National survey of Australians’ air travel behaviour, experiences and attitudes
The Interim Aviation Consumer Ombuds Scheme (ACOS) within the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts partnered with the Behavioural Economics Team of the Australian Government (BETA) to conduct a survey to understand the attitudes, experiences and behaviours of Australians travelling by air, and their understanding of consumer rights.
BETA conducted an initial “screen-in” survey which asked over 7,600 people about their travel behaviours in a 12-month period between 28 August 2024 and 27 August 2025. BETA then conducted a more in-depth survey with a representative sample of over 4,000 Australian adults asking about their flight experiences and satisfaction with key elements of the air travel journey, from booking a ticket to disembarking at the destination airport.
Relevant documentation
- BETA’s Preparing for take-off survey report (including technical appendices)
- Visual presentation of report findings (including executive summary)
What did BETA find?
Australians are regular air travellers
More than 1 in 2 (56%) Australian adults travelled by air in this 12-month period, and most flew more than once. Around 1 in 4 (24%) of these travellers identified as having a disability, medical condition or injury.
Customer satisfaction with airlines operating in Australia is at 77%
Overall, customer satisfaction with air travel in Australia is comparable to that of other nations, for example Canada (75%), the United Kingdon (84%) and USA (69-74%). Most travellers were satisfied with their departure airport(s) (78%) and the airline(s) (77%) they travelled with throughout this 12-month period.
Flight disruptions are very common, and Australians are dissatisfied with their handling
One in 2 travellers experienced a flight disruption during this 12-month period, with delays of between 15 minutes and 3 hours the most common type of experienced disruption. Only 31% were satisfied with how their disruption was handled.
Complaints are rare despite the level of experienced disruptions. Fewer than 1 in 10 (8%) travellers made a complaint. Only 2 out of 5 of people who made a complaint (39%) were satisfied with the outcome, and fewer than 1 out of 5 (17%) were satisfied with the complaint process overall.
An additional 3% intended to make a complaint about a disruption or issue in the last 12 months, but either did not start or complete the process. This group identified a lack of energy and time (52%) and a belief their complaint would not make a difference or be taken seriously (48%) as the key barriers to following through with a complaint. This suggests some Australians believe the complaints process will be too long or that it will often not result in the desired outcome.
Consumers’ understanding of their rights is low
Knowledge and understanding of consumer rights could also improve. Most Australians (79%) self-reported having a low level of or no understanding of their air travel consumer rights and the current assistance available to them. More than half of travellers (57%) do not read their airline ticket terms and conditions during purchasing, and this information was identified as the hardest to understand.
People with disabilities, medical conditions or injuries experience barriers and are less satisfied with air travel
Two out of 5 Australians with a disability, medical condition or injury do not know how to access assistance services available to them (40%). Of those who sought information about available assistance, 39% found it ‘difficult’ or ‘very difficult’ to access this information. Overall, this group experiences additional barriers to air travel, reflected in their lower-than-average satisfaction with every stage in their most recent travel journey departing from an Australian airport.
BETA has published information on the report on the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet website.
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Review of airline and airport complaint handling processes
The interim aviation consumer ombudsperson procured a review and report on airline and airport complaint handling processes.
The review’s purpose was to identify current complaint handling options and processes, opportunities for improving how customer complaints are handled, and to inform policy development for the Aviation Consumer Protection Charter.
Independent firm crkhoury (CRK), which has expertise in conducting reviews of ombuds schemes and their complaint-handling processes, was engaged to undertake the review and provide reflections on ombuds scheme set-up.
CRK commenced the review in June 2025 and provided a report to the interim aviation consumer ombudsperson in December 2025.
A summary of CRK’s report outlines the key findings of the review:
What did CRK Find?
Key complaint topics received by airlines and airports
The review found the most common consumer complaints about airlines include mishandled baggage, flight disruptions, airline policies and conditions of carriage, fares and fees, customer service issues, and loyalty schemes. The most common consumer complaints about airports include airport facilities, airport screening, accessibility issues, retail outlets within airports, and parking.
Airlines and airports can improve their complaint handling processes
For example, the quality and thoroughness of complaint capture varies among airlines and airports, with many complaints not being recorded. Some airlines and airports do not do enough to facilitate lodgement of complaints by vulnerable consumers and those requiring assistance. The review also found that improvements can be made in the areas of complaint responsiveness, complaint escalation processes and remedies provided, among other things.
Existing complaint escalation pathways for consumers are unclear and confusing
There are numerous avenues for consumers to escalate complaints that can’t be resolved by airlines and airports (e.g. the Airline Customer Advocate, state/territory fair trading offices and the Australian Human Rights Commission), and this creates confusion for consumers. These bodies also vary in their scope and effectiveness.
Constructive engagement between the ombuds scheme and scheme members will be crucial
Constructive engagement will create an environment of collaboration and continuous improvement, strengthening the sector’s reputation and creating a shared recognition of the common goal of fewer dissatisfied consumers.
The Aviation Consumer Ombudsperson will need to be sufficiently resourced to be effective
This includes resourcing for analytics and reporting, community relations and outreach, communication and marketing, policy and research, airline and airport support services, people and culture, finance and administration, knowledge management, and executive support personnel.