When your flight is cancelled or delayed, it’s important you know what your rights are. Find out about the Civil Aviation Act (CAA) and other passenger protections to see if you’re entitled to make a claim with the airline.
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On this page
- My flight is cancelled. What are my rights?
- I don’t know why my flight was disrupted. What should I do?
- The airline has overbooked the flight and I’ve been bumped. What are my rights?
- The airline has rebooked me but the new flight doesn’t suit. What can I do?
- Can I get a refund if I’ve changed my mind and no longer want to travel?
My flight is cancelled. What are my rights?
If your domestic flight is cancelled or delayed due to an event within the airline’s control, such as staffing issues, operational issues, crew strike or mechanical problems, you can ask the airline to reimburse your costs. This could include a refund of your airfare or replacement flight, and reimbursement for expenses such as meals, taxis, accommodation or other reasonable costs incurred in getting to your destination.
If your flight is cancelled or delayed but you don’t incur any costs, you are not eligible for compensation.
Where you do incur costs, the most you can claim from the airline under the CAA is the lesser of:
up to 10 times the cost of the ticket, and
the actual costs of the delay.
Keep your receipts to support your claim.
You are expected to act reasonably. For example, if your flight is only delayed by 10 minutes, you can’t demand a refund. And you won't be able to claim back the cost of a luxury hotel unless that was the only accommodation available.
You may also have rights under the Consumer Guarantees Act (CGA) if the airline failed to carry out its services with reasonable care and skill, its services are not fit for purpose or not completed within a reasonable time. In most cases, a CAA claim will be simpler than a CGA claim because the airline is assumed to be liable unless it can prove otherwise.
If the disruption is caused by something outside the airline’s control, such as severe weather, bird strike, war, pandemic, medical emergency or air traffic control restrictions, your rights are more limited because these situations are not covered by the CAA. Instead, your rights will depend on the airline’s terms and conditions.
In these situations, airlines will usually offer you a credit or rebook you on the next available flight. If you booked refundable fares, you can ask for a refund. But the refund could take some time to process. Additional costs are also generally not covered. If you’ve purchased domestic travel insurance, check the policy to see what it offers.
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I don’t know why my flight was disrupted. What should I do?
If you're unsure why your flight was disrupted, ask the airline. The reason matters because it determines what rights you might have.
Even if conditions seem normal where you are, disruptions can be caused by issues elsewhere.
An airline must not mislead you about the reason for a disruption. If it does, it risks breaching the Fair Trading Act and could face serious penalties.
The airline has overbooked the flight and I’ve been bumped. What are my rights?
If you are denied boarding due to overbooking, which is within the airline’s control, under the CAA you can recover reasonable costs caused by the disruption of up to 10 times the cost of your ticket, or the cost of the delay, whichever is lower.
Keep your receipts and lodge a claim with the airline for reimbursement.
Airlines may also offer additional compensation or assistance under their own conditions of carriage.
The airline has rebooked me but the new flight doesn’t suit. What can I do?
If the disruption occurred due to an event within the airline’s control, you can ask for alternative options or request a refund. You may also be able to claim reasonable costs caused by the disruption.
If the disruption occurred due to an event outside the airline’s control, you will usually be rebooked or offered a credit, and options are more limited. You can still ask the airline whether a better alternative is available.
Can I get a refund if I’ve changed my mind and no longer want to travel?
If you decide not to travel, your right to a refund depends on your fare type. Refundable fares allow refunds, while non-refundable fares usually allow credit or changes, sometimes with fees. If you’re not sure, ask the airline or the agent you booked through.
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