Airlines

Qantas and Jetstar extend deadline for COVID flight credits

A Costly Mistake: Passenger Pays for Fuel After Disruptive Flight

Qantas and Jetstar are giving customers an extra 12 months to use their COVID credits, which are a carry-over from the unprecedented upheaval to borders and travel during the pandemic.

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Credits have been extended three times since 2020 and this final extension to the travel date is designed to make it easier for customers to use their remaining credits for domestic or international travel. Before today, customers had to book and complete their travel by 31 December 2023. Following this change, they will still have to book by 31 December this year but have until December 2024 to complete their travel.

This extension follows a number of other initiatives introduced over the past year to make using COVID credits easier. They include a dedicated Qantas helpline with specially trained staff, monthly reminder emails on credit balances and prompts to use flight credits in the online booking engine. Qantas customers can call the Travel Credit Concierge Team on 1300 171 505 or visit the Travel Credits Hub. Jetstar customers can use LiveChat to locate their voucher details.

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Today’s change also adds to offers introduced to encourage customers to book travel before their credits are due to expire, including a double points offer for Frequent Flyers last December and a Qantas “Find My Credit” tool, which will launch in April to help those who have lost track of their original booking details.

The travel date extension makes the Qantas and Jetstar COVID credit program more flexible than our main domestic competitor and one of the most flexible among global carriers – some of which have already expired their COVID credits.

Airlines

A Costly Mistake: Passenger Pays for Fuel After Disruptive Flight

A Western Australian man has learned a costly lesson after his unruly behavior on a flight resulted in the aircraft having to turn back. The passenger was ordered to pay over $5,000 in fuel costs, along with a significant fine, for causing the plane to divert.

The incident occurred in September 2023 when the man, who was not publicly named, became disruptive on a flight from Perth to Sydney. Due to his behavior, the pilot was forced to turn the plane around and return to Perth, which required dumping fuel to land safely.

The passenger pleaded guilty to charges of disorderly behavior and non-compliance with safety instructions. As a result, he was ordered to pay $8,630 to the airline to cover the cost of the wasted fuel and was also fined $6,055. This combined penalty of over $11,000 is a stark reminder of the severe consequences of disruptive behavior on flights.

While this is not a typical punishment, other cases of in-flight misconduct have resulted in hefty fines. One passenger in the United States was fined over $40,000 for a series of offenses, including bringing their own alcohol on board, being intoxicated, attempting to smoke marijuana, and sexually assaulting a flight attendant.

The Australian Federal Police emphasized that disruptive behavior on flights will not be tolerated. They warned that individuals who cause disturbances can face significant financial penalties and legal consequences. The case of the Western Australian passenger serves as a clear message that obeying airline staff and adhering to safety regulations is essential for a smooth and safe flight.