Your rights in a flight delay: the plane facts

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Australian Traveller’s Steve Madgwick talks to Julia Lines from passenger rights group Airline Customer Advocate to get the low-down about your rights when your plane/flight is delayed or cancelled (in Australia).

Am I entitled to monetary compensation for flight delays?

You are not entitled to mandatory compensation when a flight is delayed because the airline’s agreement is limited to flying you from airport A to airport B, rather than flying you from A to B at the times specified in your itinerary.

What about the right to be put up in a hotel room and meals overnight?

Airlines do not guarantee flight times. If your flight is delayed for a long period and you decide to book a flight on another airline carrier, the airline may not be required to refund this additional cost. Airlines are also not required to compensate you if your flight is delayed or provide you with a bottle of water or a meal (or voucher) while you wait at the airport.

Time to complain?

If the airline can’t resolve your issue on the spot, then it should be escalated to the airline’s customer care team so that the complaint can be acknowledged and responded to. All of the airlines that participate in the ACA scheme include information in their customer service charters about accessing their complaint management processes and response times.

Get it in writing!

If the airline says it will reimburse your expenses, make sure it is in writing to avoid disappointment.

 

Each airline has its own policies about how it will manage delayed passengers. Always check with staff about whether the airline will pay for meals, phone calls, transfers or accommodation if the delay is overnight.

Group of people standing in queue to board airplane.

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What’s the first step during a delay?

Contact the airline to find out how late the flight will be, but be aware that it can be difficult for the airline to predict the length of the delay. Also, staff cannot provide information until they are cleared to do so. Ensure the airline has your best contact number and email address so that information on the flight disruption will reach you.

Flight cancelled, what next?

If the flight is delayed as a result of an event beyond an airline’s control, it will attempt to rebook you on its next available flight. If the proposed rebooking is not acceptable, the airline may agree to refund the applicable flight and you should check to see if this is an option. A refund is only available if it is provided for in the airline’s conditions of carriage, or under laws administered by consumer protection bodies. Read Scott Welsch blog about Flight Compensation for more information.

When does a flight delay become a flight cancellation?

I am not aware of a reasonable or an unreasonable time that has to expire before a flight will be cancelled. The airline will usually always intend to operate the flight until it decides to cancel the service.

Connections: how tight is too tight?

Allow at least 3-4 hours for connecting flights. It may sound excessively long however, the extra 30 minutes can save you from a holiday disaster particularly if it is an international flight connection with a different airline. Read and understand the airline’s Conditions of Carriage prior to booking and consider the questions: “What if my flight is delayed?" or “Do I need an earlier flight"?

 

(The Department of Infrastructure and Transport publishes a monthly report “Airline On Time Performance" that provides information about flight delays and punctuality of the domestic and regional airlines.)

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Travel insurance to the rescue?

Given flight delays are a reality of airline travel, travel insurance is highly recommended. Depending on the provider, you can be covered for costs arising from delays and cancellations. Check with the insurer to understand what out-of-pocket expenses the airline or the travel insurer will reimburse, or won’t, as the case may be.

 

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8 incredible hikes just outside of Melbourne

    Australian Traveller Australian Traveller
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    Just over an hour from Melbourne, spectacular walking and hiking trails encompass ancient landscapes, forested ridgelines and volcanic peaks.

    Just a short drive from the city, the urban sprawl gives way to rolling hills, mineral springs, and lush forests that will have you feeling like you’re in the bucolic countryside of France. Encompassing Daylesford, the Macedon Ranges, Castlemaine and the Central Goldfields, this pocket of Victoria is a region where nature, art, and wellness intertwine. Heritage towns hum with creativity, good food and wine, and welcoming locals. While Daylesford hikes, and those nearby, offer the chance to take a pause and reconnect with nature.

    1. Hanging Rock Summit Walk

    Hanging Rock Summit Walk
    Take in views across the Macedon Ranges.

    Etched into folklore, few places in Australia carry as much mystique as Hanging Rock. Rising dramatically from the plains near Woodend, this volcanic mamelon offers a beautiful nature walk. The walk begins at a gentle pace, weaving through shaded woodland before it gets a little steeper as the path starts to climb and twist to the summit. From here, you’ll have views that stretch across the Macedon Ranges. The walk is roughly 1.8 kilometres return, but the real reward lies in standing among the weathered boulders, feeling the age and energy of the earth beneath your feet.

    2. Macedon Ranges Walking Trail

    Macedon Ranges Walking Trail camel's hump lookout
    Walk to Camel’s Hump. (Image: Clair Derwort)

    The Macedon Ranges Walking Trail traverses around 19 kilometres of forest and mountain landscapes. The full trail is a six-hour circuit, with most of the walk being a grade three; however, you don’t have to tackle it all at once. There are shorter walks that will take you through the tall mountain ash forests, to tranquil picnic areas, and sweeping views from Camels Hump and the Memorial Cross. The best times of year to head out are autumn, when the mountain turns into a tapestry of crimson and gold, and spring, when wildflowers brighten the trail.

    3. Mount Alexander Traverse

    Mount Alexander Traverse
    Take in the serenity.

    Towering above the goldfields near Castlemaine, Mount Alexander is a granite giant that offers some great bushwalking trails. The Mount Alexander Traverse winds along the mountain’s rocky spine through dry eucalypt forest that opens up in sections to reveal beautiful panoramas across Loddon Valley and all the way to the distant Grampians. Once a site of ancient volcanic activity (and later a gathering place for the Dja Dja Wurrung people), the mountain’s granite tors are now quiet and create a beautiful, serene atmosphere for a moment of reflection while walking.

    4. Murmuring Walk

    Murmuring Walk daylesford hikes
    Circle the picturesque Sanatorium Lake.

    Located an easy drive from Daylesford, Murmuring Walk offers something a little different. Circling Sanatorium Lake, this free audio-guided walk aims to immerse you in the rhythms of Dja Dja Wurrung, Taungurung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country by blending the sounds of nature with a multi-layered soundtrack. There are two routes to explore while you listen: a shorter loop around the lake itself and a longer circuit that extends deeper into the woodland.

    5. La Gerche Forest Walk

    La Gerche Forest Walk
    Walk into history on the La Gerche Forest trail.

    Located in Creswick, the La Gerche Forest Walk honours the legacy of John La Gerche, a 19th-century forester who championed the regeneration of the then gold-rush-ravaged land. Today, over 100 years later, his replanting efforts have grown into a living cathedral of towering pines, oaks, and native gums. As you meander along the 2.2-kilometre circuit, you’ll find interpretive panels along the way that help tell the story of La Gerche’s vision, so you can learn as you wander.

    6. Sailors Falls Loop

    Sailors Falls Loop
    See these spectacular falls. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Just outside Daylesford, Sailors Falls tumbles through a fern-lined gorge, fed by mineral springs. Thought to be named after the sailors who jumped ship to seek gold in the area during the 1850s gold rush, the loop walk begins at the car park and descends through a cool, shaded gully to the base of the falls. From here, you’ll make the climb back via the mineral springs. It’s a short but enchanting walk – about 1.5 kilometres in total, so make a day of it by packing a picnic to sit by the springs; you’ll feel worlds away from the city.

    7. Paddys Ranges Loop Walk

    Further north, the Paddys Ranges State Park loop reveals a different side of Victoria’s Heartland – dry forest, golden light and hints of a gold-rush past. This protected reserve is a stronghold of box-ironbark woodland, providing vital refuge for endangered species. In spring, the forest floor is awash with the colour of over 230 species of wildflowers, so a springtime walk is a must-do. As you walk the 4.5-kilometre loop trail, keep an eye out for remnants of old mine shafts and rusted relics from the prospectors who once sought their fortunes here.

    8. Mount Franklin Summit Walk

    Mount Franklin Summit Walk
    Take in forests and waterfalls along the way to the top of Mount Franklin.

    An extinct volcano turned picnic ground, Mount Franklin (known as Lalgambook to the Dja Dja Wurrung people) is one of the region’s quiet marvels. The summit walk follows a narrow, winding path through native forest to the crater’s rim, where you’ll get glimpses of farmland and forest below. It’s a moderate climb – just over an hour return, so it can easily be done if you’re camping in the surrounding reserve for a weekend nature retreat.

    The trails of Victoria’s Heartland offer a chance to reconnect with the landscape, local history and yourself. Start planning your next adventure at daylesfordmacedonlife.com.au.