline issues across the Gulf

Flights in the Gulf region are being cancelled over the weekend as a result of political protests in Iran.

Major international airlines have cancelled dozens of flights to and from Iran as a result of safety and logistical concerns, news hub Travel Mole reports.

Demonstrations in Iran have no been running for over two weeks, initially triggered by the country's deepening economic crisis. They have since evolved into a broader nationwide movement.

In response, authorities have imposed extensive internet outages and communication blackouts in several regions, complicating flight co-ordination, passenger communications and airport operations.

Turkish Airlines announced on Friday that it had cancelled 17 scheduled flights to Iranian cities including Tehran Airport (above), Tabriz and Mashhad for Friday and Saturday, citing regional developments.

Passengers were advised to check the airline’s website for updated flight information. Turkish low-cost carrier AJet and Pegasus also cancelled all their flights to Iran over the same two-day period.

Disruptions have extended right across the Gulf.

Data from Dubai Airport showed that multiple flights operated by Emirates and flydubai to Tehran were suspended on Friday.

Services to other Iranian cities - including Bandar Abbas, Lar, Mashhad and Shiraz - were also cancelled.

A flydubai spokesperson told local newspaper The National. “We will continue to monitor the situation closely and revise our flight schedule accordingly.”

In Abu Dhabi, national carrier Etihad Airways suspended all its flights to Iran until Tuesday at the earliest.

In Qatar, flights from Doha to Iran were cancelled on Friday.

Iranian airlines including Iran Air, Mahan Air and Qeshm Air are continuing to operate flights as scheduled.

Air safety officials axed after Indian flight chaos

India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has dismissed four officials overseeing IndiGo operations amid ongoing flight disruptions and cancellations across the country. .

Four Flight Operations Inspectors (FOIs) responsible for supervising operations at IndiGo, India's largest airline, are victims of the ongoing chaos, the India News Network reported.

“Contracts of these FOIs with the DGCA have been terminated in relation to the recent IndiGo crisis,” an DGCA spokesperson said.

The decision came in the wake of significant operational challenges that have led to widespread flight cancellations and delays over the past week.

The FOIs, who are senior pilots assigned to monitor the airline’s compliance with regulatory requirements, were tasked with ensuring IndiGo had the necessary crew resources for safe operations.

But the DGCA has returned them to their previous airline roles before the completion of their terms.

Local media reports indicate that the airline failed to adequately prepare for new flight duty time limitations (FDTL) set to take effect in July and November 2025.

These new regulations required IndiGo to hire additional pilots to comply with increased crew requirements.

Officials familiar with the matter said, the FOIs did not adequately address this critical issue, contributing to a pilot shortfall that hindered the airline's ability to operate effectively under the new rules.

As a result, the DGCA temporarily suspended the implementation of the new FDTL for Airbus A320 aircraft until February 2026 to prevent further operational disruptions.

So business first. Safety second?

IndiGo is working to stabilise its operations, with over 2,050 flights scheduled across 138 destinations on a single day.

IndiGo is one of the largest airlines in Asia with 64.2% domestic market share as of August. 

New safety rules? This airline just can't cope

Planning to fly with India's largest airline over the next couple of months?

Good luck with that.

IndiGo has apologised to passengers following several days of major fight disruptions and cancellations and said it may be month before its full schedule is back to normal.

IndiGo "deeply regrets the inconvenience caused", the airline said.

It cited the new pilot duty rules as a major factor, along with bad weather, and some technical issues, news hub Travel Mole reported.

The airline’s troubles stem largely from newly phased-in rules for flight crew which mandate extended rest periods and layovers.

Following emergency talks with the Indian Aviation Ministry, IndiGo said it will proactively cut its number of scheduled flights starting from December 8 in a bid to reduce cancellations.

So cancellations to reduce cancellations.

The airline has said it expects to resume its full flight schedule in February 2026.

IndiGo normally operates about 2,300 flights on average a day. It had reportedly cancelled over 900 flights in just four days leading into the weekend.

IndiGo, despite nearly two years’ notice, is struggling to make a successful transition to meet the new safety rules, Flight Radar reports.

Ferry compo failures damage Tasmania's tourism image

Tasmania's image as a welcoming tourist destination has been hobbled by failures from ferry operator TT-Line. 

TT-Line cancelled ferry sailings by Spirit of Tasmania 1 from Devonport to the Australian mainland during the week, leaving some travellers high and dry. 

Worse, ferry passengers were denied overnight accommodation and food vouchers when they were forced to spend extra days on the island. 

Spirit of Tasmania 1 travelled to Singapore in July as part of its scheduled maintenance program. 

Its departure from Singapore was then delayed by faults and paperwork problems, meaning TT Line had to cancel several services. 

People booked to sail on August 5, for instance, told the Hobart Mercury their sailing had been pushed back to Thursday."

Remember that the Spirit ferries are the only option for people travelling between Tasmania and the mainland with a vehicle. Unlike with airline passengers, there are no alternative sailings. 

TT-Line refused the delayed passengers any compensation, leaving passengers to fend/pay for themselves for the period they were delayed. 

They did offer to refund fares - which was absolutely useless for those travelling with a vehicle. 

A spokesperson for TT-Line told the newspaper that "no compensation outside of refunds would be offered".  So basically an FU to customers.

    
Perhaps because caretaker Tasmanian premier Jeremy Rockliff has a totally unneeded stadium to pay for. And budget bottom lines are out of control in Tassie (see below). 

TT-Line Company Pty Ltd, trading as Spirit of Tasmania, is a Tasmanian Government-owned business enterprise that has provided ferry services between mainland Australia and Tasmania since July 1993.

As it refuses to accept any responsibility when it lets its customers down potential users might want to make sure they have travel insurance. 

The team at Tourism Tasmania must be pulling their hair out in frustration. 

* TT-Line and TasPorts are the entities responsible for the fiasco regarding the two new Finnish-built ferry vessels currently on their way to Tasmania from Europe. These vessels cannot be used until a new dock is completed in Devonport - at the earliest sometime next year. The budget for the dock project has blown out from $90m to $375m during delays. The two new ferries were originally promised for 2021. 

The Tasmanian Government last week increased the debt limit for TT-Line after learning it would exceed its existing cap.

Tasmanian Treasury advised presumptive treasurer Guy Barnett that the TT-Line would breach its $990 billion debt cap in September. The approval enables TT-Line to borrow up to $410 million more from state financier TASCORP.

Happy days. 

Travel agents offer crucial advice to flyers

Do you have a flight booked to Europe via the Middle East? 

With escalating tensions impacting global aviation routes, the Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA) is advising Australian travellers to remain informed and not to cancel their flights.

Airspace closures over Iran, Israel and Russia have significantly narrowed flight corridors into Europe, with delays and route diversions common particularly for passengers transiting through Middle Eastern hubs such as Doha, Abu Dhabi and Dubai. 

Major carriers continue to operate with adjusted flight paths, and travellers using Singapore Airlines, Qantas or Cathay Pacific are experiencing minimal disruptions via Singapore and Hong Kong, ATIA says.

Airlines have well-established systems in place to navigate such restrictions, and have been operating under constrained conditions since the start of the Ukraine conflict. Travellers should expect some delays, but not panic.

ATIA says travellers will be contacted by their accredited travel agent or airline of delays and cancellations. 

It urges flyers to not contact agents or airlines unless they are travelling in the next three days. That enables those travelling immediately to be assisted. 

There is an increased chance of delays so travellers should be prepared that they may be spending some time airports as a result of schedule adjustments.

Avoid cancelling flights independently. When an airline cancels your flights you are entitiled to a full refund.

ATIA urges flyers to monitor official travel advice, particularly via the SmartTraveller website.

It says the evolving situation "reinforces the importance of booking through an ATIA accredited travel business as accredited agents and businesses are best placed to manage disruptions, rebook flights and ensure clients receive their full entitlements under Australian Consumer Law.

“Australians flying to Europe via the Middle East should be prepared for some delays, but it's important to know that global airlines have systems in place to manage these disruptions," says ATIA CEO Dean Long. 

"We’ve seen this before, and the travel ecosystem is built to respond.

“The closure of airspace is not new. Airlines have been rerouting around Russia and Ukraine for more than two years, and are now adjusting again. The airlines that fly to Australia have world leading safety protocols and route management.

“Travellers shouldn’t panic or cancel unnecessarily. The one thing we learned through Covid is don’t cancel as it reduces the number of rights you have. Let the airline make that decision. This approach ensures your rights are protected and you get the support you need.”

See www.atia.travel

Image: Kaydir Mumyakmaz, Scop.io

Booked to fly with Swiss? You might check your flight still exists

Have you booked a flight with Swiss International Airlines this northern hemisphere summer?

You might want to check that your flight still exists.

Swiss International, the replacement for Swissair, which went bankrupt in 2002, has announced it will cancel around 1,400 flights between now and October.

The cancellations are down to a pilot shortage, the airline says, and could see up to an average of 15 flights cancelled daily. 

Air passenger rights company AirAdvisor says it could impact up to 50,000 UK travellers alone, new hubs Travel Mole reports.

This includes those with connecting and indirect itineraries.

Swiss operates flights out of UK using London Heathrow, London City, Manchester and Edinburgh.

Anton Radchenko, founder of AirAdvisor, said: “With this latest wave of Swiss cancellations, summer just got more complicated for UK travellers. We’re not seeing a demand problem but a staffing and scheduling bottleneck.

“Flights are getting axed not because people aren’t flying, but because airlines don’t have enough fully trained pilots.”

Customers on cancelled Swiss flights can get a full refund and free re-routing.

“We regret that we are unable to offer the affected connections as originally planned," the airline said.

"In such cases, we inform the affected customers as early as possible.

“Schedule adjustments are made as far in advance as possible to minimise inconvenience and to find the best possible alternative travel solutions.”

Hmm.

"Without us, your are on your own": travel agents issue a reminder

It is easy nowadays to book yourself directly with airlines and hotels.

Using a travel agent may seem a little old fashioned - and sometimes more expensive. Until the excrement hits the fan.

Then a travel agent may have the clout to rescue your trip.

With thousands of Australians impacted by the closure of one of the world’s most important airports, London Heathrow, and flight cancellations due to the ash cloud in Indonesia, Australian travel agents took the opportunity to remind potential customers what it is they do: solving problems, rebooking flights, and getting stranded travellers home.

The fire and subsequent power outage at Heathrow created significant travel chaos: disrupting flights worldwide and leaving Australian travellers scrambling for solutions. 

The ripple effect on Australians' travel plans was substantial, compounded by ongoing cancellations and delays due to volcanic activity in Indonesia.
"When travel plans fall apart, accredited travel agents are the difference between a quick resolution and being stuck in limbo," the Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA), which represents travel agents, operators, wholesalers and ITOs, said in a statement.

"Members are working around the clock to support Australian travellers, demonstrating why professional travel assistance is essential. Travel agents are rebooking flights, securing alternative routes, and ensuring travellers make it to their destinations with minimal disruption." 

In times of crisis, travel agents negotiate with airlines and suppliers on behalf of their clients, ensuring fair outcomes, ATIA says.

"The reality is clear: travellers who book through accredited agents and travel businesses have a trusted advocate when the unexpected happens. 

"ATIA urges Australians to always book with an ATIA-accredited travel business to ensure they have the support they need when global events impact their plans."

ATIA CEO Dean Long says: “The scale of disruption caused by Heathrow’s shutdown and the Indonesian ash cloud demonstrates just how critical Australia’s travel agents and businesses are when things go wrong. 

"Every day, ATIA-accredited travel businesses are working behind the scenes to rescue stranded travellers, reroute itineraries and provide trusted advice in real time.

“When the unexpected happens, choosing an ATIA accredited travel business means having the support you need to get back on track - because without a travel agent, you really are on your own.”

See www.atia.travel 

Image: Aleksei Popov, Scop.io

Airport chaos from Heathrow to Bali

From London to Denpasar, flights around the world are being delayed and rescheduled.

London Heathrow Airport (above) will be closed all day Friday as emergency services deal with a significant fire in the vicinity, local media reported.

All flights in and out have been cancelled or diverted after a fire at a nearby substation caused a major power outage.

In Bali, meanwhile, flights have been cancelled due to a volcano erupting.

"Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport and should contact their airline for further information. We apologise for the inconvenience," Heathrow Airport said on Facebook.

At least 120 flights bound for Heathrow have been diverted, flight tracking website FlightRadar24 recorded.

Flights were to land at nearby airports, including Gatwick.

Meanwhile, travellers have been stranded after flights to and from Bali were cancelled and delayed due to volcanic ash caused by the eruption of Mount Lewotobi on the south-eastern part of the remote Indonesian island of Flores.

The volcano was sending rocks, lava and ash about nine kilometres into the sky, Indonesia's Centre for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation said.

Visitors and tourists were ordered to maintain an eight-kilometre distance from the volcano.

There is also a threat of rain-induced lava floods in rivers that originate at the mountain's peak. 

As of Friday morning "several international flights had been cancelled, six of them Jetstar flights bound to Australia and one Air Asia flight to Kuala Lumpur,” Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport spokesperson, Andadina Dyah, said in a statement.

Several other flights - domestic and international and including to Thailand, Singapore and Australia - had been delayed.

British Airways trims US flights - but it has nothing to do with the election

British Airways has cut two more daily US flights - but it has nothing to do with a reduction in bookings after the election of Donald Trump.

The cutbacks are due to a projected lack of aircraft due to maintenance issues, new portal Travel Mole reports.

BA is temporarily scrapping daily flights to Dallas/Fort Worth for the next northern summer with the flight suspension from March to October 2025.

Additionally, the airline will remove the second daily flight from London to Miami, which was only recently announced as a year-round service.

The airline has already cut New York flights from London Gatwick due to issues over the delivery of engines and parts from Rolls-Royce.

“We’ve taken this action because we do not believe the issue will be solved quickly, and we want to offer our customers the certainty they deserve,” the airline said in a statement.

“We’ve apologised to those affected and are able to offer the vast majority a flight the same day with British Airways or one of our partner airlines.”

BA’s transatlantic partner American Airlines will help pick up the slack for Dallas and Miami.

American said it is resuming its second-daily flight to London Heathrow from South Florida.

British Airways cancels hundreds of flights

British Airways has been forced to cancel hundreds of long-haul flights over the next few months, blaming what it says are engine issues. 

BA says it has been forced to ground several aircraft, news portal Travel Mole reports.

The airline will cut daily flights from London Gatwick to New York JFK over the northern hemisphere winter.

BA blames delays on receiving spare parts and replacement Trent 1000 engines that power its Boeing 787 Dreamliners.

The airline operates a fleet of 40 787s.

Five of its 787s are to be grounded and it says some Boeing 777 planes also need routine maintenance.

“We’ve taken this action because we do not believe the issue will be solved quickly," the airline said in a statement. "We want to offer our customers the certainty they deserve.” 

BA will cut one flight a day from London Heathrow to Doha and postpone the re-start of Kuala Lumpur flights, which were scheduled to resume next month.

Scoot flights failing to take off

Do you have a booking with Singapore-based budget airline Scoot?

It might be worth having a back-up plan.

Scoot has been forced to cancel several flights during May citing a "variety of operational reasons", industry news portal Travel Mole reports.

Supply chain issues are at the heart of Scoot's problems.

The airline says it is suffering a shortage of aircraft parts, which is affecting its reliability record.

The Singapore Airlines-owned carrier hasn’t revealed how many flight cancellations it will make this month.

“Scoot sincerely apologises to all affected customers for the inconvenience caused by this disruption,” it said.

“We proactively contacted all affected customers.”

For customers it is unable to rebook on other flights, Scoot will offer refunds on unused portions of their tickets. Which is not great if time is of the essence. 

Multiple cruises cancelled as new ship will not be ready

When you book a cruise on a brand-new ship you are taking a big risk: as thousands of would-be cruisers discovered this week.

Princess Cruises has announced new ship Star Princess’ debut will be delayed by months - and that nine planned cruises have had to be cancelled, Travel Mole reported.

Princess and leading Italian ship builder Fincantieri announced a mutual decision to postpone the delivery of the Sphere Class ship from July 29, 2025, to September 26, 2025.

So bad luck if you have a booking.

“Despite our relentless pursuit to deliver the ship in late July, it has become evident that additional time is required,” said John Padgett, president of Princess Cruises.

The new inaugural sailings of Star Princess will be round-trip from Barcelona and include an 11-day Mediterranean cruise on October 4, 2025, and a seven-day Mediterranean cruise on October 15, 2025.

They will precede a 14-day transatlantic crossing to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on October 22, 2025, for the ship’s first Caribbean season.

Guests booked on any of the cancelled voyages will be given three options: book any Princess cruise worldwide, including aboard the new Star, sister ship Sun Princess, or any other Princess ship.

Guests who elect to re-book will receive future cruise and onboard-credits depending on the cruise they select.

But customers will also have the option to cancel and receive a full refund, which you'd expect many of them to take.

Star Princess is the second in the new Sphere Class of ships for Princess, following sister ship Sun Princess, which debuted in February.

These ships feature The Dome, an industry-first geodesic feature on the top deck, and The Sphere, the suspended glass Sphere Piazza at the centre of the ship.

When the customer is wrong. Very wrong.

 

Times are tough in the hospitality industry. 

Costs are rising, good staff are hard to find and even harder to hold on to, and customers are resisting price increases. 

We've all heard stories, probably from friends, as to how they've booked dinner at a couple of places and will decide later which one to visit. 

They may, or may not, bother to cancel their second reservation. 

Because a lot of people are assholes. 

Which is why many restaurants are now demanding deposits when you make a booking. Non-refundable if you cancel without a reasonable excuse. 

Here's an example. 

A small regional business that I know recently took a booking for 80 people: a group who wanted to get together for drinks after an event. 

That meant the establishment had to halt serving food, drinks and coffees to the public - including regular customers - for a couple of hours. And put on an extra staff member for the bar. 

What happened? Of the 80 people who booked, 33 turned up. 

And they ordered an average of one drink each. 

No apology. Just entitlement. 

So next time you are forced to stump up an non-refundable deposit you can think people like them. 

Image: David Rubin, Scop.io  

Airlines switch flight routes amid Middle East Tensions

Planning to fly to/from or over the Middle East? Prepare for schedule changes, delays or cancellations.

Qantas is just one of several major airlines to announce the re-routing of its international flights to avoid airspace over the Middle East amid escalating tensions in the region.

The decisions come in response to growing concerns over the safety and security of air travel following Israel's ongoing bastardry (sorry, murderous self-defence tactics).

In addition to Qantas, airlines including Emirates, Etihad Airways and British Airways have also made adjustments to flight paths.

Qantas has said it will re-route its flights between Australia and Europe to avoid flying over the Persian Gulf and Iraq.

British Airways has announced that it will temporarily suspend flights to and from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qantas's direct Perth-London flights will now stop in Singapore for re-fuelling.

This is due to the extra distance required to avoid "at risk" airspace in the region. Qantas says it could add several hours to the total journey time.

SWISS, meanwhile, announced that "in view of the latest developments in the Middle East, we have decided to suspend SWISS flight operations to and from Tel Aviv Airport (top) until further notice. At SWISS, the safety of our crews and our passengers always has paramount priority.

"We continue to monitor the situation in the Middle East as closely as possible. Our specialists are constantly assessing all the available information, and are also in close and regular contact with all the relevant authorities both locally and in Switzerland."

The US, UK Canada and Australia have all issued advisories urging their citizens to stay vigilant and monitor developments closely.

The UK Foreign Office issued an urgent travel warning for more than a dozen countries in the southern Mediterranean and Middle East region.

”There is rising tension between Iran and Israel. Any military action could escalate quickly and could pose risks for the wider region,” it said.

“If you are in the region, or considering travel to the region, monitor news updates and continue to check FCDO travel advice.”

The travel warning covers Dubai, Morocco, Qatar, Egypt and Tunisia. Also included are Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Bahrain, Kuwait, Libya, Yemen, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Oman and Lebanon.

In the United States, the State Department issued a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory for Israel.

Australian airlines must do better, CHOICE demands

Australians are sick and tired of shoddy service from airlines, consumer group CHOICE has revealed.

A new survey of almost 9000 supporters has found 40% of respondents had a flight cancelled or delayed in the past 12 months.

My experience indicates a much higher level of delays - and a lack of concern from the carriers.

“As we head into the Christmas season, a huge number of people will be relying on flights to visit family and friends," says CHOICE Senior Campaigns and Policy Advisor Bea Sherwood.

"Unfortunately, our survey of almost 9000 people from across the country has found consumers still face a number of difficulties when dealing with the aviation industry.

“Our survey found two in five respondents had their flight cancelled or delayed in the past year - and this does not bode well for the upcoming busy Christmas and New Year period when airports will be flooded with travellers flying to visit loved ones.

The survey also found: 63% of respondents who had a flight cancelled said there was no reason provided for the cancellation, and 65% said they found the cancellation process somewhat or very hard.

Of those who pursued a refund for a flight cancellation, 47% received it within a month. Others faced significantly longer wait times, with 20% having to wait over six months for a refund.

Meanwhile, 85% of respondents who had a flight delayed were not offered accommodation or meal vouchers.

“The fact that people continue to experience such significant difficulties with air travel is simply not good enough," says Sherwood. "Our survey found people are feeling frustrated as flights continue to be delayed and cancelled, often without reason or sufficient warning.

“To make matters worse, many customers do not receive satisfactory refunds or compensation when their flight is delayed or cancelled. For those who do actually end up receiving a refund, they often have to fight tooth and nail with the airline for months.”

CHOICE has been advocating for reform to the aviation sector for many years, and together with the Consumers’ Federation of Australia have recently made a submission to the Federal Government’s Aviation Green Paper, calling for new airline specific consumer protections.

These protections include the establishment of a new independent travel and tourism industry ombudsman scheme, minimum compensation arrangements for delayed or cancelled flights, clearer rights for refunds, and minimum requirements for travel credits.

“CHOICE looks forward to the Federal Government’s final Aviation White Paper," says Sherwood.

"We hope it will set out a clear plan to strengthen consumer protection in the aviation industry. Sensible reforms such as an independent ombuds scheme will ensure people no longer have to deal with the emotional, financial and logistical hardships so many travellers have experienced over the past few years.”

Image: Antony Trivet, Scopio. 

Consumer watchdog unleashes on Qantas

Consumer watchdog the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission is sometimes derided as a toothless tiger, accused of failing to act against serial offenders.

Today, however, the ACCC has initiated legal action in the Federal Court of Australia against national airline Qantas, alleging that the carrier has engaged in "false, misleading or deceptive conduct" by advertising tickets for flights that it had already cancelled, sometimes weeks earlier.

The ACCC has accused the airline of selling tickets for more than 8,000 flights scheduled to depart between May and July 2022, alleging the Australian flag carrier kept selling tickets on its website for what is alleged to be an average of more than two weeks - and and in some cases for up to 47 days -after the cancellation of the flights.

The ACCC also believes that for more than 10,000 flights scheduled to depart in May to July 2022, Qantas did not notify existing ticketholders that their flights had been cancelled for an average of about 18 days.

The ACCC alleges that Qantas did not update its “Manage Booking” web page for ticketholders to reflect the cancellations.

“We allege that Qantas’ conduct in continuing to sell tickets to cancelled flights, and not updating ticketholders about cancelled flights, left customers with less time to make alternative arrangements and may have led to them paying higher prices to fly at a particular time not knowing that flight had already been cancelled," the ACCC said.

The action comes at a particular interesting time with the Australian government lately being accused of giving Qantas favourable treatment over its rivals.

The ACCC is Australia's national competition, consumer, fair trading and product safety regulator.

“The ACCC has conducted a detailed investigation into Qantas’ flight cancellation practices," ACCC chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said.

"As a result, we have commenced these proceedings alleging that Qantas continued selling tickets for thousands of cancelled flights, likely affecting the travel plans of tens of thousands of people.

“We allege that Qantas’ conduct in continuing to sell tickets to cancelled flights, and not updating ticketholders about cancelled flights, left customers with less time to make alternative arrangements and may have led to them paying higher prices to fly at a particular time not knowing that flight had already been cancelled.

“There are vast distances between Australia’s major cities. Reliable air travel is essential for many consumers in Australia who are seeking to visit loved ones, take holidays, grow their businesses or connect with colleagues. Cancelled flights can result in significant financial, logistical and emotional impacts for consumers.”

As an example of the conduct, the ACCC said ticketholders scheduled to fly on Qantas flight QF93 from Melbourne to Los Angeles on May 6, 2022, were first notified of the cancellation on May 4, two days before the scheduled departure and four days after Qantas had cancelled the flight.

One consumer was provided with a replacement flight a day before their original departure date, which was communicated only by the Qantas app. As a result, the consumer had to change connecting flights and had a 15-hour layover in Los Angeles, which had a significant impact on the consumer and left them $600 out of pocket.

The ACCC is seeking orders including penalties, injunctions, declarations, and costs.

Brexit crows come home to roost

The majority of Britons voted to leave the European Union and now they are reaping what they sowed.

Tens of thousands of British passport holders have been left stranded across airports all over Europe after yet another series of flight cancellations and immigration queue delays over the current holiday period.

Many travellers were due to return to the UK over the weekend but 100 flights were cancelled due to the ongoing issues with staff shortages that have plagued airports for months.

Lengthy queues - with Britons overseas forced to queue in "Non EU" lines, mass cancellations and delays are the fault of Brexit, London mayor Sadiq Khan has said.

He has called on the Government to relax immigration rules and allow European workers who were employed in the aviation industry before Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic to return in order to plug the labour shortage in the sector.

Transport minister Grant Shapps, however, accused travel bosses of “cutting too far” during the pandemic and said it was up to the sector to solve the issues. Shapps is apparently not very bright.

British media reported passport holders infuriated at being held in long queues, while holders of Irish passports (part of the EU) whizzed through immigration formalities across Europe.