Qantas Passengers Stranded in Johannesburg Demand Compensation

A Qantas plane is shown approaching Sydney airport.

In short:

Hundreds of Qantas passengers were stranded in Johannesburg for three days due to mechanical issues with their A380 plane.

Qantas sent another plane to bring the passengers home while the original plane was being repaired.

What's next?

Qantas will give affected passengers a full refund for their Johannesburg-Sydney flight, but passengers want better compensation.

Exhausted Qantas passengers are demanding answers and compensation after being stranded in South Africa for days.

The QF64 flight from Johannesburg to Sydney was supposed to leave on Monday night, but it was delayed due to mechanical issues.

Passengers were left without help and had to find their own accommodation after multiple attempts to depart were cancelled.

The plane is still being repaired in Johannesburg.

Qantas sent another plane to bring the passengers home, and hundreds arrived in Sydney.

Passenger Harriett Moore said the experience was distressing.

Harriett Moore finally arrived home in Sydney.

Some passengers had children who ran out of diapers and formula, and others missed important events.

Passengers accept that safety comes first, but they want better compensation for the disruption and distress they experienced.

Qantas sent a message to passengers saying the flight was cancelled.

Qantas said there was a problem with the plane's nose wheel.

The plane returned to the gate for repairs, and engineers worked on it, but more work was needed to fix the issue.

Qantas got a new plane to avoid further delays, and safety is their top priority.

Qantas initially offered passengers 20,000 points or a $200 voucher, but later offered a full refund for the Johannesburg-Sydney leg and an Uber voucher.

Qantas apologized for the disruption to passengers' travel plans and thanked them for their patience.

Passengers were left without help.

The drama started on Monday night when the captain told passengers there was a problem with the nose gear.

Passengers had to scramble for hotel rooms and were not assisted by the airline.

The next morning, passengers were told to get back on the plane, but they were then told the flight was cancelled again.

Harriett Moore said Qantas' offer to refund one leg of the flight was not enough.

There needs to be a change in regulations to compensate customers who are stranded like in the EU.

The EU requires airlines to pay passengers delayed by mechanical faults up to 600 euros in compensation.

The Australian government allocated $40 million to overhaul airline passenger rights, but there is no guaranteed compensation scheme for disrupted flights.

Questions about A380 safety have been raised.

Airbus was ordered to inspect 16 A380 aircraft, including one operated by Qantas, after cracks were found in a key structural component.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency ordered the inspections after cracks were discovered in a structural beam.

There is no indication that the Johannesburg aircraft's steering problem is related to the inspections.

Airbus will inspect 16 A380 planes, including one Qantas plane, after cracks were found in a key wing component.

Qantas has faced scrutiny over A380 maintenance before, including when a tool was found inside one of its A380 engines.

Aviation expert Justin Wastnage said passengers should not be concerned about the safety of the A380.

All aircraft are certified by safety agencies and go through rigorous tests, making flying the safest form of travel.

The A380 is no different from other planes in terms of safety.

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