Australian consumer watchdog calls for record fine against Qantas over canceled flights

By ROD McGUIRK
Associated Press

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia’s consumer watchdog has called for Qantas Airways to be punished with a record fine for allegedly selling tickets on thousands of flights that had already been canceled. Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said Qantas’ penalty for allegedly breaching consumer law should be more than double the Australian record 125 million Australian dollar ($81 million) fine imposed on the Volkswagen Group in 2019 for misleading customers about the level of exhaust emissions from its diesel engines. The commission filed a lawsuit against Qantas in the Federal Court alleging the airline engaged in false, misleading or deceptive conduct by advertising tickets for more than 8,000 canceled flights during three months last year.