More than 1,400 Australian travel agents are trying to take Air New Zealand, Qantas and four other airlines to court in a class action over fuel surcharges.
The class action in the Australian Federal Court claims airlines have deprived the agents of $80 million of commission and breached the Trade Practices Act by claiming fuel surcharges as a separate tax.
Qantas and Air New Zealand were fined almost $1 million earlier this year for airfare advertisements that excluded fuel surcharges and both airlines have since moved to inclusive prices in advertisements.
However, the agents’ lawyer, Steven Lewis, says fuel costs are still deducted from the commission paid to travel agents.
Report by The Mole
