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ABC News
17-07-2025
- ABC News
Qantas travellers' bush stranding highlights Australia's need for aviation consumer law
Sancia Walker almost made it home from her holiday last week. But when her Qantas flight was grounded in Cloncurry due to a mechanical issue, she said she was left to find her own way home. "They told us: 'No, you actually need to find your own accommodation for the night,'" Ms Walker said. Ms Walker had to book a cabin overnight, instead of completing her trip from Townsville to Mount Isa. She said it was a scramble for the roughly 30 passengers to find accommodation in the town of 3,000 people last Wednesday. Ms Walker said ground staff promised Qantas would text or email each passenger overnight to let them know if a replacement plane or a bus would be provided the next day. The following morning, Ms Walker said she had not heard from the airline, so she organised for a colleague in Mount Isa to make the three-hour round trip via car to pick her up. She said Qantas contacted her three days after the flight, after she lodged a complaint, offering to reimburse her out-of-pocket costs for the accommodation and meals. Ms Walker said the airline would not refund the cost of the flight but offered 5,000 frequent flyer points instead. A return flight from Mount Isa to Townsville costs a minimum of 16,000 points. Qantas said the airline had apologised to customers affected by the delay and would be reviewing the situation. In a statement, they said a replacement aircraft was sent to Cloncurry the following day to help get customers on their way. "We'll also reimburse them for related expenses," they said. Ms Walker said she did not receive a text or email about a replacement flight, but saw the updated flight on her Qantas app when she opened it during her lift home. Aviation expert Ian Douglas said the experience highlighted Australia's lack of aviation-specific consumer laws. "If this had happened in Europe, Qantas would have been obliged by law to get the passengers where they were travelling, to accommodate them, feed them, care for them until that was done, and to have compensated them for the delay," he said. Dr Douglas, who worked for Qantas for 25 years and lectures at the University of NSW, said general Australian consumer law was not well-suited to disrupted flights. Each airline has its own policy regarding flight disruptions, but has limited legal obligations to get customers to their intended destination or refund fares. Dr Douglas said operating airlines with Australia's relatively small population and large distances was difficult, but it was not a unique issue — pointing to countries like Finland and Canada that have similar demographics and geography. "It's therefore more difficult to connect and service regularly, but that's not an excuse for leaving people stranded without resources," he said. Dr Douglas said the federal government needed to step in for any meaningful change to happen. "If there was a willingness to run the business differently, they could have done that already," he said. He pointed to a 2024 Aviation White paper, where the Australian government announced an ombudsperson to set out national guidelines for the fair and appropriate treatment of customers by airlines and airports. An interim ombudsperson has started drafting some rules, but so far has yet to see significant progress. "It's taken two years to implement something fairly mediocre," Dr Douglas said. "They've really been kicking the can down the road as far as not implementing the sorts of things that are considered basic rights in Europe and have been implemented in Canada and the US."
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Yahoo
Long lines plague Southwest Airlines at St. Louis Airport
ST. LOUIS – Southwest Airlines passengers at St. Louis Lambert International Airport faced unusually long lines Sunday morning, as large crowds – many from a major convention – created delays at check-in and baggage drop-off. Travelers took to social media to express their frustration, sharing photos of the long lines and crowded conditions at the airport. Some reported waiting up to three hours in line, with a few missing flights despite arriving early. Others said they had to reschedule due to canceled or delayed flights, with Southwest allegedly considering these 'no shows.' That means only vouchers, no refunds, leaving one passenger out around $12,000. A mission group traveling with children and seniors said the long wait in the heat was challenging, especially with limited access to water or vending machines. Airport police temporarily held entry doors closed to help manage crowd flow. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now The Seventh-Day Adventist convention also wrapped up this weekend. There were around 50,000 people in attendance, and many of them flew to St. Louis. Southwest later said wait times had improved and encouraged travelers to use their app for real-time updates. While the morning was hectic, operations appeared to stabilize by the afternoon. Lambert International released this statement Sunday night: 'This morning, St. Louis Lambert International Airport experienced a high volume of departing passengers. Much of this was due to the large number of delegates going home from the Seventh-day Adventists' General Conference. We understand many of the delegates arrived at the airport early for flights scheduled later in the day. The situation was exacerbated by most passengers needing to check bags and few of these passengers being a member of a program designed to expedite airport security, such as TSA Pre-check or CLEAR. This led to the airport ticket counters and TSA security lines being overwhelmed. St. Louis Lambert International Airport apologizes for any delay experienced today.' For the latest on flight delay information, visit Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Sun
03-07-2025
- The Sun
Ryanair couple banned from boarding their flight and left £500 out of pocket due to confusing passport rule
A COUPLE with a sick child have revealed they were banned from a Ryanair flight, and forced to pay £500, due to a confusing rule. Christina and Cameron Finn travelled with their young son to London from Belfast for a CBeebies event. Unable To Check In They had no issues entering England, but on the way back, they travelled via Dublin and were met with a series of problems. The couple were unable to check in for their flight on the Ryanair website due to technical issues, meaning that when they arrived at Stansted, they had to pay a £55 fee for not checking in online. Then Ryanair asked for the couple's passports, which were both expired, as they had been waiting for their son to arrive before renewing them. On their easyJet flight to London, they had used their driving licenses, with no issues. However, Ryanair staff allegedly refused to accept their driving licences, stating that because Christina is British, she needs a visa to fly to Dublin because the Republic of Ireland is in the EU. Christina argued with staff that under the Common Travel Agreement, passports and visas are not required by British and Irish citizens travelling between the two countries. Banned From Flight However, she claims that Ryanair staff said that she would be stopped by passport control in Dublin who would fine the airline "between £500 and £1,000" for letting her on board without a passport. The pair, whose five-month-old baby was sick and required medication, were informed by staff that their only option was to buy last-minute flights to Belfast, which set them back £500. Confusing Rule Christina phoned her mother to ask her for help with the hefty cost, and her mother quickly checked the government website, where it states that no visa or passport is required by British and Irish citizens for travel between the two countries. "I decided to ring the British embassy in Dublin who directed me to call the Irish embassy in London and the woman on the phone was horrified", Christina told Belfast Live. Passengers injured on Ryanair flight after being thrown against the cabin roof as plane 'flew into supercell storm' "She said there was no need for a visa." However, the embassy worker added that airlines are allowed to impose their own strict ID policies. Ryanair has defended its actions, telling the Irish Mirror: "These passengers failed to check in online before arriving at London Stansted Airport (5 June). "Therefore, these passengers were correctly asked to pay the required airport check-in fee (£55 per passenger), however refused to do so, and became aggressive towards the agents at the check in desk at London Stansted Airport." Advice for flying with Ryanair All Ryanair passengers can bring a small personal bag on board but this must fit under the seat in front of you, but it must be no bigger than 40cm x 20cm x 25cm Any over-sized cabin bags will be refused at the boarding gate and put in the hold for a fee Ryanair also charges passengers up to £55 check-in at the airport Anyone who loses their card at the airport will have to pay a £20 reissue fee Book to sit in the front five rows if you want to head off the plane first Extra legroom seats can be found in rows 1 A, B, C or 2 D, E, F as well as row 16 and 17 near the emergency exit The worst seat on Ryanair's Boeing 737-800 aircraft is also 11A because of its lack of window. The Irish airline added that their terms and conditions state that all passengers must carry a valid passport when travelling between the UK and Ireland. Christina said that the ordeal made her feel like a "second-class citizen." Ryanair has been contacted for comment.
Daily Mail
01-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Ryanair refuses to let family fly over confusing passport rule
An Irish family with a sick child claimed they were wrongly denied boarding on a Ryanair flight after being incorrectly told they needed a visa to travel from the UK. Christina Finn, her husband Cameron and their five-month-old son had travelled to London from Belfast for a CBeebies event on 27 May without any issues. But on their return journey from Stansted Airport, they experienced a series of problems, beginning with technical issues while checking-in online. Speaking to Belfast Live, she said: 'It wouldn't let me click through to our booking at all and I thought the issue was with my phone so when we got to the airport, we had to check in at the desk where we then had to pay a fine for not checking in online.' Things took a turn when Ryanair asked for the couple's passports – an Irish one for Cameron and a British one for Christina, which were both expired. The pair had been waiting for their son to arrive before renewing their passports, and in the meantime were able to use their driving licences as a valid form of identification for their outbound flight on easyJet. However, Ryanair staff allegedly refused to accept the documents, stating that Christina, a UK citizen, needed a visa to fly to Dublin because the Republic of Ireland is in the EU. Christina said she tried to argue that under the Common Travel Area agreement between between the UK and Ireland, no passport or visa is required for British or Irish citizens to travel between the two countries. The mother also explained that they lived in Northern Ireland and regularly travelled through Dublin. But she claimed Ryanair insisted she would stopped at passport control in Dublin and the airline would be fined 'between £500 and £1,000' for letting her fly without a valid passport. The couple, who were left stranded with their sick baby who requires medication, were told their only option was to buy last-minute direct flights to Belfast for €580 (£497). Christina said she was forced to ask her mother for extra funding towards the flight costs. While on the phone, her mother checked the official government website, which stated that no passport or visa is required for travel between the UK and Ireland for British or Irish citizens. Christina added: 'I decided to ring the British embassy in Dublin who directed me to call the Irish embassy in London and the woman on the phone was horrified. She said there was no need for a visa.' However, the couple were warned by the embassy worker that airlines are allowed to impose stricter ID requirements as part of their own policies. Ryanair has since defended its actions, saying the couple had not checked in online as required and had presented expired passports at the airport. In a statement to the Irish Mirror, the airline said: 'These passengers failed to check-in online before arriving at London Stansted Airport (5 June). 'Therefore, these passengers were correctly asked to pay the required airport check-in fee (£55 per passenger), however refused to do so, and became aggressive towards the agents at the check in desk at London Stansted Airport.' The airline also stated that all passengers must carry a valid passport when flying between the UK and Ireland, as per Ryanair's terms and conditions agreed to at the time of booking. Christina, however, feels the entire experience made her feel like a 'second-class citizen.' The airline told MailOnline: 'Ryanair does not accept driving licenses as a valid travel document for travel between Ireland and the UK. 'Passengers must present a valid passport for travel which these passengers did not and were correctly denied boarding from this flight from London Stansted to Dublin.' Meanwhile, Ryanair hit back at a couple who vowed they will 'never fly with the airline again' after their decision to not pay extra to reserve seats ended up getting them kicked off the flight. Scott McCormick and his girlfriend, Helena Boshwick, both 33, were set to fly from Birmingham Airport on May 1 to Palma de Mallorca, Spain, for a week-long break and gym mentorship event. The couple chose not to reserve seats - which typically costs between £4.50 and £33 per seat - prior to boarding as they 'didn't mind' sitting apart during the two-hour flight.
Daily Mail
30-06-2025
- Daily Mail
British kicked out of Corfu hotel and banned from TUI flight home after they complained about 'tepid' food at resort
A British couple were kicked out of their hotel in Corfu and denied boarding on their flight back after they made a complaint about the food. Paul Bell, 64, and wife Ellie, 65, who live in a coastal town near Newcastle, booked a week-long half-board getaway at the Terezas Hotel in Sidari after previously enjoying a stay there. However, their Greek island vacation was cut short when TUI removed them from the accommodation and said they wouldn't be able to get on their return plane journey - despite the couple booking a package deal. The pair were left hundreds of pounds out of pocket, having to arrange an alternative route back with Jet2, splash out for taxi to the airport instead of a transfer, and book into another place to stay for the remainder of their vacation. Paul says that he cannot understand why they were booted out - but added that his wife had previously been critical about the food they were served. Earlier in the holiday, Ellie had complained to the manager about the quality of the meals, which Paul described as 'tepid' and 'not very nice'. 'Some of the things you would get were rice with sprouts, or another time you'd have rice with a slice of beetroot in it,' he told Chronicle Live. 'My wife spoke to the manager twice, she complained about the food being inedible and he didn't seem interested. 'She asked him to join us for breakfast the next day so we could show him what we meant, but he never turned up.' The Terezas Hotel did not respond to request for comment. The couple went out for the day and said they 'had a word' with the holiday rep when they returned. The next day, while waiting for a day excursion to Corfu town, Paul and Ellie claimed they were handed a letter informing them they were unable to stay at the hotel for the remainder of their trip. TUI claimed that the decision was based on repeated incidents during their stay which were considered unacceptable and disruptive. However, Paul disputed this and alleges that TUI never asked him or Ellie for their version of events. The letter, dated May 20, read: 'You caused a serious disturbance by shouting inside the hotel restaurant in front of other guests, resulting in significant distress and disruption to the peaceful environment of the hotel'. It added: 'You directed aggressive and disrespectful language towards both hotel staff, the hotel owners, and TUI representatives on site.' Paul claimed that this is not the case and says the decision was made without anyone from TUI approaching them for an explanation. Paul says that he cannot understand why they were booted out of the four-star Terezas Hotel (pictured in a stock image) 'I don't remember anybody shouting,' he remarked. 'We only spoke to the rep on the day she was at the hotel and there was nothing disrespectful shown to her. 'They've never come and spoken to us to find out what happened, they've decided off what the manager has told them. But surely there are always two sides to a story? I was furious, because it spoiled the day we had planned.' Paul and Ellie said they were told to contact the UK consulate if they required any further assistance. Then, on May 21 at around 10.30pm, the couple said they had received another letter saying that Ellie was barred from flying home on the TOM1531 flight on May 23. Just more than 12 hours later, another email said that both Paul and Ellie would be blocked from boarding the flight. The travel company said that this decision had been made in accordance with their terms and conditions and that the decision was 'due to your conduct and behaviour'. Paul booked flights home from Corfu with Jet2 a day earlier than intended on May 22, which cost them €328 (£279). But after arriving back in North Shields, the couple received another email from TUI saying that 'the refusal of carriage for Paul Bell and Eleanor Bell has now been revoked, and you will now be allowed travel on your inbound flight'. 'That doesn't help us now, because we were told we have to make our own travel arrangements and we came home,' Paul added. 'We had to pay €60 (£51) for a taxi to the airport as well, because we weren't allowed on the transfers. 'When we go on holiday, we try to go somewhere nice and quiet, sit and chill, try the local stuff, go to the towns and see the scenery and to have food like we did (in the hotel) was really disappointing. We got no back-up whatsoever from TUI. 'They took whatever the manager said as gospel and came to a decision just like that. Had we been drunk and disorderly, fine, but we weren't - we've never had any bother on any holidays before, until this time with TUI.' MailOnline understands that TUI plans to refund the couple's flights home with and their travel to the airport. TUI declined to comment further but said they had a 'zero tolerance policy' towards staff abuse.
