Protect Airline Passengers from Arbitrary Service Refusals and Unfair Ticket Forfeitures
The issue
My family faced an enormous emotional and financial burden due to the insensitivity of Qantas Airways during a critical moment of grief. After the unexpected passing of my mother, we were forced to travel urgently to her funeral. In this time of deep sorrow, the last thing we anticipated was an insurmountable hurdle at the Qantas counter.
Despite our clear communication and the urgency of our travel, we were turned away for what Qantas termed a 'no-show.' This occurred despite our attempts to resolve what should have been a routine two-minute procedure at check-in. We incurred an overwhelming financial loss of $8,898.31, money that was intended to honor my late mother and support us during this trying time.
This is not just about money; it’s about the inherent lack of empathy and the failure to perform basic customer service tasks by Qantas staff during emergencies. Their actions added significant stress at an unimaginable time, exacerbating our grief.
On August 1st, my family and I attempted to board an emergency flight from Mackay to India so I could say her final goodbyes to my late mother, whose body was being kept in cold storage awaiting our arrival.
Despite arriving at the Mackay Airport Qantas check-in counter well before departure, we were refused boarding passes by the check-in operator over an online health declaration form. The form takes less than two minutes to complete online, but the agent flatly refused to grant us those two minutes, stated "Your agent should have informed you beforehand," and walked away—denying us service on the spot.
This arbitrary refusal caused extreme emotional distress and forced us to spend nearly $11,000 AUD on emergency replacement flights to reach India in time for the funeral.
To make matters worse:
No official written refusal was provided. Instead, Qantas logged our booking as a "No-Show," misrepresenting our physical presence at the counter.
The requirement was completely inconsistent: Subsequent flight legs and cabin crew on later flights handed out health forms on board or did not request them at all.
Both the booking agency and Qantas are passing responsibility back and forth, leaving a grieving family to bear an unjust $9,000 loss during a time of mourning.
What We Are Requesting:
Qantas Management review the Mackay Airport CCTV footage from the morning of August 1st to confirm our presence at the counter.
Correct the improper "No-Show" classification to accurately reflect that service was refused at the desk.
Issue a full and fair refund for the original booking ($8,988.31 AUD).
Ensure check-in staff are trained to show basic duty of care, empathy, and reasonable accommodation during emergency family tragedies.
Please sign and share this petition to demand accountability, fairness, and compassionate service from Qantas
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The issue
My family faced an enormous emotional and financial burden due to the insensitivity of Qantas Airways during a critical moment of grief. After the unexpected passing of my mother, we were forced to travel urgently to her funeral. In this time of deep sorrow, the last thing we anticipated was an insurmountable hurdle at the Qantas counter.
Despite our clear communication and the urgency of our travel, we were turned away for what Qantas termed a 'no-show.' This occurred despite our attempts to resolve what should have been a routine two-minute procedure at check-in. We incurred an overwhelming financial loss of $8,898.31, money that was intended to honor my late mother and support us during this trying time.
This is not just about money; it’s about the inherent lack of empathy and the failure to perform basic customer service tasks by Qantas staff during emergencies. Their actions added significant stress at an unimaginable time, exacerbating our grief.
On August 1st, my family and I attempted to board an emergency flight from Mackay to India so I could say her final goodbyes to my late mother, whose body was being kept in cold storage awaiting our arrival.
Despite arriving at the Mackay Airport Qantas check-in counter well before departure, we were refused boarding passes by the check-in operator over an online health declaration form. The form takes less than two minutes to complete online, but the agent flatly refused to grant us those two minutes, stated "Your agent should have informed you beforehand," and walked away—denying us service on the spot.
This arbitrary refusal caused extreme emotional distress and forced us to spend nearly $11,000 AUD on emergency replacement flights to reach India in time for the funeral.
To make matters worse:
No official written refusal was provided. Instead, Qantas logged our booking as a "No-Show," misrepresenting our physical presence at the counter.
The requirement was completely inconsistent: Subsequent flight legs and cabin crew on later flights handed out health forms on board or did not request them at all.
Both the booking agency and Qantas are passing responsibility back and forth, leaving a grieving family to bear an unjust $9,000 loss during a time of mourning.
What We Are Requesting:
Qantas Management review the Mackay Airport CCTV footage from the morning of August 1st to confirm our presence at the counter.
Correct the improper "No-Show" classification to accurately reflect that service was refused at the desk.
Issue a full and fair refund for the original booking ($8,988.31 AUD).
Ensure check-in staff are trained to show basic duty of care, empathy, and reasonable accommodation during emergency family tragedies.
Please sign and share this petition to demand accountability, fairness, and compassionate service from Qantas
The Decision Makers
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Petition created on 18 August 2026