Many people have grown used to deleting unexpected messages about refunds and credits after years of scam activity targeting airline passengers. Heightened suspicion could now cause some eligible customers to miss their share of a sizeable settlement.
Echo Law and Piper Alderman started sending court-ordered notices this week after a class action settlement with Qantas worth $105m. From that total, $68m is earmarked for customers who accepted travel credits instead of refunds for flights cancelled during the pandemic. Another $37m from the settlement is allocated to commissions and legal fees linked to the case filed by Echo Law in 2023.
Law firms are using the formal notice process to reach affected passengers directly rather than relying on Qantas to coordinate claims.
Settlement administrators warn that money cannot flow automatically to all customers who held credits. Eligible members of the class action need to follow the instructions in the notice and confirm their participation. The process is designed to validate claims and ensure payments go only to people covered by the court-approved definition of the group.
Confusion over the legitimacy of the emails could reduce uptake, leaving some customers unaware they must act to receive compensation.
