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Coronavirus: how passengers are faring in the airline crisis

As coronavirus halts flights many passengers are being left with invalid bookings. How are airlines responding?

Cancelled flights now outnumber operating flights at many international airports. Picture: Jack Taylor/AFP
Cancelled flights now outnumber operating flights at many international airports. Picture: Jack Taylor/AFP

The airline industry’s woes as a result of the coronavirus crisis are being shared to a large extent by travellers.

As more and more flights are carved from schedules, an increasing number of travellers are left with invalid bookings.

Although many would prefer a refund, the airlines’ response has been to provide credit vouchers for which the terms and conditions vary significantly.

This is acceptable conduct, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, which urges airlines to treat customers fairly.

For Qantas, travellers with domestic or international bookings on now-cancelled flights up until May 31 will automatically be given a credit voucher, to avoid them having to call.

This must be redeemed within 12 months of the original booking.

Any bookings made with frequent flyer points will simply see the points returned to the traveller.

Jetstar customers with travel booked between March 31 and May 31 can also get a credit voucher of equal value, which must be used to book a flight within six months of it being issued, for travel within the following 12 months.

So if you make a booking in August, you will be able to fly anytime until August 2021.

Another catch with Jetstar is the vouchers have to be used in a single transaction so the credit from a cancelled flight to Bali, for instance, can’t be used for more than one alternative flight.

It is however possible to use the credit on things like hotels and hire cars booked in the same transaction on the Qantas or Jetstar website.

If bookings were made through a third party, such as Webjet or a travel agent, customers will have to go back to them to make changes.

Virgin Australia is also doing travel credit vouchers for anyone with domestic or international bookings up until June 30.

The vouchers are valid for 12 months from the time of issuing but Virgin has stressed it will be flexible for customers.

With many travellers preferring to hold off on any new bookings until it’s clearer when the coronavirus crisis might ease, there are concerns whether they will even be able to use the vouchers.

The International Air Transport Association has warned many airlines will not survive this crisis, and the aviation landscape could look much different after COVID-19.

Assuming flying returns to some sort of normality by the end of the year, it’s reasonable to think travellers will be able to book flights at a fairly good price.

After such an explosive episode for the industry, it will take some time for confidence to be restored and airlines will want to fill their seats as best they can.

How long any sale or honeymoon period may last for passengers is anyone’s guess, and will depend on the level of competition left in the airline industry.

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Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/aviation/coronavirus-how-passengers-are-faring-treated-in-the-airline-crisis/news-story/96a301a21197f80c6453c9b5c5602132