Consumer NZ has launched a flight complaints portal for passengers to share complaints and learn about their rights, whether they’ve had a cancelled or delayed flight, a missing bag or another airline problem.
The advocacy organisation will consolidate the complaints it receives and put them to the airlines and government for action. People who use the portal will also get access to Consumer’s top tips for navigating travel troubles.
Research by Consumer found that nine out of 10 people are not fully aware of their flight rights, and more than three quarters of travellers rely on the airline for information about their rights.
Unlike many other countries, including those in the EU, in New Zealand there are no rules requiring airlines to tell passengers about their rights if things go wrong.
“If people take the time to share their experience with us, they will be helping to build the case for better communication of passengers’ flight rights,” says Jessica Walker, Consumer campaigns manager.
Fighting for a fairer deal
Earlier this year, Consumer delivered a flight rights petition to parliament, signed by more than 10,500 people, calling on the government to require airlines to tell passengers their rights when flights are delayed or cancelled.
“Last week, we were invited to speak to the parliamentary petitions committee about our flight rights petition,” Walker says.
“We urged the committee to make regulations requiring airlines to clearly inform passengers of their rights at the point of disruption – just like in Europe.
“While the politicians consider our request, we, a not-for-profit, are filling the information gap to try and protect passengers from being left out of pocket when their flights don’t go to plan.”
Your rights explained
Consumer has also launched a new flight rights information hub that clearly explains passenger rights in different scenarios.
“Many passengers don’t know that they have legal protections under the Civil Aviation Act and the Consumer Guarantees Act,” Walker says.
When delays or cancellations are within an airline’s control, a passenger has specific rights. For example, if a domestic flight is delayed due to operational issues, the passenger can ask the airline to reimburse any reasonable costs they incur beause of the cost of the delay, up to 10 times the cost of the ticket.
If an international flight is cancelled or delayed and the airline is at fault, passengers are often entitled to a refund and to claim back other costs too. International flight rights depend on where you are, where you are heading, and, sometimes, where the airline is based. More than one set of rules might apply to the same journey.
“The law is so complex, so unclear and so poorly communicated that most people don’t realise they have rights – let alone how to enforce them. And if people don’t know their rights, those rights might as well not exist,” Walker says.
“Whether it’s a domestic flight cancellation, international flight delay or luggage that’s damaged or missing – we’ve got your back.”