Qantas has taken out one other high title – however this time it is one it in all probability actually did not need.
The nationwide service was Australia’s most-complained-about airline within the 12 months to June 2022, prompting a warning from the buyer watchdog.
The Australian Competitors and Client Fee’s quarterly airline competition monitoring report famous that there have been 1740 public complaints about Qantas – up a whopping 68 per cent on the earlier 12 months.
“Such an elevated degree of contacts is usually indicative of a excessive
degree of dissatisfaction with that firm, and points with that firm’s capability to deal with and resolve buyer complaints,” the ACCC mentioned on Wednesday.
“As Australia’s largest airline, and an airline that typically fees a
premium to fly, customers count on a greater service.”
Whereas the ACCC famous that complaints didn’t all the time equate to a breach of shopper regulation, however mentioned that “Qantas’ customer support points, particularly lengthy name wait instances, have been effectively reported”.
Key points driving the spike included cures for flight cancellations as a consequence of COVID restrictions and journey business chaos in mid-2022 as border guidelines have been dropped.
The watchdog mentioned whereas the struggles of the broader journey business had been well-recognised, complaints really fell for Qantas’ important rivals. At its finances arm Jetstar, they have been down 33 per cent from 2020-21 to 544, whereas at Virgin Australia they fell 27 per cent from to 359.
“Qantas must do extra to adequately spend money on its methods, processes and folks to dramatically enhance its buyer contact companies and buyer dispute decision,” the report mentioned.
Qantas lately declared a record half-year profit of $1.43 billion as chief government Alan Joyce declared that issues for patrons had been “largely resolved”.
Mr Joyce mentioned the return to revenue meant the airline may make “large investments in customer support”.
“There is a regular stream of brief and long-term tasks occurring… all with the straightforward intention of creating individuals’s journey higher,” he mentioned.
It has additionally introduced plans to recruit 8500 workers – cabin crew, pilots, engineers and in different operations roles – simply two years after sacking hundreds of workers on the peak of its COVID hit.
“Lots of people left the business anyway as a result of there was no work for almost three years,” Mr Joyce mentioned.
“What we are actually doing is recruiting to fill that hole. But in addition, extra importantly, it is to truly take up the expansion that we’re going to have, as a result of we’re going to have plenty of new plane flying plenty of new routes.”
The ACCC additionally discovered that there was some reduction for vacationers from surging airfares, which have declined from historic highs on the finish of 2022.
“Whereas it is constructive to see airfares fall from document highs in 2022, passengers are nonetheless typically paying extra to fly at present than they have been earlier than the pandemic,” commissioner Anna Brakey mentioned.
“Airfares sometimes come down after the Christmas journey peak as a consequence of a seasonal lower in demand. Nevertheless, a few of this discount can be defined by the airways growing their seat capability.”
Strife on the ground for airlines
Qantas and other international airlines appeared to have escaped major disruption from a 24-hour strike by some ground workers at Melbourne Airport.
The industrial action by aircraft refuelers from 4am on Wednesday to 4am on Thursday was a push for better pay and conditions for the workers employed by the Rivet Group, the Transport Workers’ Union said.
“For a year, Rivet refuellers have tried to reach a fair agreement but have instead been faced with base wage freezes which impact their pay now and long into the future,” TWU Victorian assistant branch secretary Mem Suleyman said.
“In the current cost-of-living crisis it is unacceptable to expect workers to pick up extra responsibilities and work harder, faster and longer to make ends meet.”
Rivet Aviation said it was “extremely disappointed” that it could resolve the dispute, and it understood that it would have a detrimental impact on travelers, it said in a statement on Wednesday.
However, it could not agree to claims put forward by the union and continue to operate viably, it said.
“Our business has battled through COVID and struggles to be profitable today, let alone implementing the immediate 12 percent increase in wages being demanded,” Rivet said.
The strike was expected to affect some aircraft refueling at Melbourne Airport, a spokesperson said. However, most flights would operate as scheduled, and passengers were encouraged to go to the airport as normal unless contacted by their airline.
There was minimal impact to operations at the airport by mid-morning Wednesday.
Rivet services major freight and passenger airlines including Qantas, DHL, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, Fiji Airways and Qatar Airways.
Qantas has a contract with ExxonMobil to provide fuel for flights out of Melbourne. The oil and gas company then subcontracts Rivet to refuel aircraft.
– with AAP
