ACCC appeals for public's help as Qantas faces court over sale of cancelled flights

Australia's consumer watchdog is issuing an appeal for the public's help as it takes Qantas to court over allegations the national carrier sold thousands of tickets for cancelled flights.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) began legal action against Qantas in the Federal Court on August 31 last year.

The consumer watchdog alleges that during a two-month period in 2022, Qantas offered for sale and accepted payment for tickets to flights that had already been cancelled, and then falsely represented to these ticketholders that their flights had not been cancelled.

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Qantas first fronted court over the allegations on November 8 last year and the matter is scheduled to return to court on February 28.

Anyone who held tickets for Qantas flights which were cancelled between May 1 and July 31, 2022, is being asked to contact the ACCC.

Ticketholders are being asked to fill out a 10-minute survey on the ACCC's website, detailing how their flight's cancellation affected them.

The consumer watchdog alleged Qantas did not notify existing ticket holders for 10,000 cancelled flights for an average of 18 days and up to 48 days.

Qantas has acknowledged it had let customers down but said airlines cannot guarantee specific flight times which could be delayed due to the nature of travel, including weather and operational issues.

The national carrier will fight the allegations, saying the ACCC's case ignored the realities of the aviation industry.