We all enjoy a good bargain, and when it comes to travel, discounts and deals can make all the difference in our holiday plans.

After all, travel can be expensive, and anything that can help us save money is always welcome.

There are many ways to make travel more affordable, from discounted flights to hotel deals and holiday packages.

But sometimes, scoring a deal can be easier said than done. Airlines have gained a reputation for excessive flight cancellations and the issuance of flight credits that can be tricky or impossible to utilise.

As a result, Australian travellers are often left feeling disappointed and financially disadvantaged, with no clear recourse.

However, one man has taken matters into his own hands after feeling cheated by Qantas regarding flight credit.

Gavin Silbert KC, a barrister, is pursuing legal action against Qantas, alleging that the airline persistently disregarded his flight credit. Credit: Shutterstock.

Gavin Silbert KC, a well-respected barrister formerly the Victorian Crown prosecutor, is taking the Australian airline to court.

His flight was cancelled due to the pandemic in August 2021, and in return, he was offered a flight credit amounting to $5823.15. But when it came to applying for the credit, the airline 'completely and utterly ignored' it.

Speaking to radio station 3AW, Mr Silbert said: 'So I'll do something that I've spent the whole of my professional life trying to dissuade people from.’

‘I would love to give this evidence in open court because it's absolutely disgraceful.’

‘Essentially, it'll be a contractual claim. They acknowledged that they owed me the money, they gave me credit... and they've simply ignored it.'

He criticised the airline's customer service as being of no help and expressed concern that numerous other Australians could encounter comparable circumstances, lacking the resources to address the matter.

Mr Silbert also sparked a new hope in several travellers whose flight credits have gone unused due to the airline's inactivity.

He believes it could be the start of a potential class action against Qantas and wants to stand up for the ‘little people’ caught in similar situations without the means to challenge it.

He remarked: ‘They can't afford to take individual court action and I don't know how much money Qantas are holding that doesn't belong to them.’

‘But it would be in the hundreds of millions of dollars, I suspect. There's no one holding them to account.’

Key Takeaways

• A well-respected Australian barrister, Gavin Silbert KC, has initiated legal action against Qantas over unusable flight credits.
• He claims that the national airline has ignored his $5823.15 credit and has faced 'useless' customer service from the company.
• Silbert hopes that this legal action will help others who find themselves in similar situations without the means to challenge the issue.
• He believes that there is potential for a class action against Qantas over unusable flight credits and suspects that hundreds of millions of dollars are being held by the airline that doesn't belong to them.

While it remains to be seen what the outcome of Mr Silbert's case will be, his story serves as a powerful reminder to persevere!

Let his story be a motivation to all of us to remain vigilant with our travel deals and to fight for fairness and transparency.

Remember, if you ever find yourself facing similar challenges with flight credits or any other aspect of your travel plans, don't hesitate to advocate for yourself. You have earned your discounts and deserve to use them to the fullest.

Have you ever experienced a situation where you were unable to use your flight credits? How did you handle the situation? Share your stories with us in the comments below!

We also recommend checking this article, where we reported on how Qantas passengers feel about the usability of its flight credit offers.

 

[Kelpie]

Disgusting by QANTAS I have read so much about QANTAS not honoring credits That I sold my QANTAS shares

IMO it is all because of the QANTAS CEO and his ways of doing things. All he cares for is how much proift he will make and how much more bonuses he will get at the end of the year for his ways of handling things.
I alos belive that it is disgusting that they collected hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars of Taxpayers money to keep their employees in the job during the pandemic but......Did They Continue To Keep Them Employed.?
Did they refund that money like many other Companies did.?? Yep...dream on.

I REST MY CASE.

 

[Kelpie]

You know the first time I flew international was with QANTAS, we were told to board, then we were told no we are not boarding. The technicians were having a problem with something on the plane. Everyone started bitching and carrying on until I said, "wouldn't you prefer they sort this problem out on the ground rather than in the air." Planes are not like trains, cars and buses, if something goes wrong they can't just pull over and lift the hood. If the technicians say they are having a problem, I trust them, because they are the ones who sign off on the airworthiness of said aircraft. So SDC members remember, it is always import that the aircraft has passed all certifications prior to leaving the ground, because once airborne there is not much that can be done if there is a problem.

Now, was it awaiting for another joining flight.?

Qantas is very good at doing that.