Qantas in firing line for Clark independent Andrew Wilkie

Ever felt stunned at the price of a flight’s return tickets? One independent MP expressed his frustrations with “scam” pricing, lodging a complaint with the ACCC.

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA, NewsWire Photos. SEPTEMBER 5, 2023: Andrew Wilkie during Question Time at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Independent Clark MP Andrew Wilkie started the new year with a swipe at what he calls “greedy airlines” for their pricing practices – with the MP lodging a complaint with Australia’s Competition and Consumer Commission.

A Boxing Day tweet from Mr Wilkie expressed frustrations with the nation’s flag carrier Qantas and what Wilkie alleged is a “scam” in the pricing of return tickets, something Qantas vehemently denies.

“I’ll be lodging a complaint to the ACCC ASAP about Qantas offering FF and cheap tickets outbound, but then no FF tickets and only big fares return,” Mr Wilkie wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

HOBART, AUSTRALIA – NCA NewsWire Photos – 31 AUGUST, 2023: Andrew Wilkie MP at the official opening of the Hobart Urgent Care Clinic. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Chris Kidd

“A scam. No, I’m not hoping to holiday anytime soon.

“Speaking up for people who’ve had a gutful of greedy airlines.”

Mr Wilkie explained that he has a personal interest in the aviation industry, with some of his family involved commercially, and has been monitoring the prices of return tickets for over a year.

“After monitoring ticket sales on the Qantas website throughout 2023, this practice appears regularly, especially for international flights,” he said.

“I believe Qantas is releasing frequent flyer and less expensive tickets for outbound flights, but often only making available relatively expensive options for the return journey, which I would characterise as deceptive conduct preying on customers’ belief that they have got a bargain.

“On some routes I analysed, return flights were two, three, even four times the cost of the departure ticket – it becomes a point when it is simply price gouging.”

This picture taken on December 6, 2023 shows a Qantas Airways Boeing 737-800 passenger aircraft taking off at Sydney’s Kingsford Smith international airport in front of a container ship berthed at the Port Botany container terminal. (Photo by DAVID GRAY / AFP)

Mr Wilkie’s tweet has gained traction online, with 100,000 views, 2900 likes and 220 comments, some people contacting Mr Wilkie to share their airline issues.

“One mother reached out to me and told me about airline cancellations with Jetstar that left them without a flight at the last minute in the airport, leaving them having to book a flight for their son at an extremely high cost to get him home,” he said.

Qantas has hit back at Mr Wilkie’s claims stating it is a case of customer demand for tickets that drives prices.

“Boxing Day sale fares are available in both directions of travel on all routes until sold out, allowing customers to secure return sale fares to their chosen destination,” a Qantas spokesman said.

“For example, Adelaide to Melbourne is $136 one way and Melbourne back to Adelaide $136 one way, for travel from February to April.

“In some instances, one direction of travel will sell out prior to the return direction of travel and as with all our sales the most popular routes sell out first.”

The spokesman said return ticket packages are packages of two one-way tickets that can sell out for certain routes and travel options.

Qantas says the best way to ensure the lowest fare is to book early as the lowest fares will sell out the quickest, travel at off-peak times like midweek and keep an eye out for regular flight sales.