Consumer NZ has launched a new flight complaints portal to help passengers share their experiences and better understand their rights when travel plans go wrong.

The portal is designed for travellers who have experienced cancelled or delayed flights, missing or damaged luggage, or other airline related problems.

The advocacy organisation said it would consolidate the complaints it receives and take them to airlines and the Government as part of its push for stronger passenger protections.

People who use the portal will also be given access to Consumer NZ’s top tips for dealing with travel disruption.

Research by Consumer NZ found nine out of 10 people were not fully aware of their flight rights, while more than three quarters of travellers relied on airlines to tell them what they were entitled to.

Unlike many other countries, including those in the European Union, New Zealand does not require airlines to tell passengers about their rights when flights are disrupted.

Consumer campaigns manager Jessica Walker said the portal would help build pressure for change.

“If people take the time to share their experience with us, they will be helping to build the case for better communication of passengers’ flight rights,” Walker said.

Earlier this year, Consumer NZ delivered a flight rights petition to Parliament, signed by more than 10,500 people.

The petition called on the Government to require airlines to tell passengers their rights when flights are delayed or cancelled.

“Last week, we were invited to speak to the parliamentary petitions committee about our flight rights petition,” Walker said.

“We urged the committee to make regulations requiring airlines to clearly inform passengers of their rights at the point of disruption, just like in Europe.

“While the politicians consider our request, we, a not for profit, are filling the information gap to try and protect passengers from being left out of pocket when their flights don’t go to plan.”

Consumer NZ has also launched a new flight rights information hub, which explains passenger rights across different travel scenarios.

Walker said many passengers did not know they had legal protections under the Civil Aviation Act and the Consumer Guarantees Act.

When delays or cancellations are within an airline’s control, passengers have specific rights.

For example, if a domestic flight is delayed because of operational issues, a passenger can ask the airline to reimburse reasonable costs incurred because of the delay, up to 10 times the cost of the ticket.

If an international flight is cancelled or delayed and the airline is at fault, passengers may be entitled to a refund and able to claim back other costs.

Consumer NZ said international flight rights depended on where passengers were, where they were travelling to, and in some cases, where the airline was based. More than one set of rules could apply to the same journey.

“The law is so complex, so unclear and so poorly communicated that most people don’t realise they have rights, let alone how to enforce them. And if people don’t know their rights, those rights might as well not exist,” Walker said.

“Whether it’s a domestic flight cancellation, international flight delay or luggage that’s damaged or missing, we’ve got your back.”

The portal can be found here.