Australia: Choice calls for airline industry overhaul over 'poor' customer practices

Consumer advocate group Choice is calling for a complete overhaul of the Australian airline industry as its report finds 'systemic breaches' in the way domestic carriers deal with customers. The group, which Tuesday published its report looking into airline terms and conditions, claimed carriers had breached Australian Consumer Law by enforcing "excessive" cancellation fees, the use of 'no refund' signs and providing a lack of compensation for mistakes made by airlines. The report, which claimed to "ensure that consumers are treated fairly", called on the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to investigate airline practices to "provide clearer guidance to the industry". Choice spokesman Tom Godfrey said that airlines had the power to act "immediately" to change their "unfair" practices. "We’d like to see the airlines act today, they can get rid of the ‘no refund’ signs immediately, they can end their excessive cancellation fees and of course they can bring in compensation for travellers when they make mistakes," he said. <br/>