Melbourne couple rejected for a refund and branded ‘no shows’ after missing a Qantas flight during a Covid lockdown finally taste victory

A couple who were unable to board their Qantas flight during Covid lockdown and were told they were not entitled to a refund as they were ‘no shows’ have finally won their battle for a refund – after three years of wrangling.

Care worker Kieran McGregor and his partner booked their flights through travel agent Expedia and were due to fly from Melbourne to Darwin on July 18, 2021.

When Covid cases began to rise again, Mr McGregor brought forward the departure date to July 16 in the hope of avoiding another lockdown in Victoria.

However, then-Premier of Victoria Daniel Andrews announced a fifth lockdown in the state on July 15, preventing McGregor and his partner from travelling.

“How could I fly when the state of Victoria was in lockdown and I couldn’t get further than 5km from my house?” Mr McGregor said News.com.au last week.

When seeking their refund, they became embroiled in an endless back-and-forth with Expedia and Qantas. Expedia blamed Qantas for not making the refund, while Qantas insisted that Expedia had the couple’s money.

It wasn’t until last week, more than three years after they missed their flight, that the couple finally got their money back.

Expedia (pictured) blamed Qantas for not making the refund, while Qantas maintained that Expedia had stolen the couple’s money

During a conversation about X last year, Expedia said: ‘We just got off the phone with the airline and as advised, the ticket shows have been suspended by them due to a no-show.

“Your ticket is not eligible for a refund and has no value according to the airline. We apologize for the inconvenience.”

Meanwhile, Qantas told Mr McGregor that “the money still remains with the travel agent you booked with” and urged him to contact Expedia for a refund.

Mr McGregor was furious at the response from both companies, saying his claim of $2,500 was nothing compared to the “billions of dollars in profits” they reap.

The companies have promised McGregor that he will get his money back this week, but it is not yet clear who will be responsible for the repayment.

“When booking flights with Expedia, we generally follow the policies of our travel partners, so the airline determines whether a refund is issued,” an Expedia spokeswoman said.

“We have investigated this matter with Qantas and will be contacting the traveller to process the refund.”

A Qantas spokesperson said: “We apologise for the long delay in resolving this issue and are processing a full refund for their bookings.”

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Qantas and Expedia for additional comment.

Qantas told Mr McGregor that ‘the funds still remain with the agency you booked with’ and insisted he contact Expedia for a refund (pictured)

Former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce (pictured) was questioned last year about the expiry date of credits issued during Covid

Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson said last week the company had posted underlying pre-tax profits of $2.08 billion for the 2023-24 financial year.

Compared to the previous year, this figure was 16 percent lower.

Ms Hudson called the result “strong” and blamed lower air fares and lower freight revenues.

Qantas faced huge backlash last year over the expiry dates of credits issued for Covid refunds, worth $370 million.

Then-outgoing CEO Alan Joyce was fiercely questioned by politicians about the controversy during a Senate hearing in August 2023.

Shortly afterwards, the airline reversed its decision on the expiration date and abolished the expiration date, despite growing public outcry.

The massive backlog of travel loans arose during the Covid pandemic, when flights were cancelled worldwide due to widespread border closures.

The policy change allowed customers whose flights were cancelled before October 2021 to keep their flight credit indefinitely or get their money back.

They also offered a limited-time offer to double your Frequent Flyer points for flights booked with relevant travel credits before December 31, 2023.

Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson (pictured) last week announced the company had an underlying pre-tax profit of $2.08 billion for the 2023-24 financial year

“Qantas Group will remove the expiry date for Covid travel credits that were due to expire at the end of this year,” a spokesperson said at the time.

‘Qantas customers with Covid Credit can request a cash refund and Jetstar customers can use their Covid vouchers for unlimited flights.

It was the airline’s Fourth Amendment to its flight refund policy in the wake of the pandemic.