The Commerce Commission is filing charges against Jetstar for allegedly misleading customers regarding their rights to compensation for flight delays and cancellations.
According to the aviation law, customers are entitled to reimbursement when flights are disrupted due to factors under the airline’s control, including staffing and mechanical problems. Reimbursable expenses typically include meals, accommodation, and transportation.
ComCom said Jetstar dissuaded consumers from pursuing compensation and probably rejected valid claims in 2022 and 2023.
“The Commerce Commission expects large businesses to take their responsibilities under the law seriously—they must honour their obligations to consumers,” Commerce Commission general manager for competition, fair trading, and credit Vanessa Horne said.
Jetstar apologised for the errors and said it was working with ComCom regarding the situation.
“We’re deeply sorry to have let our New Zealand customers down by errors made in assessing some compensation claims for disrupted flights in 2022 and 2023, as our operations restarted following Covid.”
“Since becoming aware of this issue, we’ve been focused on making things right for our customers and improving our communication and processes.”
Jetstar is currently reviewing previous claims and reaching out to customers to ensure they receive their reimbursements. Customers can also refile, through the Jetstar website, compensation claims that may have been mishandled previously.
