Qantas said it will compensate all reasonable losses of passengers stranded during the two-day grounding of its planes over the weekend on top of giving refunds and rebooking affected customers.

The airline issued a statement saying it "agrees to and accepts the ACCC's request that it compensate passengers for all reasonable losses incurred as a direct result of the grounding," according to Aviation Week.

The statement was in response to the pronouncement of ACCC or Australian Competition and Consumer Commission on Wednesday requiring the airline to do more than refunding and rebooking affected passengers.

ACCC chairman, Rod Sims, had demanded Qantas pay for expenses such as missed cruises and unused hotels.
The ACCC also advised affected passengers to report losses not covered by the Qantas compensation offer and required Qantas to disclose claims made and compensation granted.

So far, the airline has received more than 10,000 claims for compensation. It is paying replacement flights and $350 per day for accommodation, food and transport.

More than 68,000 Qantas passengers were stranded worldwide when Qantas management decided to suspend flights on Oct. 29 to lock out union workers scheduled to stage a strike on Oct. 31. The Fair Works Australia intervened and ordered the airline and its unions not to hold industrial actions and settle their dispute in 42 days.

Qantas resumed commercial flights on Oct. 31.

RELATED STORIES