The Australian Government has commenced consultation on legislation to establish a new aviation consumer protections framework, helping to give passengers a better flying experience.
The consultations on primary and subordinate legislation to establish the framework form part of the delivery of the Aviation White Paper: Towards 2050, which found that aviation consumers were dissatisfied with how Australian airlines and airports have interpreted their obligations to consumers.
The government is proposing to introduce an aviation consumer protection framework consisting of 2 key elements:
- Minimum standards set out in the Aviation Consumer Protections Charter ('the Charter') enforceable by a regulator (the Aviation Consumer Protection Authority (ACPA)).
- An Aviation Consumer Ombuds Scheme ('consumer ombuds scheme') to handle individual consumer complaints that can't be resolved directly with the relevant airline or airport.
We want to hear from interested members of the public and industry to ensure the legislation and framework meets your needs.
The first consultation-on the primary legislation which closes on 5 October 2025-will establish the framework, and allow for the imposition and collection of levies on regulated entities. It will also describe the role of the ACPA, Aviation Consumer Ombudsperson and Aircraft Noise Ombudsperson, and their functions and powers.
The second consultation is on the subordinate legislation and would support the primary legislation, including the consumer standards in the Charter and the details of calculating and applying the levies. This consultation closes on 26 October 2025.
A consultation paper has been developed to inform the consultations, with a series of questions to guide responses to each process.
