Qantas Airways Limited became the talk of the town, quite literally, after the news about its ghost flight scandal broke out. The entire aviation industry is in shock to see the airline entangled in an alarming situation. Almost a million passengers of the airline were deceived with information and confirmation about fake flights. Read on for all details about the alarming controversy about Australia’s flag carrier.
What Is Qantas Airways’ Infamous Ghost Flight Scandal?
According to several reports, the airline’s recent mishap has misled around a million customers with fake flight tickets. The controversy occurred due to the sale of tens of thousands of cancelled flight tickets for non-existent journeys. The official court documents highlighted the misconduct of the airline and stated crucial details about the scandal.
According to a report by Time, Qantas sold tickets for 71,000 scrapped flights between May 2022 and May 2024. Surprisingly, they did this after they had decided to cancel the flights. However, the airline continued to sell tickets to interested passengers. Without informing customers, the airline conducted this operation. About 8,84,000 people had no idea that they spent money to book tickets for non-existent Qantas flights. Flights were cancelled and tickets were sold without any prior announcement for anyone.
The probe by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) ended with the airline agreeing to the scandal. It settled the lawsuit in May 2024. The massive misconduct of operations and duping of passengers led to a hefty fine of A$120 million (approx. ₹6,912,204,000) and compensation as Qantas continued selling tickets for cancelled flight departures.
Also read: Indian-Origin Woman Dies On Qantas Airways Flight; Was Visiting India First Time In 4 Years
This Major Incident Damaged The Airline’s Reputation
The news of Qantas selling tickets for scrapped flights for 11 days disrupted its name and reputation in the industry. Not only did the airline hamper customers’ plans but also received negative remarks from many. ACCC’s chair called this frightening incident “egregious and unacceptable”.
According to a report by Firstpost, every domestic passenger will receive A$225 (approx. ₹12,960) and international passengers will get A$450 (approx. ₹25,920). If travellers booked any alternative flights, they will be compensated for those expenditures too.
Also read: Qantas To Operate Daily Flights Between Bengaluru & Sydney From Dec 2024 To March 2025
What are your views on this incident?
Cover Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
For more such snackable content, interesting discoveries and the latest updates on food, travel and experiences in your city, download the Curly Tales App. Download HERE.