The Squiz 

If you’re one of the millions of people heading to an airport over the next couple of weeks, our thoughts are with you… We say that because it’s not just in your head – all things flight-related are more headache-inducing this year. Data from the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics (BITRE) shows Australia’s major airlines – Qantas and Virgin – are ending 2023 with fewer on-time flights recorded than this time last year. 

I knew it… 

Yep, and these are numbers that probably won’t make you feel very jolly, particularly when it comes to the “long-term average performance” of flights. BITRE says that pre-pandemic, 81.1% of domestic flights in Oz were departing on time. To break that down, in 2019, 76.2% of Virgin flights left on time, 84.3% of Rex flights, and 71.3% of Qantas flights. But in late 2023, those figures are “significantly lower” – on average, 64.1% of flights were on time in November. And that’s if they took off at all… Consumer group Choice released results this week from a survey it conducted with 9,000 Aussies – it found 2 out of 5 people had their flight either delayed or cancelled entirely in the 12 months leading up to October. If your head is in your hands and you’re looking for a route that’s mostly on time, it’s the Port Lincoln-Adelaide flight where 95.2% of flights are lifting off on time…

What’s the government say?

Transport Minister Catherine King isn’t angry – just disappointed… She says it’s “no wonder so many Australians remain fed up with our major airlines”. The Albanese Government is currently reviewing air travel in Oz – it’s due to deliver an aviation white paper outlining proposed reforms to the industry mid-next year. King says the goal is to “better protect the interests of consumers, whether that be a stronger ombudsman model or other measures implemented in overseas jurisdictions”. Translation: they’re toying with introducing a mandatory compensation scheme for delayed/cancelled flights… Qantas criticised that idea in its submission last week – it says “what will effectively be mandatory travel insurance for all passengers” could lead to higher airfares. Until 2024, then…