Qantas begins $105 million payout to over one million customers

Qantas has started contacting more than one million passengers about a court‑approved $105 million settlement over the airline’s handling of COVID‑era flight credits. Eligible travellers will receive at least $50, with higher amounts possible, and must register their claim by 4:00 pm AEST on 2 October 2026. The settlement, which does not include an admission of wrongdoing, covers flights scheduled between 1 January 2020 and 1 November 2022 that were cancelled and for which customers were offered credits instead of refunds.

Notices are being sent by the class‑action lawyers Echo Law via email (e.g., no‑reply@echolaw.com.au) and text messages, and recipients are urged to verify the sender to avoid scams. Approximately $68 million of the fund is allocated to eligible passengers, with the remainder covering legal fees and commissions. The payout follows similar pressure on other Australian airlines over pandemic‑related refunds.

Customers who miss the deadline risk forfeiting their share, and the airline advises the messages are genuine despite recent concerns over fraudulent communications.