1
00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:02,400
Speaker 1: Now, over the last couple of days, we have been

2
00:00:02,440 --> 00:00:06,000
Speaker 1: discussing concerns from territory ins that have been impacted by

3
00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:09,800
Speaker 1: flight changes so close to Christmas. It does seem to

4
00:00:09,800 --> 00:00:12,400
Speaker 1: be happening to a lot of people. So what are

5
00:00:12,480 --> 00:00:15,520
Speaker 1: your options, and what are those options if those flights

6
00:00:15,560 --> 00:00:18,480
Speaker 1: have been canceled or changed, and just how many people

7
00:00:18,520 --> 00:00:21,159
Speaker 1: is this happening too. Joining me on the line is

8
00:00:21,200 --> 00:00:24,160
Speaker 1: the Commissioner of Consumer Affairs here in the Northern Territory,

9
00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:26,360
Speaker 1: Sandra Otto. Good morning to you, Sandy.

10
00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:28,240
Speaker 2: Good morning Katie. How are you?

11
00:00:28,360 --> 00:00:30,680
Speaker 1: Yeah, really well, Thank you so much for your time

12
00:00:30,720 --> 00:00:34,199
Speaker 1: this morning. This is an issue that people have been

13
00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:37,199
Speaker 1: contacting us here at the radio station about, Sandy, is

14
00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:39,479
Speaker 1: it something that you're hearing in your office?

15
00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:42,599
Speaker 2: We haven't had that many calls. Surprisingly, I have been

16
00:00:42,600 --> 00:00:46,040
Speaker 2: watching the media and noticing that version particularly have been

17
00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:48,680
Speaker 2: canceling flights. It is a concern and it is a

18
00:00:48,680 --> 00:00:52,360
Speaker 2: bit worrying that they've decided to do that just before Christmas, particularly,

19
00:00:52,360 --> 00:00:54,200
Speaker 2: you know when the waters are opening up and everyone's

20
00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:56,040
Speaker 2: keen to get home for Christmas.

21
00:00:56,680 --> 00:00:58,680
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's such a worry and I know that you

22
00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:01,360
Speaker 1: know it has such an impact, particularly on people who've

23
00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:04,280
Speaker 1: been waiting for a long time to see their family members.

24
00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:08,720
Speaker 1: Is there any recourse if you, you know, for a consumer,

25
00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:10,800
Speaker 1: if you are in a situation where your flight gets

26
00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:14,760
Speaker 1: changed significantly and you're sort of, you know, not able

27
00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:17,039
Speaker 1: to go with the change that they're providing you or

28
00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:18,399
Speaker 1: the option that they're providing you.

29
00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:21,920
Speaker 2: Yeah, I think the airlines need to be a bit

30
00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:27,080
Speaker 2: reasonable if they've canceled the fight flight completely. It comes

31
00:01:27,120 --> 00:01:29,479
Speaker 2: back to the terms and conditions, And if they terms

32
00:01:29,480 --> 00:01:32,200
Speaker 2: and conditions say we cancel the flight, you're entitled to

33
00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:36,280
Speaker 2: a refund or credit, then they should be offering either

34
00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:38,240
Speaker 2: that and it should be the consumer's choice of what

35
00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:41,600
Speaker 2: they get. They can't be misleading consumers and saying that

36
00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:43,559
Speaker 2: you have to take a credit note if the terms

37
00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:47,200
Speaker 2: conditions say they can get a refund. So it all

38
00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:49,320
Speaker 2: comes down to what's in the terms conditions. But if

39
00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:52,760
Speaker 2: they've changed the flight significantly and it doesn't suit you,

40
00:01:52,920 --> 00:01:56,680
Speaker 2: then that would have to be a discussion with the

41
00:01:56,720 --> 00:02:01,240
Speaker 2: airline because in effect, they are offering something like a remedy,

42
00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:05,280
Speaker 2: but it may not be suitable for you. It's unfortunate

43
00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:08,480
Speaker 2: and it's you know, certainly put a lot of people's

44
00:02:08,960 --> 00:02:10,920
Speaker 2: holiday plans to disarray.

45
00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:13,280
Speaker 1: Yeah, or one hundred percent. And I know that one

46
00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:15,040
Speaker 1: of the things that we've sort of heard as well

47
00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:17,760
Speaker 1: on the phone lines is that for some people they've

48
00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:20,440
Speaker 1: changed the flight. But rather than you know, leaving at

49
00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:23,000
Speaker 1: one o'clock in the afternoon and at being a direct flight,

50
00:02:23,120 --> 00:02:26,800
Speaker 1: let's say to Sydney, they're now having to fly later

51
00:02:26,919 --> 00:02:30,760
Speaker 1: or earlier and go via Brisbane to get to their destination.

52
00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:34,359
Speaker 1: You know, I suppose for some people they'd be thinking, well,

53
00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:36,440
Speaker 1: I paid that little bit extra to be able to

54
00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:39,360
Speaker 1: get that direct flight, and now that's not what I'm receiving.

55
00:02:40,720 --> 00:02:43,320
Speaker 1: I mean, do you really just have to liaise with

56
00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:45,880
Speaker 1: the airline if you are in a situation like that?

57
00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:55,160
Speaker 2: It can be absolutely it's a tricky situation. And from

58
00:02:55,200 --> 00:02:58,040
Speaker 2: the couple calls that we've had here, we've been told

59
00:02:58,120 --> 00:03:02,040
Speaker 2: that the flights particularly because of a technical issue, and

60
00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:04,200
Speaker 2: then later we were told that it was due to

61
00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:11,160
Speaker 2: staff availability. And whether that's outside the control of the airline,

62
00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:15,680
Speaker 2: I don't know, and it depends on I guess what's available.

63
00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:18,400
Speaker 2: And it is just an unfortunate situation and I think

64
00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:21,040
Speaker 2: what people need to be doing is certainly getting in

65
00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:23,640
Speaker 2: contact with the airline and I understand that's not easy,

66
00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:25,840
Speaker 2: and some people have been spending hours on phones to

67
00:03:25,919 --> 00:03:29,040
Speaker 2: airlines and trying to sort it out because in effect

68
00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:32,519
Speaker 2: they haven't got what they paid for. Yeah, they've expecting

69
00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:35,320
Speaker 2: our direct flight to Bristoe or Melbourne or whatever, and

70
00:03:35,320 --> 00:03:37,240
Speaker 2: you've got to go all over the countryside to do that.

71
00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:41,640
Speaker 1: It's not acceptable, no, Sandy, what is like if it

72
00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:43,440
Speaker 1: does get to the point where people go, this is

73
00:03:43,600 --> 00:03:46,120
Speaker 1: just not you know, this is just not workable, and

74
00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:48,960
Speaker 1: they're not they're not happy with the you know, with

75
00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:51,880
Speaker 1: the response that airlines have given them. Is it something

76
00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:54,600
Speaker 1: that you know that they can then take further? Can

77
00:03:54,640 --> 00:03:56,880
Speaker 1: they make a complaint to the likes of your office

78
00:03:57,320 --> 00:03:59,320
Speaker 1: or to others, to you know, to try and have

79
00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:01,120
Speaker 1: a bit of an imp in this space so that

80
00:04:01,160 --> 00:04:04,200
Speaker 1: it doesn't continue to happen down the track with our airlines.

81
00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:07,119
Speaker 2: And certainly they need to make complaints. And if they're

82
00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:09,720
Speaker 2: not getting what they want, what they've asked for, or

83
00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:13,320
Speaker 2: what they're entitled to under the constraint Cosy Midle, well

84
00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:15,080
Speaker 2: then they can certainly come to our office and make

85
00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:17,800
Speaker 2: a complaint. And the reality is, if we don't get

86
00:04:17,800 --> 00:04:20,799
Speaker 2: to hear about it. All the other regular regulators across

87
00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:23,200
Speaker 2: Australia don't hear about it. You know, we can't act

88
00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:26,560
Speaker 2: on it. So certainly, if people are not getting what

89
00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:29,560
Speaker 2: they paid for, or refunds are taking too long to

90
00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:32,279
Speaker 2: come through or anything like that, please contact our office

91
00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:33,880
Speaker 2: and we can see what we can do to try

92
00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:34,360
Speaker 2: and assist.

93
00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:37,440
Speaker 1: Sandy. It is that time of the year where I

94
00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:40,080
Speaker 1: know that there's plenty of people out shopping and you know,

95
00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:42,800
Speaker 1: getting organized for Christmas. Is it a busy time of

96
00:04:42,880 --> 00:04:45,440
Speaker 1: year for you guys?

97
00:04:45,480 --> 00:04:49,520
Speaker 2: It depends. It's really yesterday we didn't get that many calls.

98
00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:52,120
Speaker 2: We've got more calls. It just depends on what people

99
00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:55,800
Speaker 2: are doing. And you know, we got our office out

100
00:04:55,839 --> 00:04:58,880
Speaker 2: near the cashment of shopping center, and I have noticed

101
00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:00,960
Speaker 2: that the car park is We're near as busy as

102
00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:03,520
Speaker 2: it has been in the past years. So you know,

103
00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:05,920
Speaker 2: all I can do is dis encourage people if they

104
00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:09,520
Speaker 2: do have problems with their purchases and warranty issues, to

105
00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:11,240
Speaker 2: certainly give us a call on one eight hundred oh

106
00:05:11,279 --> 00:05:13,800
Speaker 2: one nine three one nine and we can assist well.

107
00:05:13,839 --> 00:05:17,120
Speaker 1: Sandra Otto, the Commissioner of Consumer Affairs here in the

108
00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:20,240
Speaker 1: Northern Territory always appreciate your time. Thank you very much

109
00:05:20,279 --> 00:05:21,679
Speaker 1: for having a chat to us this morning.

110
00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:24,720
Speaker 2: No Way's Katie have a merry Christmas you too. Thank

111
00:05:24,760 --> 00:05:24,839
Speaker 2: you