Qantas complaints soar, as the ACCC calls on airlines to cut domestic airfares

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has warned airlines to cut domestic airfares, as consumers continue to pay well above 2019 prices. Key points: Domestic airfares have fallen from historic highs in December, but are still more than in 2019 The price of jet fuel was 35 per cent lower in February than in June 2022 Qantas is the most complained about airline, with contacts to the ACCC up 68 per cent Domestic airfares have declined after hitting a 15-year high in December 2022, decreasing by one-third in January 2023, but people are still paying much more to fly than they were before the pandemic. “While it’s positive to see airfares fall from record highs in 2022, passengers are still generally paying more to fly today than they were before the pandemic,” ACCC commissioner Anna Brakey said. Jet fuel prices decreased to $166 per barrel in February 2023, a 35 per cent drop since a record high in June 2022, but still remain above 2019 levels, the ACCC's report noted. The ACCC received 1,740 contacts involving Qantas in 2021-22, the most of any company, and 68 per cent higher than the previous year.