Flight cancelled or delayed? Here’s how to get a refund in Australia
If you face a flight cancellation or an unreasonable delay in Australia, airline policies might be more accommodating than you think. Here’s what to do.
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There are a few phrases no-one ever wants to hear at an airport.
However, none causes a symphony of groans quite like “flight cancellation”.
It doesn’t matter if you’re travelling for business, making the most of an epic flight deal, visiting family, or making your way home, cancellations come with an instant headache.
What do you do if your flight is cancelled? What if it’s delayed and you incur extra costs as a result? Are you entitled to a refund? How do you get your hands on the money if you are?
Many of us will have to deal with flight cancellations at some point.
More than 5.1 million people boarded domestic flights in January 2024, according to the latest government figures, up almost 7 per cent from the same time last year.
The cancellation rate was just over 3 per cent, but that increased to 4 per cent in February, meaning tens of thousands of people are affected every month.
Here’s what you need to know.
What to do if you flight is cancelled?
The first thing to do if your flight is cancelled is to visit the airline’s information desk and ask to be booked onto a new flight.
If seats are available, the airline will book you onto the next available flight – however, this can vary widely, depending on where you’re going and how many flights are operating.
Seats could be available later that day, later that week, or not at all.
Cancellation policies vary from airline to airline and the rules surrounding refunds will depend on the terms and conditions you agreed to when you purchased your ticket.
That said, Australian Consumer Law offers an extra layer of protection, requiring airlines to guarantee they’ll provide a flight within a “reasonable” time after a cancellation or delay.
If they fail to meet this requirements, they may have to pay compensation, whether you’ve booked directly with the airline or via a travel agent or third-party platform.
Depending on the situation, the airline may offer an alternative flight, meal vouchers, transfers, accommodation, or a refund if the delay or cancellation was within its control.
It will also assist you if you miss a connecting flight on the same airline.
However, if you choose to book a flight with a different airline, you’ll need to wear those costs yourself — hang onto your receipts in case you can claim those costs later.
The airline won’t cover costs at the other end, for example, a day or two of your holiday.
For that reason, you may want to consider purchasing travel insurance as well.
Where do I find my airline’s cancellation policy?
• Qantas compensation and refunds policy
• Virgin Australia guest compensation policy
• Jetstar compensation and refunds policy
• Rex FAQs
What to do if your flight is delayed?
Patience is key if your flight is delayed.
Download your airline’s app and opt in for notifications so you’re up to date with the latest information, including your new scheduled departure time.
You can also check in with the airline desk and see if any alternative flights are available.
Refunds depend on whether the delay is “reasonable”.
There is no set definition for this, but according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), it depends on the length of the delay, whether it was within the airline’s control, whether an alternative flight was available, and when that flight is set to depart.
Most times, you can work this out with your airline, but if you do need to escalate the issue, visit the ACCC website to learn your rights.
It’s important to turn up at the airport at the original time, just to make sure you’re there and ready to go in case things change again – for example, if a safe weather window opens earlier than expected.
You won’t be eligible for a refund if you change your mind or miss the flight.
How to get a refund on flights?
The first step to getting a refund is determining whether you’re entitled to one.
This depends on a number of issues, including who makes the call to cancel.
Are you entitled to a refund if the airline cancels your flight?
Generally speaking, you may be entitled to a refund if the cancellation or delay was caused by something within the airline’s control, for example, issues with engineering issues, IT system outages, baggage, cleaning, catering, fuelling, and crew or staffing issues.
Travellers are typically not entitled to refunds for other issues, such as weather events, air traffic control issues, industrial action by a third party, security issues, border closures, or any other unforeseen circumstances the airline can’t control or could not have avoided.
How to get a refund from Qantas?
Qantas passengers are entitled to refunds in a number of circumstances:
• If the flight is cancelled and the airline can’t offer a suitable alternative
• If the flight is delayed to the extent that you have to cancel your trip
• If the airline makes a significant chance to the scheduled flight time and is unable to book you on an alternative flight that is acceptable to you
• If the airline causes you to miss a connecting Qantas flight on which you have a reservation
• If the airline is unable to carry you and you have a confirmed reservation
You can lodge your claim via the Qantas website or by calling 1300 659 161.
How to get a refund from Virgin?
Virgin Australia passengers can request refunds or credits if they meet these criteria:
• If the flight is cancelled prior to the day of travel, the alternative offered isn’t acceptable, and no suitable alternative arrangements can be made
• If the flight is cancelled on the day of travel and the next available Virgin Australia service (or another carrier’s service) to the same destination is not suitable
• If the scheduled service is delayed by two hours or more than no suitable alternative arrangements can be made, such as a new flight time or alternative carrier
Passengers can apply for refunds via Virgin’s Guest Contact Centre.
How to get a refund from Jetstar?
Jetstar passengers are entitled to a refund in the following situations:
• If the airline makes a change of three hours or more to your scheduled departure time
• If the airline changes the scheduled departure time by less than three hours, for a reason within its control, but you’re unable to use the booking and there is no acceptable alternative
• If the flight is overbooked and you have a confirmed reservation
Jetstar considers claims for all costs caused by the delay or cancellation of a flight on a case-by-case basis. You can lodge your claim via the Jetstar customer care page.
Howto get a refund from Bonza?
Bonza’s refunds policy is relatively simple:
• If a flight is cancelled within 72 hours of departure and the replacement flight offered doesn’t meet your requirements, Bonza will either provide a full refund or a credit
• A refund will be offered if the disruption is within Bonza’s control
• A credit will be offered if the disruption is outside Bonza’s control
Lodge your claim online by emailing feedback@flybonza.com.
How to get a refund from Rex?
Rex is not liable for any costs incurred as a result of a delay, diversion, or cancellation, according to its conditions of carriage. However, if a the airline cancels a flight for a reason within its control, customers may be eligible for refunds, credits, or booked flights.
Apply for a refund by calling the customer centre on 13 17 13 or using this form.
Can you get your money back if you cancel a flight?
It’s one thing if the airline cancels the flight, but it’s a different ball game entirely if you’re the one who opts out, so check your terms of carriage before you opt out.
Cancellation options vary widely from airline to airline and from ticket class to ticket class.
They also depend on the amount of notice you give and whether your seat can be resold.
For that reason, you may find different rules apply for cancellations at different stages leading up to your scheduled departure, which can affect the percentage of the refund.
How to find flight information?
The easiest way to check flight status is to download your airline’s app and enable notifications. If you’re at the airport, you can also watch the information boards or go to the airline’s service desk to check your flight details and make sure you’re up to date.
However, that’s not the only way to get information. Lots of people are using flight trackers, which often provide helpful insights before the official airline updates come through. You can punch your flight number into Google to find out estimated departure and arrival times as well as gate information. Alternatively, you can check out a live flight tracker such as Flight Stats, Flight Aware, or Flight Radar 24 to check a plane’s status. These are especially helpful if you’re delayed due to the late arrival of another aircraft, because you can see where the previous flight is and get an idea of how long you’ll be waiting for it to arrive.
Know your flight cancellation entitlements
Flight cancellation is a tricky business with a lot of variables.
The most important thing is to stay calm, stay on top of updates, be proactive in terms of advocating for your self, and to always be polite to airport and airline staff.
Remember you’re dealing with one headache while they’re dealing with hundreds.
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Originally published as Flight cancelled or delayed? Here’s how to get a refund in Australia
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