In the early days of air travel, its exclusivity bred glamour. Rarely would you see travellers climbing aboard the early passenger jets decked out in anything but a suit with shirt and tie or a dinner dress befitting of the occasion. A lot has changed, with casual comfort being the priority for flyers today. But should there be a return to tradition? One angry traveller certainly thinks so...

Since the internet's earliest days, it has provided a safe haven and open forum for people to air their grievances about pretty much anything. This week, one passionate flyer took to LinkedIn to keep this tradition alive, taking aim at what he calls PIPs – or "passengers In pyjamas".

James Demmert, CIO of personalized wealth management firm Main Street Research, has gone viral on social media after sharing a rant about his approach to air travel:

"Whenever I fly, my family and friends laugh at me for being dressed well. In a world of passengers in pyjamas (PIPs) I stick out like a sore thumb. It's so bad I was once mistaken for a flight attendant! Biz or pleasure I believe in the old school etiquette. I won’t let them wear me down!"

James Demmert

It's certainly true that in times gone by, sartorial standards for air travellers were vastly different from what we see today. Taking a flight was considered an exclusive luxury in the 1960s and 70s. Food was served on silver platters, open bars served dry martinis out of Bond-style glasses and – most importantly – there wasn't a piece of plastic cutlery in sight. All of this encouraged passengers to dress for the occasion, which they deemed a rare luxury.

However, as air travel has become more accessible and affordable (and flights have become longer), many people have opted for comfort and practicality over style when dressing for a flight. In recent years, some airlines have even relaxed their dress codes, allowing passengers to wear much more casual attire on board... You might even be surprised to hear that some airlines even have dress codes.

Comfortable, breathable fabrics like cotton, linen, and activewear are popular choices for air travel, helping reduce discomfort during long flights. Layers are also commonplace, as temperatures on planes can vary widely and be difficult to divine.

Predictably, Demmert's rant has inspired both support and scorn in equal measure, with his original LinkedIn post making its rounds online and copping more than a bit of criticism in the process.

"Is his tie too tight or why does he look like a tomato?" one brutal commenter quipped. "Nothing like being uncomfortable and sweaty pinned to your seat in a cramped cabin for six hours," another weighed in with, while another joked "Mom, Dad’s booked a flight again for LinkedIn and he’s mumbling about pyjamas…”

Funny as they may be, the post and its responses represent a microcosm of a much wider debate that has been going on in the travel industry for a number of years.

While some rue the supposedly falling standards of dress in air travel, deeming them a matter of respect for oneself, the airline, and fellow passengers, others find this attitude to be overbearing.

In 2017, The Sun's Karren Brady proudly declared that she had flown to France in her trackies, saying that "air travel attire should be about comfort not just looks." Shortly afterwards, The New York Times' Randa Jarrar took this a step further, arguing that "the airline dress code is an example of patriarchy and misogyny in society."

On the other side of the aisle is Victoria Beckham, who you might be unsurprised to hear is a keen advocate of dressing up for the occasion: "people really need to stop dressing like they are going to the gym", she told The Telegraph in 2016. USA Today's Jacqueline Whitmore is in agreement: "an aeroplane isn’t a yoga studio, nor is it a nightclub."

All in all, it's a surprisingly complex debate. Whichever side you fall on, we make no judgement and hope that you travel comfortably, stylishly, and speedily. All we ask is that you keep your LinkedIn posts limited to job updates and sombre networking – save the raging for Xbox Live.

Read the full article Are We Dressing Too Casually for Flights? One First Class Passenger Says Yes on DMARGE. Don’t miss it!

Flight attendants have to deal with all sorts of passenger requests. Now, some have taken to the internet to recount some of the more amusing and obscure requests they’ve received. 

For those accustomed to air travel, arriving sane at your destination turns on an ability to deal with body odour, dodge a cold war over shared armrests, or tolerate any of the other social ills that economy throws at you. Yet according to stories being shared online, the biggest babies on board mightn’t be the ones screaming for iPads back in coach but those sipping bourbons up in first.

Their experiences range from the humorous, like one passenger calling for the crew to sing happy birthday to her boyfriend over the intercom, to the downright disturbing, like a young couple offering cash to swing at a nude beach once they land. It turns out Daddy’s money can’t buy you class! 

It is not uncommon for travellers to disembark having “felt a connection” with female crew members, passing hotel keys, cash and handwritten notes on napkins back to hostesses – trying to ensure that the plane won't be the only thing getting serviced once they get to the gate...

WATCH an ex-first class flight attendant explain what it takes to be working at the pointy end of the plane.

And these aren’t the only times travellers have insisted attendants check their body parts. Air dispatcher Maia Medena recounted one particularly memorable flight on Quora, where an older passenger had disturbed the cabin with muttered requests to ensure “his eye” was on board.

His seemingly crazed antics set off quite the scene onboard before it was revealed the man was on-route to receive a corneal transplant and was indeed checking to see if the donor organ had made it onto the flight as cargo. Couldn’t have seen that one coming!

We’ve come a long way since the era of hostesses asking passengers ,“steak or chicken?” In-flight meals today now cater to a broader selection of diets, and even more so for premium travellers, with airlines like Qantas even partnering with celebrity chefs for their luxury cabin and lounge menus. That isn’t to say all passengers are satisfied, with one peckish customer on a flight even asking attendant Douglas Scott, “well, what about your food, do you have something I can eat?” Picky much?

To make sure trainees aren’t under any illusions that their job will be all high-flying, induction is filled with cautionary tales from veteran attendants of all kinds of needy creatures onboard. Some crowd favourites include pouring a cup of water for a falcon mascot and a woman who’d resorted to breastfeeding her cat after a request for milk to feed her companion animal was denied.

​​It seems first-class passengers don’t just roll eyes with the requests they make, but also with the requests they ignore. The internet is rife with footage of elite tantrums taking place behind the high-flier curtains, exposing customers losing it over martinis that have two olives not three. It is surprisingly not uncommon for passengers to prove unable to tolerate small inconveniences like not wearing a mask or making phone calls during safety demonstrations.

One man even struggled on a Frontier Airlines flight to follow directions to keep his hands to himself, needing instead to be taped to his seat for time out in a naughty corner after groping two female staff. Yikes. 

As more crew members turn to the internet fed up with outrageous in-flight behaviour, outsized egos are rightfully becoming too big for carry-on. Sadly for some people, there’s no amount of money that’ll turn a 747 into a personal genie lamp.

Read the full article First Class Passengers Weirdest Requests, According To Flight Attendants on DMARGE. Don’t miss it!

Airbus may have pulled the plug on its A380 production back in 2021, but the double-decker “superjumbo” will remain a fixture of global aviation for many years yet... and with it comes the thrill of first-class travel done right.

When this colossal aircraft first took flight, it opened the floodgates for a fresh wave of airborne opulence: private suites with sliding doors, sophisticated lounges and cocktail bars, in-flight showers, and even an on-board duty-free shop courtesy of Korean Air.

Etihad went one step further, rolling out a three-room Residence suite that promised a hotel-style experience at 35,000 feet.

Airbus set the tone as early as December 2000, showcasing eye-popping mock-ups of what it called “super first class”: sleek compartments reminiscent of modern European sleeper trains, with separate seating and full-length beds.

Airlines like Singapore and Lufthansa later adapted these ideas for their own first-class cabins, cleverly blending privacy with perks like onboard bars and sprawling lounge areas for mid-air socialising.

Although Richard Branson’s grand plans for a gym, casino, and beauty parlour on Virgin Atlantic’s (ultimately unrealised) A380 never saw the light of day, other carriers followed Airbus’s lead by installing everything from shower-equipped first-class bathrooms to spacious social hubs.

Plenty of futuristic concepts were floated... quite literally.

One early Airbus design for the upper deck imagined an open-plan ‘club’ for first-class flyers, complete with curved seating, a big dining counter, and cosy spots scattered around for chatting or a quick coffee break.

Later, design agencies such as Acumen and Yellow Window refined these ideas, conjuring up “First Place” suites with leather recliners and chaise lounges.

Meanwhile, French designer Jacques Pierrejean dreamed up a high-end “lobby” and private dining room, where first-class passengers could wine and dine as if in a boutique hotel.

Though the A380’s days are over, its lavish legacy endures.

Read the full article Airbus A380 Superjumbo Concepts Reveal The Ultra-Luxury Future Of First Class Air Travel on DMARGE. Don’t miss it!

Turbulence is increasingly common and never fun. Tracker site Turbli has just revealed the world's most turbulent flight routes so you don't have to find out firsthand. It turns out that mountain winds and powerful jet streams are the ultimate recipe for an unsettling ride...

Sourcing its data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the UK Met Office, Turbli has revealed that several routes crossing the Andes in South America and the Himalayas in Asia ranked among the most turbulence-prone in 2024.

The study analysed 10,000 routes connecting 550 of the largest airports, finding the short 196-kilometre (122-mile) hop between Mendoza (MDZ) and Santiago (SCL) to be the bumpiest trip of them all.

That ride is quick, but it comes with plenty of unsolicited thrills. You’ll start in Mendoza’s picturesque wine region, renowned for olive oil, mountaineering, and horse riding, before crossing the Andes to land in Santiago, a historic city surrounded by snowy peaks and the Chilean Coastal Range.

Gorgeous views aside, it's the towering mountains that generate powerful winds and rapid weather changes, giving even the most seasoned traveller a rocky welcome.

With the Himalayas appearing more than once in the top 10 as well, it’s clear that dramatic terrain and turbulent skies go hand in hand.

If you follow any kind of climate news, you won't be all that surprised to hear that 2024 officially clocked in as the hottest year on record and saw a drastically increased likelihood of extreme weather events, like the devastating LA wildfires.

Rising temperatures could also boost the risk of severe “clear air” turbulence, largely invisible on flight radars and hits without warning.

While some experts predict a gradual increase in these gut-churning jolts, they’re quick to reassure that flying remains a statistically safe way to travel... for now.

So if you’re heading to Mendoza for a glass of Malbec or sprinting off to Santiago for a city getaway, consider keeping that seatbelt snug. The scenery — both on the ground and from 30,000 feet — is well worth the occasional shake, rattle, and roll.

Read the full article This American Flight Was Just Named The Most Turbulent Route In The World on DMARGE. Don’t miss it!

Air India gets a bad rep, maligned by many for its less-than-immaculate cleanliness and customer service records. However, the airline is set to elevate its premium offerings — and give its street cred a much-needed polish — with the introduction of revamped first-class suites on its forthcoming Airbus A350-1000 and Boeing 777X aircraft. This move aims to position the airline among the world's leading carriers in luxury travel, particularly targeting high-demand mega-city markets such as Singapore, London, and New York.

Nipun Aggarwal, Air India’s Chief Commercial Officer, announced that the new first-class suites are designed to rival those of the world's largest airlines: “Many of the biggest airlines in the world are developing the next generation of first-class products, and Air India aims to compete with them by offering a superior product,” Aggarwal said during a recent press briefing.

He also went so far as to claim that the new suites on the Airbus A350-1000 and Boeing 777X jets will provide a much-enhanced luxury experience that caters to high-net-worth flyers seeking an alternative to private jets for long-haul routes:

“Even if you have a private jet, you can’t fly to the US from India in your private jet without a stop… however, with our first-class product, you can fly nonstop."

Nipun Aggarwal

While the delivery of the new Airbus A350-1000 and Boeing 777-9 aircraft isn't expected to come to fruition for the next few years, Air India is already pushing on with impressive upgrades to its existing fleet. Their current Boeing 777-300s will be retrofitted with first class and business class suites, featuring four first class and 35 business class seats per aircraft.

The airline also plans to retrofit 40 widebody aircraft in the latter half of this year and 100 narrowbody aircraft by mid-2025 with three-class configurations, including first class on select widebody planes. These upgrades will guarantee a consistent pointy-end experience across Air India’s fleet, enhancing comfort for flyers on both domestic and international flights and, hopefully, its reputation to boot.

Air India’s levelled-up first class offer will initially serve lucrative long-haul routes connecting India to major global hubs. By focusing on nonstop flights to destinations like London and New York, the airline hopes to capture a new and significant share of the burgeoning premium travel market.

Aggarwal was unabashed about the immense revenue potential of India’s long-haul market, which currently represents over 50% of the airline’s revenue despite accounting for only 12% of passenger volume. To further support this growth, Air India is strengthening domestic hubs in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, facilitating better connectivity and reducing layover times, potentially by a massive 50%, from six hours to three.

On top of all this good work to the fleet, Air India is also overhauling its loyalty programme, the Maharaja Club, which has grown to over 10.3 million members. The programme will soon include members of Air India Express, expanding its reach and enhancing customer retention through improved rewards and co-branded credit cards. A strategic merger with Vistara has further bolstered Air India’s position, allowing for better pricing and customer experiences on metro routes, as well as offering new avenues for corporate partnerships.

With the introduction of new first-class suites and comprehensive fleet upgrades, Air India could redefine its position in the global aviation market. If it can attract the discerning and deep-pocketed travellers it craves, it could compete very effectively with more established global carriers. The proof, as they say, will be in the pointy-end pudding.

Read the full article World’s Most Maligned Airline Cleans Up With New First And Business Class Cabins on DMARGE. Don’t miss it!

A now former Alaska Airlines flight attendant, recently identified as San Francisco native Nelle Diala, is seeking financial support through a GoFundMe campaign after being dismissed from her job for posting a viral twerk video on TikTok.

In her own words, the 15-second clip that was filmed at 6am on a Boeing 737 while she waited two hours for the pilots to arrive was simply “a little twerk before work.” And yet, perhaps unsurprisingly, the resulting backlash, combined with allegations of breaching the airline’s social media policy, led to her swift termination.

According to reports, Diala had only been with Alaska Airlines for around six months and was, in a wonderfully ironic turn, celebrating the end of her probationary period when she recorded the offending video. She originally captioned the clip “ghetto till I die, don’t let the uniform fool you”, but for many viewers, this statement alone was enough to call for her dismissal on the grounds of unprofessionalism.

Whether it was the caption, video, or, most likely, both, the airline took fast and furious action, with Diala later claiming she was fired without a formal opportunity to defend herself.

In a recent reposting of the video, she used the hashtag #discriminationisreal and expressed frustration at her loss of income as a result of, what she considers, mere personal expression. Critics have come down hard on her for cut-and-dried poor judgement, while others argued that the airline’s policies give employees too broad scope to determine whether content could negatively impact their image. Either way, the end result was the same: Diala found herself unemployed almost as quickly as her video had gone viral.

Most airlines maintain strict social media policies that forbid any content potentially damaging to the brand from being posted by their employees. More often than not, these policies contain open-ended language requiring employees to [we're paraphrasing] “avoid posting anything that could reflect negatively on the company.”

Unsurprisingly, Diala insists that her video was harmless, explaining that she never linked her "performance" to Alaska Airlines by name. However, her official uniform and the aircraft cabin backdrop likely made this a difficult defence to stand on...

While flight attendant roles typically carry heightened standards of professionalism compared to similar and, indeed, similarly paid jobs, the jury of public opinion is out on whether the consequences were too severe or entirely justified. Diala’s situation has prompted a widespread debate around how far employers should go in policing personal social media content and whether certain creative expressions automatically violate professional guidelines.

Diala has now turned to GoFundMe in an effort to raise $12,000 to help fund her “blossoming lingerie and dessert business”, operated under the handles @cakezncake and @figure8.lingerie respectively. Unfortunately, as of mid-January, she has only accumulated about $180.

Things have only gone from bad to worse for Diala, with the unexpected passing of her two beloved English bulldogs and a rocky personal relationship adding to her difficulties in recent months. Nevertheless, she maintains that she loved working as a flight attendant and is in good spirits.

Read the full article Alaska Airlines Flight Attendant Fired For Making ‘Inappropriate’ In-Flight Video Launches GoFundMe on DMARGE. Don’t miss it!

With launch planned for mid-2025, Riyadh Air is readying itself to become Saudi Arabia's new flag carrier, hoping to reach over 100 destinations by 2030. Led by CEO Tony Douglas, the airline promises a state-of-the-art fleet, cutting-edge cabins, and routes that could turn Riyadh into a global hub. Here's what’s on the horizon for this much-anticipated, alcohol-free carrier.

In the coming weeks, Riyadh Air is expected to unveil its Boeing 787 interiors in a showcase that will include business class suites with sliding privacy doors, as well as premium economy and economy seats. The announcement will also cover the airline’s new app, designed to simplify bookings. In line with wider industry trends, the carrier will not feature a first-class cabin, but Douglas has emphasised his plans to make business class as luxurious as possible, calling it the “Mercedes Maybach of the skies".

Business seats will incorporate large 22-inch 4K OLED screens with Bluetooth audio so flyers can connect their own headsets. Sliding doors will maintain privacy, while fast, free Wi-Fi and multiple charging ports — including dual USB-A, dual USB-C, and AC power — will support connectivity needs.

Riyadh Air’s premium economy, which the CEO insists is closer to a “business-minus” product, will provide ample recline and legroom, fronted by c.16-inch personal screens for inflight entertainment. Each seat will also include USB-C power outlets.

Although these seats will not lie flat, rumours suggest they might get pretty close, strengthening airline claims that the design leans closer to a scaled-down business class than a slightly upgraded economy class. Each economy seat will come with a personal screen measuring 13.3 inches and USB-C power ports.

Riyadh Air plans to kick off operations with three Boeing 787s. First routes will connect Riyadh to at least two major European capitals as well as serving shorter, high-demand regional routes such as Jeddah. As more aircraft join the fleet, the airline plans to introduce about two new destinations every month. Ticket sales will begin once the initial routes are confirmed.

Riyadh Air has already signed a deal for 39 Boeing 787-9s, with options for 33 more, locking in a steady influx of deliveries from the back half of 2025. These will be joined by approximately 60 Airbus A321neo family jets, slated to arrive from 2026 to 2030, likely featuring more of the lie-flat business class beds described above. The airline also plans to place an order for either Airbus A350-1000 or Boeing 777X models to strengthen long-haul operations.

Alcohol has been banned in Saudi Arabia since 1952, including in hotels. As a Saudi-based carrier, Riyadh Air must adhere to the Kingdom’s existing legal framework. While CEO Tony Douglas says the airline will comply with current legislation, speculation continues to run rampant that the Crown Prince may loosen some restrictions to boost tourism and position Saudi Arabia as a leading trade and finance hub.

However, for now, travellers should prepare to fly dry with no alcoholic beverages on board. This decision will mark a dividing line between Riyadh Air and other Gulf airlines that are famed for their onboard bars and premium drinks.

As Saudi Arabia continues to develop destinations like AlUla and Neom, Riyadh Air has a chance to champion and massively capitalise on these emerging hotspots. If the airline can leverage the country’s cultural heritage and rising international profile to entice passengers who are curious about exploring a less-travelled part of the world, and if it manages to balance connectivity, comfort, and competitive pricing, Riyadh Air could become a world-class option for both leisure and business travellers alike.

Read the full article World’s First Alcohol Free Airline Is About To Launch With ‘Mercedes Maybach’ Business Suites on DMARGE. Don’t miss it!

Passengers aboard an American Airlines flight from Dallas, Texas, to Minneapolis, Minnesota, had the unfortunate experience of having to dodge a sudden flood of water in the cabin which, after some equally unpleasant investigation, was revealed to have originated in a plane bathroom. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the incident quickly went viral thanks to its unusual circumstances and the understandably intense reactions it provoked.

This is an unlucky turn that American Airlines won't have enjoyed after a turbulence controversy overshadowed their new business class unveiling earlier this year.

What was a run-of-the-mill domestic flight soon turned sour when water began seeping from one of the aircraft’s rear bathrooms. According to a passenger on the aircraft who promptly shared footage on social media, a fellow traveller noticed the leak and immediately alerted the cabin crew. Despite their best efforts — which were, by all accounts, swift and admirable — the water could not be contained.

Footage posted to TikTok showed the less-than-ideal scene unfolding in real-time: startled flyers lifted their feet and scrambled to remove hand luggage from the increasingly sodden floor. The leak caused a large puddle which soon spread along the aisle, leaving many concerned not only about potential damage to their possessions but also about the potentially more serious hygiene implications of water emerging from a lavatory.

The leak itself garnered widespread attention but, as is so often the case in the so-called TikTok age, the choice of soundtrack that quickly became attached to one passenger’s especially popular video added a surreal and comedic varnish to the situation. Céline Dion’s iconic 'My Heart Will Go On' — famed for its use as the theme song in the 1997 film Titanic — played as travellers tried to avoid the growing stream of water.

Before long the clip garnered over seven million views, prompting a wide and slightly unhinged array of responses. Some saw the humour and left tongue-in-cheek comments, while others confessed to feeling newly anxious about a fresh source of mid-air danger. “Imagine drowning… on a plane… in the air,” remarked one person. Others echoed the sentiment:

“Drowning at 30,000 ft going 500mph… new death fear unlocked.”

Many commenters expressed disgust at the prospect of cabin water leaking out from a restroom. Some said they would think twice before storing bags on the aircraft floor again, while others took it as a good reason to avoid open-toed shoes during flights (for this writer's money, you shouldn't have your trotters out on a flight anyway, so this may be one of the few good outcomes). “Nothing says emergency like toilet water”, one user commented, summing up a distaste felt by many.

This watery episode is far from being the only strange airline occurrence that has recently captured public attention. Only a few days ago another viral clip showed a man boarding a flight with an enormous Great Dane — a dog that can weigh well over 100 pounds — causing some viewers to reignite the never-ending debate on whether the concept of “support animals” has been taken too far.

Other incidents — ranging from unpleasant odours caused by livestock on board to our personal favourite, the infamous Air India urinator — have also made headlines.

The instantaneous and ever-more-massive impact of these shared experiences highlights how social media has totally changed the way travellers share their in-flight experiences. A leak in the cabin that might once have remained a private inconvenience shared only by those on board now triggers a viral sensation and debate among millions. In this case, one that went beyond a momentary mishap and tapped into growing fears around the unpredictability of modern air travel. Increasing turbulence is a perfect case study.

Although no injuries were reported and the flight eventually landed safely, the airline did not immediately respond to media inquiries. This vacuum left passengers and commenters alike to draw their own conclusions; while the exact cause of the malfunctioning restroom remains unclear, the footage and anecdotes have already formed a runaway narrative of their own.

Read the full article American Airlines Mid-Flight Toilet Explosion Is The Stuff of Nightmares on DMARGE. Don’t miss it!

Budget carrier Frontier Airlines has made headlines today with its new 'GoWild!' pass, a quintessentially American all-you-can-fly offer that, the airline claims, provides travellers with unparalleled flexibility and affordability. Priced at an enticing $299 USD for the first year, the pass allows for unlimited flights within the United States, the Caribbean, Mexico, and Latin America between May 1st 2025 and April 30th 2026. But what's the catch? And is it worth your hard-earned dollars? Here's what we know.

Only U.S. residents who are also members of Frontier Miles — the airline's loyalty program — can purchase the pass. If prospective pass holders are not already members, they will be automatically enrolled upon purchase, enabling Frontier to reward its most loyal customers while simultaneously expanding its membership base — clever.

For just $299 USD, flyers can book trips on select Frontier Airlines routes for as little as one penny per flight. However, readers should note that not all Frontier flights are available on the pass and that pass holders are responsible for any relevant taxes and fees associated with their airfare. As they say, there's no such thing as a free lunch...

The pass offers decent flexibility for travellers. Passholders can make reservations the day before a domestic flight's departure and up to ten days in advance for international flights, so spontaneous travellers need not be afraid. For domestic round trips, the return flight must also be booked the day before departure.

There are a few restrictions we would advise you to be aware of before taking the plunge. Flights must be booked through Frontier’s website; mobile app bookings are not supported. There are so-called 'blackout dates' around major holidays and peak travel periods when the pass cannot be used to purchase tickets. Passholders are also unable to purchase tickets on behalf of other travellers.

Passholders cannot reserve plane seats in advance and the pass does not include carry-on or checked baggage. These can be purchased separately, however, allowing flyers to tailor their experience based on their individual needs.

The GoWild! pass is currently available at an undeniably tempting introductory price of $299 USD, which is set to expire at 11:59 pm MST on December 18th. Thereafter the pass will be available for an increased price of $499 USD, and automatically renews for $699 USD at the end of the purchase period regardless of your initial purchase price.

Frontier Airlines is by no means the first carrier to offer a comparable annual pass. It is not even first time that this airline has done it, having previously introduced a similar pass in 2022, limited to domestic travel within the US. The new GoWild! pass expands on this same concept to include international destinations, reaffirming Frontier's as a competitive player in the low-cost carrier market... or so the airline bigwigs hope.

The industry has seen increasing competition from both low-cost and legacy carriers, with Frontier's biggest competitor, Spirit, recently going belly-up having never fully recovered from the damage done by the pandemic.

More cynical commentators have claimed that the pass is a cash-grab effort from Frontier before it potentially meets the same fate, making hay from customers willing to pay a larger upfront cost in return for cheaper future travel. whether you buy this or not, the official line is that the GoWild! pass represents a strategic move to capture an increasingly elusive market segment that seeks affordability without sacrificing the ability to travel frequently.

Offering (sort of) unlimited flights at an unprecedentedly low price point — for the net few hours, anyway — flexible booking options and access to an extensive network of routes could make the pass a smart move for spontaneous adventurers and savvy travellers alike.

However, potential pass holders should beware of the many fine-print restrictions and additional costs for basic services like baggage and seat selection, as well as 'blackout' periods around big holidays.

Read the full article Frontier Airlines Announces Unlimited Flight Pass, But Is ‘GoWild!’ Worth It? on DMARGE. Don’t miss it!

Qantas and Virgin Australia have decent frequent flyer programmes, and many are members of both. If you buy the marketing spin, your life will get so much better after signing up. It probably won’t, but joining one is an avenue to free flights. Behind the hype, which of Australia’s two top frequent flyer programmes offers the best bang for your buck?

A short domestic economy class flight will earn you 800 points on Qantas while Virgin Australia pays five points per dollar spent on airfares (dropping to four points next April). Flying greater distances on more expensive fares further up the front of the plane will generate substantially more points. Elites on both airlines also get bonus points.

Both Qantas Frequent Flyer and Velocity offer ample opportunities to earn points away from flying. For a fast fix, credit card sign-up bonuses and credit card spending on certain cards are two ways to earn a sizeable number of points fairly quickly. 

Both schemes also have a large number of retail partners. Qantas teams up with the Woolworth’s Everyday Rewards programme and Velocity partners with Flybuys and Coles. You can earn Qantas Frequent Flyer points by filling up your car at BP and Velocity points at 7-Eleven, among others.

The capacity to earn points depends on the frequent flyer member channelling their spending towards their particular airline partners and, of course, the spend amount. 

A single-person household is likely to spend less than a large household where there is family points pooling and Mum runs her own business and also taps into additional earning programmes such as Qantas Business Rewards.

While both Qantas Frequent Flyer and Velocity have their strong points, in terms of earning opportunities, Qantas has the edge. They have more partners and more opportunities to earn points. Qantas’s inflight earning opportunities are also more straightforward, being distance and fare type-based, rather than spend-based. Reward flights have the edge on Velocity too.

If accruing points is relatively easy, getting value-for-money redemptions is the harder part. Most people look to redeem their points on flights. Both Qantas and Virgin Australia have value-for-money redemptions in all travel classes on all routes. The trick is finding one.

Being a OneWorld member, Qantas has a wider range of partner airlines you should be able to redeem your Qantas Frequent Flyer points on, but any regular traveller knows this isn’t how it pans out.

Tried to book a reward seat on Qatar Airways using Qantas points lately? Any luck on Cathay? Seen any entry-level (Classic Reward) availability in premium cabins on any Qantas flights to Europe? Probably not.

Virgin Australia has fewer airline partners, but a decent selection nonetheless – ANA, Qatar, Singapore, United, and Air Canada, among others. Your mileage may vary, but I’d argue it is easier to find a decent value redemption using Velocity points than Qantas points for international travel. Easier. Not easy.

Both Qantas and Virgin Australia have reasonably decent entry-level redemption availability for domestic travel in their economy cabins. Redemptions on Virgin Australia start at 5,900 points for short sectors such as Canberra – Brisbane and 8,000 points on Qantas.

Entry-level redemptions in domestic business class are harder to find but around... and international business seats are rare (or expensive) as hens teeth. For redemptions, Virgin Australia has the edge because of lower cost and slightly better availability.

Qantas and Virgin Australia allow their frequent flyers to transfer points into accounts. American Express Membership Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, Woolworth Everyday Rewards, and HSBC Rewards for Miles are among the programmes that will allow you to transfer points to your Qantas Frequent Flyer account.

Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, ANZ Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, NAB Rewards, and Suncorp Credit Card Rewards are among the programmes that allow you to transfer points to Velocity. These can be a great way of funnelling points into your frequent flyer account, especially if your card spend is high.

Separately, both airlines allow you to transfer points between family members under family pooling arrangements. What constitutes a family member? Someone with a frequent flyer account linked to the same home address.

Family pooling was a Velocity strong point because the program also allowed pooling of status points. If Dad paid for a family of four to fly to Italy, Dad would get the points and status credits. However, Velocity is watering down its family pooling benefits next year, although the change impacts status rather than earning or transferring points.

Qantas family transfers are fairly straightforward. The airline allows you to make an unlimited number of transfers (a minimum of 1,500 points per transfer) to family members.

Velocity has generally had the edge when it comes to transferring points because of its family pooling perks. Now that’s changing, there’s little to distinguish the two airlines other than that they partner with some different financial institutions.

Comparing earning, redeeming, and transferring opportunities, Qantas Frequent Flyer offers better scope for earning points while Virgin Australia’s Velocity provides slightly more opportunities to redeem points for flights, particularly at entry-level rates. In terms of transferability, the two programmes are reasonably similar, with your preference likely to depend on who you bank with and who you hold credit cards with.

Read the full article Virgin Velocity vs Qantas Frequent Flyer: Which Delivers Best Value For Travellers? An In-Depth Analysis on DMARGE. Don’t miss it!

Big changes are coming to Dallas-based Southwest Airlines starting on December 4th. The U.S. airline is adjusting its cabin preparation procedures ahead of landing, requiring flight attendants to begin preparations at 18,000 feet of altitude rather than the traditional 10,000 feet.

Aimed at reducing in-flight injuries among cabin crew which have slowly increased alongside more prevalent turbulence, the measures could bring down injury numbers by a significant margin of 20%. While the immediate impacts on passenger experience have made many of today's headlines, there's a bigger story behind this one.

New guidelines will see the descent phase's trajectory altered significantly. Pilots will make their customary announcement to begin the phase, usually at cruising altitudes above 30,000 feet. As the aircraft descends through 18,000 feet, that low-high chime that we're all used to hearing when travelling by air — though usually a little later at the 10,000 feet mark — will sound, and the so-called 'sterile' flight deck begins. That means that cabin crew begin preparing the aircraft for landing before securing themselves in their jump seats.

For passengers, that means the following changes:

These changes come at the end of years of research and analysis fed through Southwest's Safety Management System (SMS) and Flight Data Analysis Program (FDAP). The airline also worked closely with the Transport Workers Union Local 556 (TWU 556), which represents Southwest's flight attendants.

Flight attendant safety is the main motivation here. Turbulence is one of the biggest causes of injuries to cabin crew, and turbulence — though possible at any elevation — is much more likely to occur at lower altitudes thanks to thicker clouds and more changeable weather patterns. That means that landing is primetime for these injuries, and by getting flight attendants seated sooner, the risk of their getting injured during landing should be significantly reduced.

Southwest Airlines emphasised all of this in a memo:

“The change in procedures is designed to reduce the risk of in-flight turbulence injuries for our Crew Members and Customers. It is the result of the airline’s close collaboration with its Labor Partners and a robust approach to Safety Management. Previously, preparation for landing began at 10,000 feet. Nothing is more important to Southwest Airlines than the Safety of our Customers and Employees.”

Southwest Memo

Southwest is not the first airline to make this kind of change. United Airlines adopted a similar policy last year while international carriers like Korean Air have also adjusted procedures, naming turbulence as a "persistent and growing problem". Most major U.S. carriers continue to prepare for landing at 10,000 feet.

While most will find the policy change to have a relatively minor impact on in-flight experience, passengers may notice the adjustments, especially those busy bees who use laptops or other devices for as long as possible during their flight. Business travellers who bank on flight time as work time might find this more bothersome than most.

Shorter flights will likely feel this change more intensely compared to long-haul flights, given the greater proportion of overall journey time that the descent comprises. Flight attendants may struggle to complete a full beverage service on very short flights but, ultimately and rightly, safety trumps convenience.

An incident earlier this year involving Southwest Airlines Flight 3633, a Boeing 737-700, was an unfortunate embodiment of the risks associated with descent turbulence. The aircraft hit turbulence at 19,000 feet, and a passenger — who, it is important to note, was standing against flight attendant instructions — fell and sustained severe injuries, including a broken ankle with a protruding bone. Flight attendants, including a deadheading crew member and nurses onboard, provided assistance despite the risks to themselves.

A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigation noted that the seatbelt sign was on and the passenger had disregarded instructions to remain seated. This incident is one of the key data points that led Southwest to make these newly announced adjustments.

Reporting on a similarly grim incident involving in-flight turbulence on an Allegiant Airlines flight last year, we took a deep dive into a study undertaken by Professor Paul D. Williams from the University of Reading, which revealed a 55% rise in turbulence along North Atlantic flight routes from 1979 to 2020. You only need to look at the Singapore Airlines incident in 2023 to appreciate that this is no longer an issue localised to the Atlantic.

What's behind this massive increase? Professor Williams gives a damning if pithy summary of the issue:

“Following a decade of research showing that climate change will increase clear-air turbulence in the future, we now have evidence suggesting that the increase has already begun.”

Paul D. Williams

That's right, folks: climate change is the underlying reason behind increased turbulence and, therefore, increased injury. That means that while Southwest is one of the highest-profile airlines to implement these changes, we can expect many more to follow suit in the years to come. Whether or not this turbulence becomes an existential threat to the airline industry remains to be seen, but at least cabin crew can sleep a little easier at night knowing their risk of injury has been reduced somewhat.

Read the full article Southwest Airlines’ Turbulence Changes Will Affect All Americans Who Travel on DMARGE. Don’t miss it!

There are quite a few well-travelled flight paths to Europe for Australians, such as Cathay through Hong Kong, Emirates via Dubai, and Qantas through Singapore. But if you're in the mood to shake things up and make some hearty savings along the way, there are overlooked alternatives into Europe. Here are a few of our favourites.

The under-rated Garuda Airlines flies from Sydney and Melbourne to Amsterdam via Jakarta and offers great value for money along the way, providing a superior experience at a fraction of the cost compared to some of Australia's major carriers. Flights from both Australian cities to Jakarta are daylight services using Airbus widebodies with a business class cabin. From October 29, the start of the IATA summer season, the Monday flight from Sydney and Thursday flight from Melbourne will connect to the B777-operated overnight flight to Amsterdam.

Saturday and Monday departures from Amsterdam get you into Jakarta around lunchtime the following day. Unfortunately, that will require a 36-hour layover if you want to continue onto Melbourne on Garuda. However, picking up the Monday flight out of Amsterdam would see you safely onto the Tuesday evening Garuda departure out of Jakarta for Sydney, arriving the following morning. You could then make the domestic connection through to Melbourne (or elsewhere if needed). 

Shanghai-based Juneyao Airlines is returning to Sydney and Melbourne Airports this summer. Come mid-December Juneyao B787-9 daylight flights will operate from both cities to Shanghai Pudong, with frequencies varying between thrice-weekly to daily over the Australian summer.  In Shanghai, you can connect through to Brussels, with that departure currently scheduled for just after midnight. Juneyao also flies to Manchester and Helsinki from Shanghai.

Coming back, the flight from Brussels lands in Shanghai around six in the morning, with connections to Sydney and Melbourne leaving around five that afternoon. That connection time may or may not take your fancy but it does give you the best part of a day to explore Shanghai. Juneyao is a Star Alliance member airline which means it offers competitive pricing on flights into Europe and has a decent business-class product with lie-flat seats to boot.

In another direction entirely, LATAM flies from Sydney and Melbourne to Santiagio, with flights four times per week over the upcoming summer from both Australian cities. LATAM’s business class product on its Australian flights isn't flash, featuring a 2-2-2 layout, and other well-publicised inflight quirks but does offer a comfortable journey without the premium price tag. The airline's fast track to South America and a nifty connection to Madrid make it a budget-friendly choice for travellers looking to explore.

Here’s how it works: The ex-Australia flights land in Santiago just before lunch and the daily LATAM departure to Madrid leaves around six in the evening – so a six-hour buffer. The Madrid flights, while also operated by a B787-9, have a decent 1-2-1 business class product. On the return leg, the midnight departure from Madrid gets you into Santiago mid-afternoon, with the Australian flights departing just after midnight that evening – a little bit of a layover but the new(ish) LATAM Santiago lounge is arguably the best lounge in South America and a fine place to while away some time.

Perth locals have the most exotic route into Europe, with a three times per week (lunchtime on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays) Air Mauritius flights shooting you across to Port Louis and onwards to Paris later that evening, arriving in time for breakfast the following morning. Air Mauritius puts on an A330 between Perth and Port Louis (eight hours) and an A350 between Port Louis and Paris (11 hours). Both types offer 1-2-1 business class cabins (although the more modern seat on the A350 is better) and allow travellers comfort alongside significant savings compared to more traditional routes. 

The return trip to Perth involves a sixteen-hour daytime layover, which depending on your opinion of Mauritius, can be a good or bad thing. The ten o’clock evening departure from Port Louis deposits you back into Perth around nine the following morning.

Finally, Air India gets a shout-out – not because it’s a great airline (it’s not) but because it also offers an interesting way to Europe. The airline flies daily from Sydney to New Delhi, daily from Melbourne to New Delhi, and thrice weekly from Melbourne to Mumbai. From Delhi, ten European airports are at your fingertips while the airline also connects Mumbai with London Heathrow and Gatwick.

Here's the thing about Air India. The CEO is in the process of cleaning it up (literally, financially, and operationally). In five years time, it will probably be okay. Right now, it’s very hit-and-miss. That said, not every Air India flight is going to be a horror story – some will likely be perfectly fine.

Despite its challenges, Air India remains a member of the illustrious Star Alliance. For departures from Australia, it is one of the easiest airlines to redeem seats on for flights to Europe, including in business class, making theirs some of the most competitive fares for flights to Europe from Australia, especially when redeeming frequent flyer points.

So, if you are prepared to chance it, you may have a very good business class flight with a nice New Delhi stopover. On the other hand, you may spend the entire flight wondering what caused the stains in the carpet and where the flight attendants are. Still, chancing it… that’s what makes travelling interesting.

Read the full article Cheapest Airlines For Savings On Flights To Europe on DMARGE. Don’t miss it!

Virgin Australia has moved to shut down concerns its impending marriage with Qatar Airways will gut its existing partnership arrangements and dud its frequent flyers. The airline has submitted a lengthy response to submissions made to the ACCC about the proposed "integrated alliance" that will see Qatar Airways take a 25% shareholding in Virgin and Virgin use Qatar aircraft and crews to operate its own flights to Doha.

The good news is, aside from the demise of Virgin's already watered-down partnership with Etihad, not much will change for Virgin's frequent flyers, including the ability to earn and burn points and redeem flights on partner airlines. Much of the confusion stemmed from a proposed geographical exclusivity clause making Qatar the only Gulf-based codeshare partner and the only airline allowed to offer VA codeshares and flights to airports in the Middle East, Europe, and Africa (EMEA).

Calm the farm says Virgin. It's just a codeshare. If the ACCC approves the alliance, here's what it will mean for Virgin's existing partnerships and Velocity frequent flyers.

Virgin Australia will no longer place its flight number on Singapore Airlines flights operating to and from EMEA airports. But that has zero impact on the ability to book Velocity reward seats, earn points, and take advantage of lounge access rule on Singapore Airlines flights in and out of those regions.

Existing codeshare arrangements on Singapore Airlines flights outside EMEA will remain in place. Virgin says there is a misunderstanding about changes to the Velocity program:

"There will be no changes to Virgin Australia's loyalty arrangements with Singapore Airlines."

Virgin Australia in submission to ACCC

That means a Velocity Gold member flying economy on Singapore Airlines with their Velocity number in the booking can still wander into the Krisflyer lounge in Heathrow for a couple of glasses of Piper before flying out, and a Velocity member can still book a redemption on a Singapore Airlines flight to Cape Town.

Virgin Australia's existing partnership with South African Airways will remain in place. While lacking the depth of the Singapore partnership, South African does scoot between Perth and Johannesburg up to four times per week and offers a far quicker option than detouring through Doha. 

Virgin says there will be no changes to Velocity members' ability to earn and redeem Velocity points when travelling on eligible South African Airways-operated flights. Priority check-in and access to South African Airways-operated lounges will also remain the same.

Velocity gold members and above flying on eligible Virgin Atlantic-operated flights will also continue to receive priority check-in, priority boarding and lounge access. South African and Virgin Atlantic were partners of concern because they both have extensive operations within that EMEA exclusivity zone.

Existing arrangements with Virgin Australia's other international partners, namely ANA, Air New Zealand, Hawaiian Airlines, Air Canada, and United Airlines continue as is. 

The casualty of Virgin Australia's tie-up with Qatar is its longstanding partnership with Etihad. This will end on June 1, 2025. In recent years, the partnership had become a shadow of its former self – a bit like Etihad, really. But there were some bright spots, like Velocity platinum members getting access to the first class lounge in Abu Dhabi. If that's still a bucket list travel item, there is six months left before that perk evaporates.

Virgin says its alliance will offer all travellers, not just Velocity members, easier access to a bigger range of destinations. The airline says the alliance, if approved, "will deliver clear and significant public benefits to Australian travellers and the Australian economy." Virgin CEO Jayne Hrdlicka said it gives her airline...

"A shot at something special."

Virgin CEO Jayne Hrdlicka

The deal will see Qatar effectively double the number of planes it sends in and out of Australia. The extra flights will operate as Virgin Australia flights, although Qatari crews will operate them. However, it's unknown if Virgin will want to cough up the dough to serve caviar to its passengers in their "it's Qatar but it's not Qatar" business-class cabins.

Theoretically, all this additional capacity should put downward pressure on airfares – a win for travellers. But the devil will be in the detail. Aside from caviar dramas, a browse of Virgin Australia's website shows it is already busy funnelling passengers onto Qatar flights. Fair enough. But Qatar's fares and redemptions, particularly in premium cabins, are often significantly higher than competitors, including some existing Virgin partners. 

A potential problem is not that these partners no longer exist, but that it becomes far harder to book a flight or decent redemption on the partner airline to maximise your Velocity membership. The removal of VA codes on some Singapore Airlines flights may also impact Velocity points and status-earning rates on those flights. However, Virgin is overhauling its frequent flyer program, including status and point earn rates on its partner airline earn rates, and this is a minor quibble in the wider scheme of things.

Overall, except for Etihad's exit, it's business as usual for Virgin's international partnerships and critically, the ability of its passengers and frequent flyers to make use of them.

Read the full article Virgin-Qatar Partnership Benefits Outweigh The Bad For Frequent Flyers, Here’s Why on DMARGE. Don’t miss it!

Spirit Airlines, a pioneer of ultra-low-cost air travel in the USA, has filed for bankruptcy. Announced on Monday 18th November, the carrier known for its no-frills cabin product and customer experience trod a new path in the crowded landscape of US airlines, offering consumers very cheap fares but, as a trade-off, requiring them to pay for everything additional a la carte, in stark contrast to more upmarket carriers like United, Delta, and alike who include many of these luxuries — from carry-on bags to in-flight snacks — in their ticket cost.

However, the carrier has endured years of financial difficulty brought on by a raft of challenges both internal and external and now it seems the airline has reached its end. Below is a detailed dive into how Spirit's collapse unfolded and what this ultimately means for travellers.

Spirit Airlines' bankruptcy was in large part brought about by internal missteps regarding operational efficiency and management strategy, both of which proved to be inconsistent in recent years. While the carrier has always earned praise for pioneering the now commonplace ultra-low-cost model, it ultimately struggled to strike a balance between keeping ticket prices low and maintaining ongoing profitability.

Spirit relied on aggressive cost-cutting protocols to stay competitive in an ever more expensive market but, as is so often the way, this eventually came at a significant cost to their bottom line. The same bare-bones approach that had once drawn customers in began to be criticised for taking its minimalistic approach too far. Hidden fees for basic amenities such as water, printed boarding passes, and seat selection began to disgruntled passengers. A recent study by J. D. Power bears this out, with Spirit continually ranking among the lowest US airlines in terms of customer service, and this led to once-loyal customers jumping ship to other carriers.

Operational issues only compounded these problems. The carrier's fleet, comprised of aging Airbuses, required constant and expensive maintenance. Near-constant delays and cancellations led to a further erosion of customer confidence — they consistently rank in the bottom third of reliability in a list of American carriers — while a sluggish approach to the necessary investment to rectify these problems saw them drag on unabated.

Spirit also had to confront a number of intense external and industry-wide pressures that, evidently, it could not withstand. One of these was rapidly increasing fuel costs, which have been on the up quite relentlessly since the start of 2022, thanks in large part to the geopolitical tension in Eastern Europe. These supply chain disruptions and subsequent added costs threatened the razor-thin profit margins of the carrier, with its low-cost model far more susceptible to this kind of biting pressure compared to more expensive airlines that build a cushioning cost into their ticket prices.

Another pressure is one so obvious that it also doesn't bear repeating at this point: the pandemic was a disaster for airlines around the world. While there was something of a 'bounce back' in 2023 as consumers went chasing the travel experiences they had been denied for so long with renewed vigour, this bumper year was not enough to offset the massive losses endured throughout 2020, 2021, and 2022. Consumers themselves were also hit hard by the pandemic, meaning that while some were able to indulge in a moderate amount of travel after pandemic restrictions eased, they did not have the necessary cash to keep up this momentum in the long term.

All of this, coupled with rising interest rates, made it harder and harder for Spirit to service its debts. Increasing competition in the sector from Southwest Airlines and JetBlue only made matters worse. So much so that Spirit even looked to emerge with arch-rival JetBlue earlier this year, but that ultimately collapsed after being blocked by the courts on grounds of a threat to fair competition.

Naturally, bankruptcy has immediate ramifications for travellers. While it does not appear that Spirit has plans to ground scheduled flights, its removal from the air travel market, whether rapidly to gradually executed, will inevitably leave a mark, especially in regions where Spirit holds a significant market share, such as Fort Lauderdale and Las Vegas. Competitors will inevitably step in but not without some level of disruption.

While only speculative at present, here are a few ways we predict Spirit's collapse could impact directly on passengers:

All of this marks something of an end of an era for ultra-low-cost travel in the U.S. While many budget travellers will likely be disheartened, a shake-up of the U.S.'s relatively stagnant air industry could be a good thing in the long term, but that will all depend on how competitors and regulators react. For now, the best advice for flyers is to stay alert, monitor the news, and plan ahead with caution as the market adjusts to the absence of a once-major player.

Read the full article Spirit Airlines Goes Bankrupt, Here’s What That Could Mean For American Travellers on DMARGE. Don’t miss it!

October has proved a cracker of a month for Australian flyers, with Qantas now wrapping up a double points/status promotion, announcing network changes, and tweaking their frequent flyer scheme again.

Earlier this month, Qantas announced changes to its international network in 2025, including putting the A380 back on Sydney - Dallas flights and the B787 on some Brisbane - LAX flights. The airline has scheduled both to happen next August.

The airline is trimming Sydney – JFK flights from six to five per week from February and handing the Seoul run over to Jetstar in June.  The Seoul flights only started in late 2022 but failed to attract the premium traffic that Qantas needs to make the route worthwhile.

Qantas has also picked up a government-supported route to Palau. The once-weekly roundtrips out of Brisbane using B737-800s might prove a sleeper holiday hit if the flight timings and prices are right. Flights are expected to start “in the coming months.”

Sticking with Qantas, the airline is opening up its controversial Classic Plus reward seat redemptions across the domestic and regional network from December 12, 2024. Not everyone is a fan of these redemptions, which are dynamically priced and align with cash fares.

However, Qantas says over 25 billion points have been redeemed on international flight redemptions since Classic Plus debuted in July, and it gives passengers more options to fly where they want when they want. Occasionally, but not very often, Classic Plus redemptions are cheaper than the often elusive Classic Reward redemptions.

Qantas frequent flyers will soon be able to redeem reward seats on Oman Airlines, an interesting airline with a tidy fleet, including B787-9 Dreamliners, that is run by Melbourne boy-made-good Con Korfiatis. It has a strong European network and links with Qantas services in Bangkok, Manila, Jakarta, Bangalore, and Delhi. Qantas hasn’t said when reward seats will open up, but they are beating the publicity drums, so it should be soon-ish.

Qantas also says it has started rolling out WiFi onboard its international A330 fleet, and that it should be available on A330 flights to Asia by the end of the year. The airline says passengers flying on “activated” A330s can already access fast and free while over Australia.

The final bit of Qantas news concerns flights to Lord Howe Island. Qantas will soon stop flying the only aircraft type they have that can land there, raising the prospect of services ending. Instead, they’ve done a deal with Cairns-based SkyTrans who have the right-sized aircraft and will start flying Sydney - Lord Howe Island on a codeshare basis with Qantas. Redemptions, point accruals, and lounge access will continue uninterrupted for Qantas passengers. Qantas aircraft will transition out, and SkyTrans aircraft transition in through March 2026.

Delta Air Lines, which goes daily into Sydney and is about to start thrice weekly flights to Brisbane, will introduce new interiors across all cabins on its A350-900 fleet from early 2025. By happy circumstance, this is the aircraft type Delta sends to Australia. Granted, it’s more a refresh than a major overhaul, but passengers across all cabin classes can expect better lighting, memory foam cushions, tarted-up toilets with an “accent wall,” and a “softer, warmer and more modern colour palette.” I strongly suspect most passengers would prefer to ditch the accent wall for more legroom, but that’s just me.

Batik Air started flights between Denpasar and Canberra in June. Did you know? No? Well, it doesn’t matter because they axed them this month with Canberra Airport CEO Michael Thomson citing “operational and commercial factors” and working out that most Canberrans why fly international scoot up to Sydney to do so.

The most memorable thing about Batik’s short-lived Canberra flights was the inaugural service, which came with 924 feet of mountainous terrain south of city and sparked an ATSB incident review. That might be one reason why the good people of Canberra didn’t rush online to book cheap seats to Bali.

Virgin Australia set the cat among the pigeons in October when it announced a big overhaul to its Velocity frequent flyer programme starting next year. Virgin’s PR people are spinning it hard, but the upshot is you’ll have to spend more to gain or retain status. It’s a commercial decision by the airline that will at least thin out the overcrowded lounges. 

Far more interesting is VA’s proposed play with Qatar Airways. They already cooperate closely, but the AUD750 million plus bid by Qatar to buy a 25% stake in Virgin Australia has some super interesting medium and long-term ramifications. Aside from more Qatar metal masquerading as VA metal on the ground at Australian airports and Qantas having to work harder for their money, expect to see downgrades of the close relationship between Virgin Australia and Singapore Airlines and the end of Velocity redemptions on SQ services west of India.

Additionally, the agreement with Etihad and South African Airways will get torn up. Virgin Australia will also get to work funnelling traffic to their new part owner. This show has a way to go, and it's worth watching how it plays out.

Read the full article Qantas Wraps Up Double Points Promo And Unveils Big Changes For Frequent Flyers on DMARGE. Don’t miss it!

Qatar Airways will buy a 25% stake in Virgin Australia in a massive shakeup of Australia’s aviation market that will offer huge benefits to Australian travellers.

After saying reports of the deal were “rumour and innuendo” earlier this month, Virgin Australia CEO Jayne Hrdlicka confirmed the impending buy on Tuesday, October 1. She said it would provide passengers with increased earn and redemption opportunities, expand codeshare arrangements, and improve schedule and connectivity options.

WATCH: Cathay Pacific Announces 'Aria' Business Class Upgrade

Virgin Australia also intends to start wet-leasing Qatar Airways aircraft from mid-2025, starting flights from Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, and Brisbane to Doha. Wet leasing refers to arrangements whereby an airline rents a crewed and maintained aircraft but operates it as its own – like what Qantas does with the Alliance Embraers and the Finnair A330s.

The outcome for passengers is that there will be more Qatar Airways metal at Australian airports and more flights – likely in time for the next European summer.

“These extra flights will open up more than 100 new connecting itineraries across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa for Australian travellers,” a statement from Virgin Australia reads...

“The expanded codeshare and collaboration arrangement will provide greater access to a greater range of international destinations with improved schedules and frequencies, increased earn and redemption opportunities for members of Velocity and Qatar Airways’ Privilege Club, and broader access to great value fares for leisure travellers, small and medium sized enterprises, and corporate customers.”

Virgin Australia’s Velocity members will be big winners here. They already enjoy perks when flying Qatar Airways, including lounge access at all Qatar ports for gold and platinum members. More flights mean more seats available for redemptions and the deepened relationship will likely push Velocity members further up the priority tree when it comes to redemption releases.

Of course, Qatar Airways Privilege Club members will also get a bounce, with Virgin Australia making their flying in this part of the world as comfortable as it can possibly be on a Boeing 737 with no lie-flat seats.

Beyond passenger benefits, the deal puts some more ballast in Virgin Australia’s already solid balance sheet and helps secure the airline’s long-term future. With two high-profile Australian airlines going bust this year, this kind of stability offers passengers reassurance that when they book tickets, the carrier will be around to operate the flight.

The biggest losers will likely be Qantas frequent flyers, who already get a raw deal from Qatar Airways. This is despite Qantas and Qatar both being Oneworld members. In theory, Qantas frequent flyers should have an easier time of it when redeeming seats and flying on Qatar than Velocity members, but they don’t. One outlet cheerfully called Qatar’s move a “nightmare” for Qantas.

That’s probably overegging the situation but there will be more competition on long-haul routes into Europe and a more financially robust competitor in Virgin Australia. It's good for the wider travelling public but not so crash-hot for Qantas.

Virgin Australia needs permission from the ACCC to ramp up its codesharing and fare coordination with Qatar Airways. But the hot tip is the ACCC won’t stand in the way. Qatar Airways also needs approval from the Foreign Investment Review Board. However, DMARGE understands talks between the parties have been underway for some time. As part of the existing bilateral air services agreement, Australian carriers can fly to Doha. As yet, none do, and VA is unlikely to encounter any regulatory turbulence on that front.

Most readers will be aware there’s some history at play here. Qatar Airways tried to boost its Australian flights last year beyond the combined 28 weekly flights it is allowed to operate into the busiest airports – Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth. The Australian government, after some lobbying by Qantas and other interest groups, said no.

That caused a backlash because the extra capacity was badly needed. Air fares were high, and availability was low. Passengers were getting squeezed. A conga line of influential travel insiders lined up to burn the Australian government, who seemed to think their decision would slide through unnoticed.

The same government and its agencies are unlikely to make the same mistake, especially when the outcome is more competition and clear benefits for pretty much everyone except Qantas status pax. Today’s announcement see’s Qatar get what it wants – more flights, even if they are sold as Virgin Australia flights. It’s a tidy solution.

Hrdlicka says she will take a “measured approach” to VA’s return to long-haul flying. "Toe in the water," she calls it. However, the CEO also gives the mid-2025 target date. Hrdlicka says if the wet leases go well, Virgin Australia will look at the “longer-term merits and viability” of widebody aircraft flying.

Aside from the immediate sugar hit for Virgin Australia loyalists, the interesting longer-term question revolves around Virgin Australia’s future widebody ambitions. A decade ago, VA’s business class product on their A330s and B777s was industry-leading and is still missed by many people. More recently, the airline has scotched talk of a return to widebodies. Now, they’ve changed course again. Without widebodies, Virgin’s scope for international flying beyond the immediate neighbourhood is limited.

In five or ten years’ time, having a half decent long-haul local competitor to Qantas would be a very good thing. Today’s announcement could be the first step on that path.

Read the full article What Qatar’s 25% Stake in Virgin Means For Travellers on DMARGE. Don’t miss it!

Airlines continue to tinker with their Australian flight schedules and there's a run of hotel openings to pique travellers' interest in this month's wrap-up of travel news and tips.

Both Qantas and South African Airways have or are scaling up their flights between Australia and Johannesburg. Qantas has already switched out the 236-seat Boeing 787-9 for the 485-seat Airbus A380-800 on its five-times-per-week Sydney—Johannesburg roundtrips, offering a lot more capacity and a first-class cabin option. 

Meanwhile, South African Airways is increasing its thrice-weekly flights between Perth and Johannesburg to four times per week from December 7 and five times per week from January 6. The airline says it is responding to increased demand for flights. The South African Airways flight is an interesting service being the only Airbus A340-operated flight to Australia.

VietJet is reworking its Ho Chin Minh – Perth – Adelaide – Ho Chi Minh rotation, axing Adelaide just 12 months after starting flights there. Effective October 27, the airline says it is "optimising its schedules between Vietnam and Australia" and will have four roundtrips weekly between Ho Chi Minh and Perth.

Adelaide Airport says the flights were popular, and the reason for dropping the city was not due to a lack of demand from South Australians but rather the VietJet fleet needing to reorganise its fleet. But in a classic case of you win some, you lose some, China Southern and Emirates recently announced they were returning to Adelaide.

Singaporean low-cost airline Scoot is also tinkering with their Australian schedules this summer. From December 6, its 13 weekly roundtrips between Singapore and Perth will tick up to 14, or double daily. Likewise, Scoot flights between Singapore and Melbourne will increase from 12 to 13 per week in December before going double daily in January. Scoot says the changes are in anticipation of stronger demand.

Air New Zealand has pushed back the introduction of its first refurbished Boeing 787-9 business class cabin from October to early 2025, blaming supply chain issues. While comfortable to sleep on, Air New Zealand's current Dreamliner business class seat is considered one of the worst in the industry for its lack of privacy, storage, and angling away from the windows.

The new seats, to be installed on all 14 existing B787-9s, will conform to the industry standard with a forward-facing 1-2-1 design and decent privacy. Alas, there will be no sliding doors unless you pony up extra cash to book one of the four Business Premier Luxe suites at the front of the cabin. Air New Zealand is rebooting its on-again off-again (now on-again) Auckland – Hobart flights on October 27.

Hobart's newest hotel, DoubleTree by Hilton, is taking bookings from October 30. The new build, located at 179 Macquarie Street (between Barrack and Harrington Streets) has entry rooms from around AUD260 per night and is an easy stroll to Salamanca.

On matters Hilton, the aging Brisbane hotel, which peaked in the 1980s when its in-house Juliana's Piano Bar was on-point, has been the subject of renovation shutdown rumours for much of the year. It recently stopped taking bookings beyond September 30, citing commercial 'in-confidence' reasons. However, a check of Hilton's booking portal shows the hotel is now accepting reservations through 2025, ending the closure chatter—at least for a while.

Sticking with Brisbane, the Star Grand opened last month in the Queen's Wharf precinct beside the river. The hotel's 340 rooms include 60 suites varying between 75-217 square metres, with the largest being the Skyline Penthouse Suites, which span two levels and feature private guest retreats and separate staff entrances.

However, the plain old standard city view rooms, which vary between AUD450 and AUD850 per night depending on demand, are sufficiently comfortable for most people and include access to the leisure deck and rooftop Skyline bar and restaurant area. If you were wondering, the penthouse suites start at around AUD5,000 per night and include continental breakfast — omelettes are extra.

Accor have opened a Novotel and Ibis at Melbourne airport, the first new on-site hotel since the Parkroyal was built in 2000. The two new hotels, part of the same complex, are a few minutes walk beyond Terminal 4 in the Werribee direction. Accor is running hard on the "it's not just another airport hotel" theme, even if that's pretty much exactly what it is.

Still, with multiple airlines scheduling arrival and departures between midnight and dawn at Melbourne, having more places to crash nearby the night before is no bad thing. DMARGE hasn't stayed at either hotel yet, but the rooms are reportedly good, and the restaurants and bars decent. There is also an indoor heated swimming pool, gym, and expansive co-working area.

Read the full article Qantas’ First-Class South African Upgrade & Best New Hotels on DMARGE. Don’t miss it!

It’s only a few weeks in but already September has seen announcements about new and resuming flights to Australia, as well as one high-profile exit. Overall, it’s a net gain, and the extra capacity gives passengers more choice and puts downward pressure on ticket prices, which is a win for consumers.

Emirates has confirmed that it will end its daily flights on the Melbourne – Singapore city pair, although it is yet to say when.

The pre-dawn departure out of Melbourne and the last-generation business class cabin on the B777-300ER that operated the sector was uncompetitive with other full-service operators on the route, including Turkish Airlines, Qantas, and Singapore Airlines. But the Singapore to Melbourne sector was a daytime flight with decent Qantas reward seat availability and was popular with many travellers.

Emirates needs to iron out a few details with competition authorities before quitting the route, given it was a component of an approved alliance between it and Qantas. Emirates will continue to fly double-dailies between Melbourne and Dubai.

If that’s the bad news, there is plenty of good news going around if you travel in and out of Australia. Next July, Etihad will increase its daily flights between Abu Dhabi and Sydney to ten per week, although it is yet to say on which days it will go double daily.

Etihad’s rebooted strategy revolves around building frequencies to existing destinations rather than trying to fly to as many airports as possible.

At Sydney Airport, Turkish Airlines will start flying four days per week from early December, complementing the existing three-day-per-week flights to Melbourne. Unlike the Melbourne flights, which operate from Istanbul via Singapore, the Sydney flights will operate via Kuala Lumpur, with the last leg through to Sydney being a daylight flight into Australia from Asia.

Malaysian Airlines does fly to Sydney twice a day, including during daylight hours, but the Turkish flight provides a Star Alliance option and a bit of competition - for a time at least. The Kuala Lumpur stopover will be relatively short-lived. Once Turkish Airlines gets an aircraft with the range to do so, it says it will fly Istanbul – Sydney nonstop.

Receiving a little less fanfare, Cebu Pacific will go daily on the Sydney – Manila city pair from December 1, competing with Qantas and Philippine Airlines on the route. The Cebu flights are not flash – they fit 459 people on the Airbus A330-900neo operating the flight, but it will be inexpensive and it will get you into Manila quickly and safely.

China Southern is making its return to Adelaide after axing flights in 2020. The airline will fly three times per week on the Guangzhou – Adelaide city pair from December 12 using a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner and will be the only Chinese carrier regularly flying into South Australia.

China Southern will operate overnight to Adelaide every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, and head back to Guangzhou every Monday, Thursday, and Saturday, flying through the day.

Qantas has started flying to Port Vila from Brisbane, with thrice weekly B737-800 flights now operating every Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday. Traveller numbers to Vanuatu have taken a hit this year with Air Vanuatu in liquidation and not flying.

However, that’s encouraged Australian carriers to pay the market some more attention. Virgin Australia has increased its flights to Port Vila, and Jetstar will start flights from Sydney in mid-December. Despite it being just three hours flying time away, Qantas has never before regularly flown to Vanuatu.

Also out of Brisbane, Qantas will resume four times weekly flights to Manila in late October using an Airbus A330-200. Qantas returns to route after a ten-year absence, and the flights will compete with the Philippine Airlines Airbus A321 neo services.

Everybody’s favourite (or not) low-cost carrier, Jetstar, is ramping up its flights out of the Gold Coast, starting flights to Hamilton and Dunedin in New Zealand from June 2025. Both sectors will operate three times per week and will result in another Airbus A320 calling the Goldie home.

Like a lot of new international flights out of Queensland, the state government is weighing in with support and the operator of Gold Coast Airport has also lent a hand.

The new and resuming flights are a broad mix running to a variety of destinations. This is a good thing, bringing the benefits of choice to a widespread audience and not being Sydney or Melbourne-centric.

There are reports that Australians aren’t pulling back on travel despite the rising costs of running a life. While that trend continues and people keep prioritising travel over other spending options, airlines will keep adding new routes, adding more aircraft, and providing more choice.

Read the full article Travel Updates: Airlines Add More Flights And Routes on DMARGE. Don’t miss it!

The end-of-August round-up of travel news notes the arrival of new airlines into Gold Coast and Cairns, the ongoing rollout of free WiFi on international carriers, a win for Malaysian Airlines economy class passengers, more countries offering Australians visa-free entry, a refreshed Sydney Airport lounge and bad lounge food avoidance tactics at the same airport. 

Queensland’s secondary international airports have secured some additional airlines. Hong Kong Airlines is operating a short series of flights between its home city and Gold Coast between January 17 and February 15, 2025, to test the viability of permanent services. The four roundtrips per week will be operated by A330-300s which have economy and a lie-flat 1-2-1 business class cabin.

Meanwhile, AirAsia has begun flying between Denpasar and Cairns thrice weekly using A320-200s. The year-round flights started in mid-August. The link to Denpasar is handy for Cairns residents because lots of long-haul airlines fly into the Indonesian city, and premium cabin fares out of Denpasar into Europe are usually far less than on the same airline flying to the same European destination out of Brisbane.

International airlines flying to Australia continue to schedule free WiFi rollout across all cabin classes. ANA, which flies between Tokyo, Perth and Sydney, already offers business class passengers complimentary WiFi on international flights, but recently said it would offer the same to premium economy and economy class passengers from March 2025.

Delta, which flies between LA and Sydney and will start flights to Brisbane in December, is rolling out free WiFi on its Viasat-equipped widebody aircraft on a route-by-route basis. Unfortunately, trans-Pacific flights will be among the last to get it, sometime in the latter half of 2025.

Qantas is also working on its free WiFi offering on international flights and should have it available across all A330-200 aircraft from early 2025 and its A330-300, B787-9, and A380-800 fleet by the end of  25.  The A330-200s primarily fly into Asian ports such as Jakarta, Manila, Singapore, Bengaluru, and Hong Kong but also appear on the Brisbane – Los Angeles and Brisbane – Auckland routes.

Malaysia Airlines is slashing its international network over the remainder of the year because of operational constraints but it is not affecting its Australian flights (so far). On matters WiFi, Malaysia Airlines passengers already have unlimited complimentary Wi-Fi. Alas, it does not support streaming apps. 

On matters food, in a rare piece of good news for economy class passengers, Chef on Call options are now available for pre-ordering on Malaysian Airlines. Other than special diets, access to menus beyond the chicken or beef options on the trolley is usually the preserve of premium class cabins.

However, in addition to trolley options, economy class passengers on flights to and from Australia can also pre-order meals such as nasi lemak with shrimp sambal, e-fu noodles with braised chicken, or classic beef lasagne. Granted, it’s not lobster thermidor, but it is more choice in economy class, and that’s a good thing.

China has recently began allowing Australian passport holders visiting for business, tourism, family visit or transit purposes visa-free entry for stays of up to 15 days. The rule took effect on July 1, 2024, and covers entry from open sea, land, and airports.

If China appeals but you feel like stretching your wings a little more, neighbouring Mongolia now also started allowing Australian passport holders visa-free entry for stays of up to 30 days. Mongolia relaxed its entry rules last year.

Slightly closer to home, Sri Lanka is temporarily dropping its visa requirement for Australian passport holders from October 1, 2024. The Sri Lankan Government wants to see if the six-month visa-free travel generates greater tourist numbers and more badly needed hard currency. New Zealand passport holders are also eligible for visa-free travel to China, Mongolia, and Sri Lanka.

Singapore Airlines has re-opened its Sydney lounge after a quick overhaul. DMARGE hasn’t had the chance to give it a whirl yet, but early reports say there’s new carpet and a new barista bar, although what was wrong with the previous one is a mystery. The bathrooms remain unchanged, as does the buffet, but Singapore Airlines already did decent lounge food, so the failure to upgrade is not necessarily a crime against humanity.

Unless you’re flying in first class, in which case you have a separate lounge away from the business class and Star Gold riff-raff, DMARGE's Sydney Star Alliance lounge strategy is to head to the Singapore lounge for a bite to eat before swinging next door to the more expansive Air New Zealand lounge and its above-average bar.

Unless it’s an evening flight, in which case the Singapore Airlines lounge is closed, and you have to close your eyes and pray the Air New Zealand buffet tastes better than it looks. Unfortunately, it usually doesn’t.

Read the full article Visa-Free Countries For Travellers: Our Monthly Travel Hacks Roundup on DMARGE. Don’t miss it!

Many Australian state governments are more than happy to open their chequebooks to attract airlines by offering subsidies and incentives to secure flights. But sometimes, this seems like a waste of taxpayer's money rather than a sensible strategy to improve connectivity in and out of a particular state?

Queensland Government, via its Attracting Aviation Investment Fund, is the most active and successful at securing new carriers and routes - at least while the incentives keep flowing. Since the start of 2022, Queensland Government largesse has locked in 35 new and resuming routes, including new services from United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and American Airlines.

The Western Australian Government committed AUD75 million to its Aviation Recovery Fund in the wake of the pandemic, which is now subsidising Jetstar's recently resumed Singapore - Broome flights, among others. South Australia has a smaller fund, and Victoria also has a history of stepping up to assist airlines to start or resume flights into Melbourne, including subsidising Air India's flights to and from Mumbai and the newly launched Turkish Airlines services.

Subsidising airlines isn't necessarily a bad thing. It can ease the financial pressure on carriers and give them breathing space while they establish routes and ramp up their local marketing. Northern hemisphere airlines can also be happy to try new sunshine markets during their down season when they can have aircraft to spare. But subsidies can also encourage a degree of commercial adventurism, which isn't sustainable once the subsidies run out.

Virgin Australia's Cairns-Tokyo service only lasted as long as the funding. A weak Japanese currency and concurrent low numbers of Japanese travellers has ruled that route out once the government chequebook snapped shut.

Until 2022, no mainland-based US carrier operated to Brisbane, but Queensland's Attracting Aviation Investment Fund has already lured in United, American from October, and from December, Delta. There's already a problem with overcapacity on Australia-US routes. The Australian Government's latest batch of passenger data, from May, shows American's average passenger loads to and from Australia that month was 80.9%, United 64%, and Delta 68.7%.

United has the biggest number of flights and routes to Australia of the three carriers and has already responded by trimming flights, including axing its Brisbane-LA service. Word is American's Brisbane - Dallas flights will be a financial bloodbath. Unfortunately, governments don't say what they pay to secure individual services, citing commercial in-confidence clauses.

In the short term, overcapacity can be good news for passengers. Theoretically, it should put downward pressure on fares and make decently priced redemptions easier to secure. But the US carriers aren't like the Gulf airlines, which oil money-rich governments back. The US carriers have to make money, and it's doubtful the Brisbane market can support this amount of flight activity once the Queensland Government's subsidies end (and they do end). No one wants to book a flight for next August only to have the airline decide to axe the service in March.

The three US operators aren't the only airlines taking advantage of Queensland's subsidies. Jetstar knows its way around the scheme. This year alone, government support has allowed it to start or resume flights from Bangkok and Brisbane, Osaka and Brisbane, Seoul to Brisbane, Cairns to Christchurch, and Maroochydore to Auckland.

Last year, Jetstar used the Attracting Aviation Investment Fund to support the restart of Osaka-Cairns and Narita-Cairns flights. The Queensland Government is also backing the October reboot of Qantas Brisbane-Manila flights.

There's no criticism of any airline taking advantage of government (or any other) assistance to start or launch a route that's got sound commercial bona fides. The problem is using the assistance to launch routes that will only last the length of the funding period or using it to put capacity into a market that is already adequately supplied.

Over in Perth, WA's Aviation Recovery Fund has recently supported Emirates' decision to go double-daily in December, South African Airways' return to the Perth-Jo'burg run, China Southern Airlines' resumption of the Perth-Guangzhou route, and Jetstar's rebooted Broome-Singapore flights.

The dry-season-only Jetstar flights, something of an outlier like Virgin Australia''s short-lived Cairns - Tokyo flights, will put 13,000 seats onto an otherwise unserved route. Will it work? Broome Airport CEO Craig Shaw thinks it will. He says the flights offer "enormous potential for tourism and trade opportunities for the region" and also give locals better global connectivity via Singapore. Also in Jetstar's favour is its low-cost base. Its cost per available seat kilometre is far less than its parent Qantas, or even Virgin Australia.

In five years, even two years, will all these subsidised services and routes still be flying? It's unlikely, which is unfortunate because, from a passenger point of view, the more connectivity, the better. But most airlines aren't charities and will only stick around while money is being made.

Read the full article State Governments Are Wasting Millions Of Taxpayer Dollars On Airline Subsidies on DMARGE. Don’t miss it!

A decision by Qantas to temporarily divert their Perth to London flights away from trouble in the Middle East highlights the fact that parts of the world are no-go zones for airlines.

You might think that urine-stained seats or the unexpected appearance of time travellers might be the biggest of your air travel worries, but geopolitics is a far more pressing and ever-present concern for carriers. Late last week, Qantas decided the threat of armed conflict between Iran and Israel and missiles flying through the sky made the usual QF9 flightpath a little too hot to handle. 

QF9, temporarily rebadged as QF209, now flies via Singapore, and instead of barrelling straight up the Persian Gulf and over the badlands between Iran and Israel, charts a more northerly path out of Singapore over India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan and the Caspian Sea before settling onto a westerly tracking towards Heathrow. It adds an extra four hours of travel time, but that sure beats dealing with missile threats.

Qantas calls the diversion, currently in place until August 22, “a precaution.” It’s a wise precaution, too. Recent history includes the shooting down of a fully loaded Korean Air Boeing 747 in 1983 by a Russian jet fighter, killing 269 people. In 2014, Russian-backed forces shot down a Malaysian Airlines Boeing 777 overflying Ukraine, killing 298 people, including many Australian men, women, and children.

No airline wants their aircraft to join that club. That’s why many are currently avoiding the normally well-flown airspace just south of the Iran/Iraq border between the Persian Gulf and Türkiye. It’s familiar territory to Australians, with Qantas and many Europe-bound flights out of Asia and the Gulf usually traversing it. But look on flight tracking websites now, and most flights (but not all) out of places like Dubai and Doha are diverting south through Saudi Arabia, over the top of the Red Sea, and shooting up north towards Greece and Italy, avoiding any potential dangers.

While currently the main region making headlines, the Iran/Iraq border isn’t the only no-fly zone. Ukraine remains strictly off-limits. Russia’s invasion of that country resulted in airspace closing to commercial aircraft. But even if the Russians withdrew tomorrow, no airline will venture into Ukrainian skies until that country’s security situation is fully resolved.

Western sanctions against Russia as a result of its move into Ukraine have rendered Russian airspace inaccessible to many airlines, causing havoc at airlines that typically fly between Europe and North Asian ports over Russia. The Japanese carriers now make a marathon trip over the Arctic to fly between Tokyo and Europe, affording some dazzling views of Greenland but making for a very long flight.

Finnair based much of its business model on flying between Helsinki and North Asia. They’ve had to pivot to new ways of making money, including running a shuttle-like service between Helsinki and Doha and wet-leasing aircraft to customers like Qantas. Airlines also avoid North Korean airspace for reasons that need little explanation.

The security situation in Sudan saw the airspace over that country closed to civilian aircraft in April 2023. The real risk here isn’t getting shot down (although that does remain somewhat of a risk). The big problem is suddenly having to divert to Khartoum and what happens when you’re on the ground. Of course, unexpected diversions remain a problem for many people. It’s a risky world out there, something that’s easy to forget when you’re squeezing down another gin and tonic at the Emirates inflight bar.

The ongoing civil war in Libya has rendered airspace over that country unsafe. The threat is two-edged. Government air defence systems cannot be trusted to behave civilly. Nor can the opposing militia, who have threatened to shoot down planes. As a result, the US and most European countries have banned their carriers from flying over the country.

Big deal, you might think. Just fly around the problem, like Qantas does with QF9/209. The problem is closed airspace can take up a substantial slice of the planet, often strategically positioned slices, and skirting around them is easier said than done. The aircraft operating the Perth to London flight, a Boeing 787-9 — whose business class cabins we recently reviewed and loved — is pushing towards its limits as it is. It needs to take the shortest route – and that’s up the Persian Gulf. 

Diversions cost money. It costs around AUD25,000 per hour to keep that B787-9 in the sky, give or take a few bucks for fuel fluctuations and passenger loads. You can do the math for the four hours extra travel time. Diversions cost time. They involve schedule changes, which then impacts the next flight that aircraft was due to operate. Diversions have a domino-like effect on airlines and operators. But diversions are all about safety, and safety is paramount in aviation.

Some passengers might complain about the inconvenience, but airlines would rather that than those passengers getting a window view of missiles scudding around below the plane...

Read the full article Why Airlines Avoid Russia and Ukraine: The Real Cost Of Flying Over Conflict Zones on DMARGE. Don’t miss it!

July closed with a bang as Regional Express (Rex) announced it was heading into administration, but it’s not the only airline cancelling services.

On the other hand, some airlines are resuming flights to Australian cities and, as always, there are movements in the hotel loyalty landscape... Here's our monthly travel roundup.

Rex’s administration is largely due to its foray into Boeing 737 flights, which the travelling public largely avoided, often because they didn’t know they existed. While the jet flights are history, Rex’s turboprop flights to country towns continue to operate and are likely to keep doing so — a win if you live in one of those towns.

One of the more interesting post-administration developments is confirmation that Virgin Australia is talking to Rex about codeshares and interline agreements on these country flights, plus extending Velocity Frequent Flyer benefits to Rex’s passengers, akin to what VA currently does with FlyPelican. It’s an interesting move and probably a strategy Rex should have pursued several years ago instead of inhaling the jet fumes and deciding to go head-to-head against Virgin Australia and Qantas.

Aircalin started flying to the city last December, but it has recently indefinitely suspended its services to Melbourne and is reducing frequencies to Sydney and Brisbane. Because of the ongoing civil unrest in Vanuatu, nobody is flying there anymore, causing widespread havoc across the country's many tourist-dependent businesses, including Aircalin, which is now in serious financial strife.

Also pausing flights to Sydney is Thai AirAsia X, which offered the only direct low-cost option between Sydney and Bangkok. However, the airline says it remains committed to the Australian market and will be back in December. Thai AirAsia X is shifting its Bangkok operations from Suvarnabhumi to Don Mueang Airport in October, so when/if flights resume, they'll be to Bangkok's old airport.

Virgin Australia is axing its Cairns –Tokyo Haneda flights in February after it failed to convince the travelling public that flying seven or eight hours in a pokey narrowbody aircraft was wonderful. 

Finally, after a big push into the South Pacific, United continues to trim its flights to Australia. As previously reported, United is dropping its LA – Brisbane flights later this year. However, the airline is also cutting frequencies on three other routes over the upcoming Australian summer, including Sydney – San Francisco, Sydney – Houston, and Melbourne – LA.

On the plus side, Cathay Pacific is returning to Cairns for a summer seasonal service using two-class configured Airbus A330 aircraft. The thrice weekly flights will operate between December 17, 2024, and March 29, 2025. Cathay used to fly to Cairns year-round but axed services in 2019.

Across in Perth, China Southern is resuming its three-times-per-week Boeing 787-9 flights to and from Guangzhou in November after axing the route during the pandemic. The aircraft type offers lie-flat business class seats, plus premium economy and economy class cabins.

Rydges Hotels, which also includes the QT and Atura brands, is overhauling its Priority Guest Rewards program. This includes changes to the qualification period and criteria for earning and retaining tiers and changes to membership tier benefits. In addition, the qualification period for earning and retaining tiers is moving from a calendar year to a rolling period.

The biggest losers in this reorganisation are the gold members, who are no longer entitled to room upgrades. Despite this, Priority Guest Rewards remains an accessible loyalty program with some solid benefits and a range of mid-scale hotels in most major cities around Australia.

Hilton for Business has a double status nights promotion running through December 31, 2024. The program targets small and medium-sized businesses, but joining only requires a business-specific email address, providing the business's landing page, and linking it to your Honor's account. The trick to getting two status nights per night stayed is to flick the business/personal button to business when booking via the Hilton portal. Leave it as personal travel as it's one status night per night only. Hilton Honors has recently added Small Luxury Hotels of the World to its portfolio, opening up some new earn and burn opportunities.

Meanwhile, Accor, which has a far larger range of properties throughout Australia and the Asia Pacific region, is offering members of its loyalty program triple points on bookings through July 29, 2025. There are a couple of caveats – you need to register for the promotion on the Accor All website or app, and you'll need to book by August 11, 2024 (August 18 for Accor Plus members). Another trick with Accor All accounts is to link it with your Qantas frequent flyer account to double dip on points.

Read the full article Best Travel Hacks And News For August 2024 on DMARGE. Don’t miss it!

A Sydney businessman's viral LinkedIn post has sparked a heated debate about which of Australia's major carriers cares for its customers.

Last month, a Sydney-based businessman named Pete Murray scribbled an impromptu article on LinkedIn about why he switched from Qantas to Virgin Australia. The article has since received over 750,000 impressions and triggered a vigorous online debate about loyalty, marketing, and whether Qantas cared about its top-tier customers drifting away.

Speaking to DMARGE, Murray said he had gradually dropped from Qantas platinum to silver after a job change saw his work travel patterns shift. He is now the ANZ Managing Director of a US software company and has accrued his top-tier status organically.

"Historically, I used to travel all over the world for work," he said. "I would fly to the US, South Africa, Japan, and Asia. I would do extensive travel within Australia. It eventually resulted in me being platinum. Unless there was a prohibitive reason why I couldn't, I preferred Qantas for a couple of decades. But the job I'm in now has resulted in different travel patterns — I go to Asia around once a quarter, and most of my travel is within Australia and New Zealand."

Murray has no issue dropping back to silver. He no longer meets the criteria for higher status, and he knows the rules of the frequent flyer game. But he was baffled by Qantas's indifference.

"If someone has gone up the (status) because of their loyalty, my issue is when I started going down the ladder, Qantas didn't reach out and ask why. Maybe they don't care?"

His first LinkedIn post about his experience struck a chord with readers, attracting over 900 comments. Not all agreed with Murray's view, but a lot did. "Many businesses operate using an outdated model, focusing most of their efforts on acquiring new clients and only a tiny portion on retaining existing ones," reads one comment. "I'm a lifetime gold with Qantas, and I stopped flying with them many years ago for the same reasons as Pete. I have never heard from them again," reads another.

That apparent disinterest from Qantas as people slipped down the status ladder was a common theme in the comments. "Qantas doesn't care about my loyalty," said Murray. "It made me wonder if they ever cared at all. Therefore, I won't fly Qantas again."

Qantas says if frequent flyers are close to retaining status but won't quite meet the bar, they can always phone the service centre and make their case. But Qantas won't call you to ask why you won't requalify and what they can do to help. With over 15 million people in its frequent flyer scheme, Qantas cannot reasonably be expected to phone everyone. But only a minority of those 15 million people hold elite status, and only some of that minority are sliding down the status ladder.

"I rang the (Qantas) "service centre" and threatened to leave because of the poor service, and the response was 'we always hear that, but people always come back.' Do they?" asked another comment.

Murray now flies Virgin Australia locally after taking advantage of an earlier status match offer. Because Virgin extended him complimentary status, he thought he should return the favour and give them some business. "I started flying Virgin," he said. "It was just better. I found they were generally less impacted by delay issues, and the people looking after you were friendlier and nicer. It was generally a more pleasant flying experience and before I wrote my LinkedIn article, was preferencing Virgin."

Not everyone will share Murray's view on the merits of flying Virgin Australia versus Qantas. But Murray's point is that Virgin Australia wanted his business and went after it, whereas Qantas did not.

In the wake of the LinkedIn article, Virgin Australia loyalty executives personally contacted Murray and bumped him up to platinum. That said, it's no hard task to reach out to a customer who paints your company positively. Qantas also contacted Murray after the LinkedIn article went viral. They bumped him back to gold.

Murray says that while he appreciates the gesture, it's too late, and it makes the airline look worse. "Now what Qantas is saying is that unless people complain, they'll let them be demoted. It's worse than a lack of proactivity; it sends a message that we care so little, that unless you complain, we will continue to care little."

Murray says his work travels will soon resume their former tempo, and he'll be flying internationally a lot more again. But those flights won't be on Qantas anymore. "I'll fly Star Alliance," he said. "I imagine being Velocity platinum will give me some benefits on the Star Airlines flying to those countries I’ll be travelling most often to. So, I can take advantage of this gift Virgin has given me."

Read the full article Qantas vs. Virgin: LinkedIn Post Sparks Loyalty Crisis on DMARGE. Don’t miss it!

Etihad 2.0 might be slightly toned down and a little less ostentatious than it once was, but for Australians, it remains one of the best airlines for long-haul flying.

Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways has had its fair share of ups and downs recently. It spent much of the last decade spending like a drunken sailor and much of this decade working off the hangover. But if you’ve flown Etihad in the past year, you’ll know the airline is getting its groove back.

Etihad flies out of Sydney and Melbourne to Abu Dhabi every day. The Melbourne flights, currently operated by a B787-9, push back mid-afternoon for a late evening arrival into the Gulf, while the late evening departure out of Abu Dhabi allows for a late afternoon arrival into Melbourne the following day.

The Sydney flights are serviced by bigger B777-300ERs, which head out of Sydney mid-evening for a dawn arrival the following morning. The return flight leaves Abu Dhabi mid-morning for a pre-breakfast arrival in Sydney the next day.

Both aircraft types offer a two-class product, business and economy. Along with axing flights to Perth and Brisbane, Etihad also ended A380 flights to Australia during the pandemic, ending first class and Residence availability on Australian flights.

While this is a loss to that tiny cohort of travellers who got to fly in those cabins, Etihad’s business class is among the world’s best, and its economy class remains a cut above most competitors. Even without first class, Etihad remains one of the best airlines serving the Australian market.

From Abu Dhabi, Etihad offers onward connections to around 80 cities across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and North America. The airline lacks the network depth of Qatar Airways and Emirates. Except for Johannesburg, it ignores Africa. Etihad also doesn’t make it to South America or further west in the US than Chicago.

For Australians, Etihad’s strength is its connections to Europe, where it flies into around 25 airports, including the expected top-tier airports, but also smaller airports like Dusseldorf, Malaga, Lisbon, and Santorini. If you’re heading to London, Etihad flies to Heathrow four times a day from Abu Dhabi.

Regardless of whether you fly business class or economy class, one of the little-known and best benefits of flying Etihad is a free stopover (including hotel) in Abu Dhabi. Like Doha, Abu Dhabi finds it hard to compete with its brash neighbour, Dubai.

But there are things worth seeing in Abu Dhabi – the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the turtle nesting beaches at Saadiyat Island, and the Louvre Abu Dhabi are examples. If your European stopover routine is either trawling Jewel (again) at Changi or doing the dancing fountains (again) at Dubai Mall, it might be time to change things up.

When booking flights directly with Etihad, passengers have the option to add a complimentary stopover and select a hotel as part of the online booking process. Etihad says there are a range of “premier hotels” available across the city. Digging into the details, the hotels are mostly three and four-star but there are several five-star options available, including the Shangri La Qaryat Al Beri, the Dusit Thani, Anantara Eastern Mangroves, Grand Hyatt, and Jannah Burj Al Sarab. 

What’s the catch? Depending on the flight itinerary, up to two free nights can be booked under the offer. It also turns out the five-star hotels, the “premium stopover option,” entail a small cost. The flight must be booked directly with Etihad, not via an online travel agency or other third party Still, it’s not a bad option if you want to break up a long trip.

If you are keen to give the Residence (or the bog standard first class seat) a whirl on the next leg from Abu Dhabi, the A380 is presently flying to London Heathrow and New York JFK only.

Etihad isn’t a member of any of the big airline alliances, instead forging bilateral partnerships with many other carriers, including Virgin Australia, whose frequent flyers can theoretically use Velocity points to redeem Etihad flights. However, Etihad has made it very difficult for Velocity members to redeem premium cabin flights, only releasing the seats (if any) 30 days before travel.

If you are paying cash, Etihad is also one of many airlines offering far cheaper flights to Europe out of nearby ports such as Denpasar and Jakarta, compared to Sydney and Melbourne. A business class roundtrip on Etihad between Sydney and London, departing mid-August and returning later that month, currently costs around AUD9,700, or AUD6,100 out of Denpasar, or just AUD4,500 out of Jakarta.

With a bit of legwork, a simple positioning flight can have you enjoying Etihad business class at an affordable fare, and you can throw a couple of nights in Abu Dhabi into the deal for free.

Read the full article Why Etihad’s Return Down Under Is Huge News For Travellers on DMARGE. Don’t miss it!

A flight was forced to divert after severe turbulence injured 30, trapping one passenger in an overhead bin.

Turbulence is becoming far more common. Last year we saw one of the first examples of 'bone-breaking' turbulence on an American airline, and only last month we heard the tragic news of a Singapore Airlines flight that saw one man pass away after an especially severe incident. This week, it's happened again, but with a particularly absurd twist in the tale...

In the latest terrifying incident, an Air Europa flight from Madrid to Montevideo experienced severe turbulence that left one passenger stuck in an overhead bin. The event occurred on Sunday, June 30 when flight UX45, operated by a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, encountered intense turbulence while cruising over the Atlantic Ocean.

The turbulence caused chaos within the cabin. Passengers were thrown from their seats and items were tossed around the vessel, resulting in injuries for about thirty out of the 345 people onboard. One of the most shocking moments was when a male passenger became trapped in an overhead bin. Video footage captured after the turbulence subsided shows the man being helped out by his fellow passengers.

Due to the severity of the situation, the flight was diverted to Natal, Brazil, where the injured passengers received immediate medical treatment. Air Europa sent another aircraft to Natal to continue transporting passengers to Montevideo after an overnight stay in a local hotel... some much-needed time to calm down.

The sight of a passenger trapped in an overhead bin is... odd, to say the least, and has left many questioning how such an incident could occur. Clear air turbulence, which the pilot identified as the cause of this shake-up, can be particularly dangerous because it is both invisible and unpredictable.

Witnesses described the chaotic scene, with seats and panels dislodged and debris scattered everywhere. One passenger's video shows feet sticking out from the overhead bin, a surreal image that highlights the increasingly extreme nature of global turbulence. The man, fortunately, appeared to be unharmed after being freed from the bin.

Air Europa has since confirmed that all passengers who were hospitalised are in stable condition, and the airline is cooperating with authorities to investigate the incident further.

While it may seem obvious to some — and may deeply upset those who find the ever-present seatbelt sign and flight attendant reminders to be tiresome — wearing your seatbelt at all times is the only surefire way to minimise injuries during turbulence, especially turbulence as unexpected and severe as this.

Passengers on last month's SIA flight underscored the vital importance of wearing seatbelts during flights in the days and hours following this terrifying turn. Dzafran Azmir, a 28-year-old student, described the aircraft suddenly tilting and shaking before a dramatic drop:

“Everyone seated and not wearing a seatbelt was launched into the ceiling.”

Dzafran Azmir

He also noted how some passengers hit their heads on overhead baggage compartments, causing dents and damage to themselves and the cabin alike.

Andrew Davis, a Briton on the flight, recalled further chaos:

“There was awful screaming and a thud. Objects and things were flying through the air. I was covered in coffee. It was incredibly severe turbulence.”

Andrew Davis

After the plane diverted to Bangkok for an emergency landing, 31 people were taken to the hospital. Singapore Airlines has since expressed condolences to Kitchen’s family and worked with Thai authorities to provide medical assistance to passengers.

The seemingly random incident highlights the always-unpredictable nature of turbulence, often caused by aircraft flying through clouds or far more dangerous “clear air” turbulence, which isn’t visible on weather radar. As such, aviation experts emphasise the importance of keeping seatbelts fastened throughout flights, long or short.

John Strickland, an industry insider, said that “injuries from severe turbulence are relatively rare given the millions of flights operated, but severe turbulence can lead to severe injuries or fatalities.” Sally Gethin, an aviation journalist, reiterated that wearing a seatbelt could be the “difference between life and death.”

As ongoing climate change increases the likelihood of severe turbulence, all of this serves as a stark reminder to always heed the safety advice dolled out by flight attendants, no matter how annoying that little yellow light may be.

Read the full article Air Europa Passenger Trapped In Overhead Bin After Transatlantic Turbulence on DMARGE. Don’t miss it!

Here are the airlines offering first-class seats flying out of Australia, and how we reckon they stack up.

A first class seat remains the holy grail for many travellers, but most airlines have discontinued the cabin type. Now, just a handful of carriers, including Emirates, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Qatar, British Airways, and Japan Airlines, offer first class on their flights to and from Australia. 

While the choice is small, these six airlines all do first class in their own way, so if you are lucky enough to fly first class, there is some reasonable product variety. If your winter travel plans include flying at the front of the plane, here's a summary of the airlines, routes, and aircraft types offering first class seats to and from Australia.

Emirates offers first class on their A380 and B777 flights between Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Dubai. You can also pick up a first class seat on the Emirates fifth freedom flights between Sydney - Christchurch and Melbourne - Singapore.

There may be free-flowing Dom Perignon. However, the headline act in the Emirates A380 first class cabin are the two showers. Alas, you'll need to use the showers in the lounge if you are flying first class on an Emirates B777.

Emirates awards bookings are available via the Qantas website using Qantas frequent flyer points. But Emirates first class award redemptions in and out of Australia can be elusive, and Emirates is known for its excessively high redemption fees and taxes.

Qatar offers first class on their A380s, which the airline uses on its Sydney and Perth routes. You might ask why fly first class on Qatar when they have the Qsuite, but unfortunately, Qatar hasn't installed the Qsuite on its A380s.

Qatar Airways first class isn't as flashy as the Emirates offer, and the seats don't feature sliding doors. However, you do get Krug champagne, exceptional bed linen, and arguably the best walk-up bar in the sky (which you share with the business-class riff-raff). 

Australian frequent flyers can use Qantas and Virgin Australia frequent flyers points to book Qatar Airways award seats. But due to the bad blood between Qatar and Qantas, Qatar is restricting the supply of premium cabin award seats to Qantas. Virgin Australia frequent flyers will have more luck, although the fees and taxes are hefty.

Qantas also offers first class on its A380s, which fly from Sydney and Melbourne to Los Angeles and Sydney to London Heathrow via Singapore. Qantas first class isn't the flashiest cabin on the market – it's a bit like the Qatar first class product without the nice purple mood lighting/ But Qantas first class remains a deeply comfortable flight experience.

The Qantas first class seats are huge and more private than they appear. While not as look-at-me as the Gulf carriers, the food and beverage offerings are more than good, and sometimes it's just nice to have an Australian cabin crew.

Qantas frequent flyers are in the box seat for award redemptions, although the airline also makes them available to Oneworld carriers and other partners. Recently, DMARGE spied some first class classic award availability on the Sydney – Los Angeles route, starting at 162,800 points plus fees and taxes.

Japan Airlines currently offers first class on its B777s scooting between Sydney and Tokyo Haneda. But buyer beware, JAL do seasonal equipment swaps on this route, and typically, JAL first class in and out of Sydney is not available year round.

Similar to Qantas, JAL first class is understated and aging (gracefully), but it transforms into a 199-centimetre flat-bed, and you have a choice of four windows to look out. However, the real star of the JAL first class flight experience is the refined Japanese food. It may not be your cup of tea, but plenty of people rave about it.

As a Oneworld member, Qantas frequent flyers can redeem JAL award tickets via the Qantas website. An added bonus is first class passengers can use the excellent Qantas first class lounge in Sydney and JAL's first class lounge at Haneda.

Singapore Airlines offers first class seats on its B777 flights from Sydney and Melbourne and first class suites on its A380 flights from the same cities. Aircraft servicing other Singapore Airlines Australian ports don't offer first class.

While the B777 first class seat product is outstanding, the suites on the A380s are the best first class product servicing the Australian market. Ignoring the already exceptional soft product, we're talking about a mini cabin with an upholstered leather swivel chair and a separate bed. Depending on your booked suite number, a double-bed configuration is also possible. 

Members of Singapore's Krisflyer program get first dibs at award redemptions, but members of other Star Alliance frequent flyer programs also get access, as do Virgin Australia Velocity members. As an added bonus, Singapore usually makes a decent number of redemptions available to Velocity members.

Over the winter, British Airways runs one of its B787-9's down to Sydney via Singapore daily. While the BA business class product on this particular aircraft type is rubbish, it does have first class, which isn't rubbish.

This is a good, if unexceptional first class product. The seats are good, the bedding is good, the food is good, the wine list is good, the cabin crew are (usually) good. Everything is good, which is fine, but it's not compelling enough to make me want a flight diversion to Darwin and a few more hours in the sky.

While there isn't a lot of first class product put into the Australia market, there are three options on the Melbourne – Singapore and Sydney – Singapore routes, and each of the competitors has a distinct first class product. At least it's not a choice of the same thing.

Etihad first class (along with its Residence apartment), Korean Air first class, and American Airlines first class are no longer deployed into the Australian market. There is some talk Etihad may resume A380 flights to Sydney, which would see the return of first class. Fingers crossed.

Read the full article Which Airlines Offer First Class Travel? on DMARGE. Don’t miss it!

SkyTeam trails in the Australian market, but Executive Board Member Juha Järvinen says there is no reason not to take a closer look at the program.

"It doesn't hurt to have multiple (frequent flyer) membership cards," Järvinen said over a wine in Dubai recently. "One basic benefit of being a member is the communications and offers from the airline."

Many Australians tap the Oneworld alliance via their Qantas frequent flyer membership. Star Alliance is also well-known locally because heavyweight carriers such as Singapore Airlines and Air New Zealand have a big market presence and large numbers of Australians enrolled in their frequent flyer programs.

SkyTeam has become the airline alliance's third wheel in the Australian market. That's because no Australian airline is a member. Further, while several SkyTeam member airlines fly into Australia, only one, China Eastern, cracks the local top ten airlines in terms of international passenger market share.

"SkyTeam has nineteen members now," says Järvinen. "It will be twenty in September when SAS Scandinavian joins." Of those nineteen airlines, seven fly into Australia, including Garuda Indonesia, Delta Air Lines, Vietnam Airlines, Xiamen Airlines, China Airlines, Korean Air, and China Eastern Airlines.

In the SkyTeam mix are carriers with first-rate business class cabin products, including Delta's Delta One Suites to Los Angeles from Sydney (and Brisbane in December), the excellent China Airlines A350 services to Taipei from Sydney and Brisbane (and Auckland from Brisbane), and the well-regarded Korean Air flights to Seoul from Brisbane and Sydney.

Also in the mix are what you might call some up-and-coming airlines, including Vietnam Airlines which offers an old-school but highly comfortable business-class product complete with hard copies of newspapers, competitive fares to Europe, and stopover options in two of Asia's best cities, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh.  

China Eastern may not be on everybody's airline shortlist, but it should be. Sure, the inflight service may not be as polished as on some other airlines, but the business seat on its flights to and from Australia uses the same Thompson VantageXL platform as the Delta One Suite and is exceptionally high quality. You even get sliding doors. With flights from Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, China Eastern is the 10th largest international operator in the Australian market and offers connections to Europe and North America.

The CEO of Garuda Indonesia, another improving airline with flights from Sydney and Melbourne to Denpasar, Jakarta, and beyond, recently told this writer that one of the benefits of joining an alliance like SkyTeam is that it requires airlines to maintain minimum service, safety, and operational levels.

"It's fantastic being a member of SkyTeam... SkyTeam sets a standard, we have to meet that standard, and that's important for us."

CEO of Garuda Indonesia, Irfan Setiaputra

Most Australian travellers are familiar with Garuda, and until the end of June, it could be your ticket to test-driving the SkyTeam program. Until June 30, 2024, Garuda is status matching Qantas Platinum and Virgin Australia Platinum frequent flyers to GarudaMiles Platinum VIP status (the equivalent of SkyTeam Elite Plus status) for three months.

If you take at least one trip to Indonesia (one-way is fine) within those three months on Garuda, they'll extend the status to the end of Q1 2025. 

SkyTeam Elite Plus gets you all the on-ground and inflight bells and whistles, including lounge access, to which Qantas and VA elites are accustomed. Those benefits can then be enjoyed on other SkyTeam airlines, such as Virgin Atlantic, Air France, and KLM.

"People who travel a lot… you need to be mindful that they give up a lot of stuff in their lives... That little benefit of sitting in a lounge or sitting up front, that's a well-being issue."

Juha Järvinen

Järvinen, also Chief Commercial Officer at Virgin Atlantic, says on first impressions, SkyTeam may be less relevant to an Australian traveller than Oneworld, but every traveller has different needs and destinations. SkyTeam carriers have good flight options out of Australian East Coast airports for regular travellers to destinations like South Korea, Indonesia, and China, making it a viable alternative to Oneworld or Star Alliance.

SkyTeam continues to grow. Later this year, they'll add SAS Scandinavian to the ranks. SAS is a Star Alliance member. However, Air France KLM Group recently acquired a minority stake, so SAS is switching to SkyTeam. In South Korea, pending final regulatory approval, Korean Air is poised to take over Star Alliance member Asiana. The Asiana brand will disappear.

What happens to its frequent flyer members remains unknown, but they will likely be offered the opportunity to switch to the Korean Air program, further bolstering SkyTeam's membership base.

Read the full article SkyTeam Deserves Better Than Being The Third Wheel of Travel on DMARGE. Don’t miss it!

Cathay Pacific's Joy Kesselring reveals how business-class menus are crafted to reflect the diversity and preferences of their customers.

A few days ago, our founder and head honcho Luc Weisman was lucky enough to fly from Australia to Europe on Cathay Pacific's legendary business class. While it's safe to say he was impressed by every aspect of this experience, one thing in particular really piqued his interest: the food.

It got us wondering: how exactly do airlines curate their business-class menus? Are they different routes to route? If so, why? Do they know what meals are likely to attract new customers? And how do they keep endlessly innovating for their loyal returning customers?

In an exclusive interview with Joy Kesselring, Cathay Pacific's Inflight Dining & Hospitality Manager, we explore the meticulous process behind developing and curating the airline's business class menus, designed to deliver a top-tier culinary experience at 30,000 feet.

Developing an inflight menu for business class is a complex and detailed process that involves a heck-of-a-lot of considerations. According to Kesselring, practical challenges such as turbulence and limited cooking facilities on the plane are key factors, as are the relative strengths of people's tastebuds...

"We ensure our dishes are delicious at high altitudes... Ingredients are carefully selected to appeal broadly to all passengers, with appropriate spice levels."

Cathay Pacific's culinary teams place a strong emphasis on using fresh ingredients that are not only delicious but also "wholesome and vibrant". Each dish undergoes an internal tasting and review process before being approved for inflight service.

"Good food is about fresh ingredients that are delicious. A good meal is also sensory, so our culinary teams ensure dishes are not only tasty, but incorporate texture, flavour, and are well presented."

Any good in-flight menu should be a testament to its home city. In Cathay's case, they like to showcase the best of Hong Kong. "We love our home city, so it is important to us that we champion the best Hong Kong cuisine," Kesselring said, pointing to dishes like egg tarts, wonton noodle soup, clay pot rice dishes, and mango pudding.

However, the airline also prioritises a diverse menu that reflects the global nature of its routes. "Food connects people with cultures. We ensure our menu features the diversity of the routes we fly to, accommodating the diversity of our passengers and individual preferences."

Passenger feedback plays a crucial role in menu development. "We consider the passenger profile on a certain route," Kesselring explained. For example, meals on routes to predominantly Muslim countries are Halal, while routes to India avoid beef and pork....

"We also monitor the feedback of dishes and tweak recipes or remove dishes that regularly trigger our system with poor reviews."

Cathay Pacific updates its menus monthly on flights out of Hong Kong, sourcing local and seasonal ingredients wherever possible., while regular quality control assessments are conducted throughout the month to ensure meals maintain their quality.

The airline caters to a wide range of dietary restrictions and preferences, offering 16 different meal options, including vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, Halal, and kosher meals. "Dining is an important part of the passenger’s inflight experience," Kesselring noted, and the airline is also keenly aware of evolving consumer habits and is developing recipes that cater to these changing tastes.

Looking ahead, Cathay Pacific sees the future of airline dining as increasingly personalised. "Personalising meal requests through pre-ordering services will reduce wastage and drive increased satisfaction as passengers gain greater control over the meals they receive," Kesselring predicted. The integration of digital technologies is expected to enhance the ordering process, offering passengers increased privacy and control over their inflight dining experience.

When asked about one of her favourite of Cathay's culinary initiatives, Kesselring points to their partnerships with several prestigious dining institutions in Hong Kong. Michelin-starred restaurants Duddells and Louise feature in the airline's front-end cabins, providing a bespoke dining experience. Premium Economy passengers enjoy homestyle dishes from Pirata, while Economy passengers can savour plant-forward, nutritious meals developed in collaboration with Veda.

As Cathay Pacific continues to adapt to the evolving tastes and preferences of its passengers, their commitment to delivering a world-class inflight dining experience remains unwavering... the real question is, will other carriers be able to keep up?

Read the full article How Airlines Choose Business Class Menus For Each And Every Route on DMARGE. Don’t miss it!

An Australian millionaire bought the most expensive plane ticket ever for the maiden flight of the Airbus A380.

Travel has always been an expensive pastime, especially for Australians. If you're looking to cut costs, we've got a tonne of underrated travel hacks at your disposal. However, for one particular Aussie, it seems that this was far from being a concern after he dropped over $100,000 on a one-way ticket...

In a commendable display of philanthropy, an Australian millionaire has made headlines by purchasing the most expensive plane ticket ever sold. Julian Hayward, the winning bidder, spent a staggering $123,000 AUD to secure two first-class seats on the maiden flight of the Airbus A380, the world's largest passenger aircraft.

Organized by Singapore Airlines, the auction was designed to generate some buzz for the new aircraft while raising funds for charity. The bidding started at a modest $380 AUD but escalated fast, ultimately culminating in Hayward's winning bid. The exclusive ticket granted him access to Singapore Airlines' luxurious first-class suites on its inaugural flight from Sydney to Singapore.

The A380, celebrated for its spacious, comfortable and quiet cabins, as well as industry-leading fuel efficiency, marked a significant milestone in commercial aviation when it was launched in 2007. Despite its undeniable grandeur and technological advancements, production of the A380 ceased in 2021 due to various challenges, including rising fuel costs and ongoing environmental debates.

The aircraft's legacy, however, remains intact, and Hayward's journey symbolises the lasting allure and impact of this aviation marvel. As Airbus explores sustainable aviation solutions — such as the hydrogen-powered engine slated for testing on an A380 in 2026 — the story of the world's most expensive plane tickets is one that will keep the original A380 in our hearts for a long while yet.

While it needn't always cost $123,000 AUD, flying first class is aways synonymous with luxury and comfort. While the price of a first-class ticket varies widely, several factors determine the cost...

In Australia, Qantas Airways and Virgin Australia are the primary carriers offering pointy-end services. Qantas provides first-class passengers with dedicated lounges, fine dining, and private cabins, with tickets from Australia to Europe costing around $14,500-$15,000 AUD. Virgin Australia, although it rebranded its first-class service to "The Business," offers similar luxury, with tickets from Australia to the US averaging $20,000 AUD.

Several international airlines also offer first-class services in Australia. Emirates, for example, is renowned for its private suites and onboard shower spas, with ticket prices ranging from $10,000 to $18,000 AUD. Singapore Airlines offers luxurious suites with fully flat beds and gourmet dining, with long-haul flights costing up to $19,000 AUD. Cathay Pacific, known for its private suites and gourmet meals, charges between $3,000 for short-haul and $20,000 AUD for long-haul flights.

A wide range of things means that first-class tickets, as with any cabin class, are often fluctuating in price. A Few factors include...

A first-class round-the-world ticket can cost between $20,000 and $50,000 AUD, depending on the airline and booking details. One-way tickets without a return flight are generally half the price.

Read the full article Man Spends $125,000 On Most Expensive Plane Ticket Ever Sold on DMARGE. Don’t miss it!

New research highlights the deadly risks of in-flight alcohol, prompting calls for stricter regulations on in-flight consumption.

We all know that drinking a little too much in-flight can lead to less-than-ideal outcomes. Just ask the bloke who urinated in his business class cabin... twice. That's why our recommended in-flight drink is, and always has been, a softer, secret option. However, new research suggests that drinking might not just be a little irresponsible, but downright deadly...

New research has reignited a historic and always-contentious debate on the potential health risks of consuming alcohol during flights, with scientists freshly calling for a ban on the provision of all in-flight alcoholic beverages. The findings, which highlight the potentially lethal dangers posed to heart health, have prompted calls for stricter regulations but also elicited fierce backlash from those who like to kick off their vacations with a bang...

A landmark study conducted by the Institute of Aerospace Medicine in Germany has revealed that drinking alcohol at cruising altitude could massively impact passengers' cardiovascular health. The research involved 48 healthy individuals aged 18 to 40, split into two groups. One group slept under normal conditions while the other experienced simulated flight conditions, including artificially induced cabin pressure and that all-improtant alcohol consumption...

The study found that alcohol combined with cabin pressure significantly increased heart rates and decreased oxygen levels in the bloodstream. These effects were pronounced even in young, healthy participants, indicating a considerably elevated strain on the heart. Study authors noted that higher doses of alcohol could further amplify these effects, potentially leading to severe health complications or medical emergencies during flights, especially for older individuals or those with pre-existing conditions.

Emphasising that even those without underlying health issues experienced significant negative effects, the researchers urged passengers to abstain from alcohol before and during flights.

"Our findings strongly suggest that the in-flight consumption of alcoholic beverages should be restricted."

The push to ban in-flight alcohol is far from new. Historical attempts, such as those led by Senator Strom Thurmond in the mid-20th century, focused on safety and the burden placed on flight attendants. However, these efforts (evidently...) did not result in meaningful or lasting legislative change. The recent study adds a critical health perspective to the argument, which may give new momentum to these efforts.

During the pandemic, several airlines temporarily halted alcohol service, resulting in passengers consuming excessive amounts of alcohol before boarding or sneaking it on board. This unintended consequence suggests that a complete ban might not be the most effective solution. Instead, researchers propose a more carefully regulated and limited alcohol service to control consumption and mitigate health risks without denying passengers altogether.

How do you feel about this? Do you feel far too fondly about your in-flight champagne or Bali-ready Bintang to give it up? Or does your health and your arrival time come first?

Read the full article In-Flight Alchohol Ban Advances After New Research Reveals Effects on DMARGE. Don’t miss it!

A US airline has introduced UltraBasic fares with draconian restrictions, marking a new low in budget air travel comfort and convenience.

With the ongoing news that airlines are scrapping fancy first class seats in favour of the "money-making machine" that is an expanded premium economy cabin class, it should come as no surprise that airlines are continuing to push the customer experience downwards without a corresponding drop in ticket prices.

However, we may have just hit a new low: the introduction of 'UltraBasic' fares by US airline WestJet has sparked nothing short of outrage debate among travellers and industry experts alike. This new tier, a step down from the already pretty grim and restrictive 'Basic Economy', introduces even more limitations, raising concern about the continued downgrading of budget air travel.

As of June 4th, UltraBasic fares have taken over from Basic Economy on several major domestic and transborder routes. These fares come with an array of restrictive measures designed to strip down the travel experience to a new level of bare minimum. Passengers booking UltraBasic fares can no longer bring a full-sized carry-on, instead limited to one small personal item that must fit under their seat.

Even worse, they are assigned the least desirable seats at the back of the plane, often in the middle of the row, and are among the last to board the plane. There are no options for ticket changes or cancellations, and passengers do not earn rewards in the airline's loyalty program. All in all, I think most flyers will agree that this all feels more like a slap in the face than a new level of flexibility.

Despite these draconian measures, airlines claim that UltraBasic fares offer a more affordable option for budget-conscious travellers. They argue that this fare type allows passengers to tailor their travel experience without paying for unnecessary extras, maintaining that the core onboard experience remains unchanged. However, this does little to offset the inconvenience and discomfort associated with the UltraBasic restrictions.

The debut of UltraBasic fares raises a lot more questions than it answers. While many airlines label their no-frills offerings as "Basic Economy" to indicate the already bare-bones nature of the service, the term "UltraBasic" feels like a deliberate attempt to foreground the total austerity of these seats.

It's almost as if the branding is designed to discourage bookings and nudge passengers toward more expensive options. This tactic, if true, is shamelessly cynical, clearly showing that airlines are content to push the limits of what passengers will endure in exchange for lower prices, rather than make their product better over time.

The move to pre-assign the worst seats well in advance, rather than at check-in, signals a pointedly new level of disregard for passenger comfort. Ultimately, the UltraBasic fare is not just about cost-cutting but also about conditioning travelers to expect less and pay more for basic amenities.

UltraBasic fares represent an ongoing and troubling trend in the airline industry, where the pursuit of affordability comes at the expense of passenger comfort.

The restrictive nature of these fares, coupled with the harsh branding, suggests a new low for air travel, especially in a wider context of the seemingly never-ending cost of living crises for consumers who are stretched further than ever before financially and now expected to endure demeaning new levels of customer experience in return...

Read the full article US Airline’s ‘UltraBasic’ Budget Fares Come with Reduced Carry-On and Seating Options on DMARGE. Don’t miss it!

Winter might be starting, but that's no reason to curl up and stay home. There's a whole wide world to explore out there.

DMARGE's regular end-of-the-month travel update details changes to United's Brisbane flights, a switcheroo on Philippine Airlines flights to Sydney and Melbourne, new status match and status booster opportunities, lounge closures in Brisbane, and hotel openings in Tasmania, giving you plenty of good reasons to pack a bag and head out.

United Airlines won't be resuming its short-lived seasonal Brisbane – Los Angeles flights this upcoming Australian summer, and the seasonal Auckland – Los Angeles flights also look like they won't be returning.

There's a capacity glut on the Australia – US country pair and the US carriers are experiencing generally mediocre loads on their Australia runs. The Queensland Government enticed three US airlines to Brisbane last year with fixed-term subsidies. However, once they start to expire, the Queensland capital no longer looks so appealing to the carriers.

United Airlines Business Class Review: Ice-Cream Sundaes And Eight Hours Of Sleep

On the plus side, United's Brisbane – San Francisco service is sticking around and the airline is reportedly upsizing from a B787-9 to B777-300ER on the route later this year.

Philippine Airlines flies between Manila and Sydney and Manila and Melbourne every night using A330s. It offers a decent business class and often very well-priced ex-Asia return fares to Australia. However, starting June 1, passengers will fly on a Wamos Air A330-200 as Philippine Airlines needs its A330s elsewhere on the network.

Wamos will operate the flights to Melbourne until September 30 and Sydney until October 31. Wamos A330-200s offer a staggered 1-2-1 configuration in business class and include all the expected business class bells and whistles, such as lie-flat beds and IFE. 

On matters Manila, Qantas is resuming flights between Brisbane and Manila on October 28, 2024. The four times per week roundtrips will use an A330-200.

Garuda has extended its status match offer to Velocity platinum members, giving them access to the offer already available to Qantas platinum frequent flyers. Open until June 30, 2024, Garuda will grant GarudaMiles Platinum VIP status for three months and extend that until March 2025 if you complete one Australia – Indonesia flight on Garuda in those three months.

Garuda is a SkyTeam member, and Platinum VIP is their Elite Plus tier. Garuda Elite Plus grants lounge access and a swag of other benefits across all SkyTeam carriers, including Delta, Korean, Air France, and China Airlines.

Garuda will only status match applicants who earned status, not picked it up via previous status matches and other non-flying methods.

Accor is offering Qantas frequent flyers a fast track to Accor ALL Gold. You'll need to link your Qantas and Accor memberships, register for the promotion, and stay three nights at hotels participating in the Accor Live Limitless Loyalty program by the end of 2024. Gold status is then secured until the end of 2025. If you already hold Gold status and register, you'll score ten status nights instead.

Accor Gold isn't that great, but it does offer a few perks like room upgrades, early check, late check out, and a free drink, and sure beats being an Accor Classic or silver member. Members of the paid Accor Plus program could piggy-back off this promotion and the regular red hot room rate deals to power up to platinum for a relatively inexpensive sum, opening up complimentary access to lounges, breakfasts, and suite upgrades.

Both pay-to-use lounges at Brisbane's international terminal are closing at the end of May, with the Plaza Premium and Aspire lounges shutting up shop.

Exactly why the lounges are closing is not known. However, neither really got their mojo back after pandemic and its likely a simple case of not making money. Executive Traveller reports that the UK-based Escape Lounges will take over the 532 square metre Plaza Premium space but there is no official announcement on when or if this will happen.

Hilton is opening a 206-room Doubletree hotel in Macquarie Street, Hobart, later this year. The property was originally tagged to be a Novotel. It will be the first Hilton property in Tasmania.

Meanwhile, up the Midland Highway, Accor will open a 139-room Pullman on Wellington Street, Launceston, but alas not until 2027. It will be the city's first five star hotel and provide travellers with somewhere decent to sleep before hitting the Saturday morning food markets.

The Thai government is doubling the visa waiver period for Australian travellers from 30 days to 60 days, effective June 1. The visa exemption applies to tourists, business visitors, and short-term workers from 93 countries. There are also some adjustments to the visa rules for people wishing to stay longer, including digital nomads. The government is making the changes to entice tourists with money to burn.

While this is good news, the bad news is the government intends to introduce an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system for visa-exempt foreign travellers by mid-2025, which like ETA systems everywhere, will likely come with a fee. 

Read the full article Thailand Doubles Visa-Free Stay Duration For Travellers: Tricks & Tips For June 2024 on DMARGE. Don’t miss it!

The recent Singapore Airlines B777-300ER incident highlights that flying is not a risk-free proposition, even though risk remains incredibly slight. Here are the safest aircraft out there.

The jet hit "sudden extreme turbulence" over the Irrawaddy Basin and dropped around 5,000 feet in a matter of seconds, killing a British national and severely injuring dozens. In March, a LATAM B787-9 Dreamliner experienced a similar issue, albeit for different reasons and without any fatalities, although some 50 passengers were injured.

Unfortunate as they are, it's astounding that we can shoot through the sky in a pressurized metal canister and almost always emerge unscathed. It's also remarkable that the planes can get put under so much pressure, hold it together and keep flying. It is a testament to the people who design, build, and fly aircraft that millions worldwide use daily that aircraft hull losses and fatalities remain so rare.

Events like this week's incident onboard Singapore Airlines and the B737-9 MAX door plug blowout earlier in the year make headlines because they are so unusual. Flying remains a supremely safe way to travel. While incidents do regularly occur, fatalities are few. All those shiny new Airbus A220s and NEO types Qantas is bringing in — can you cite the last time one was involved in a crash with fatalities?

No, you cannot because it has never happened. Those unloved B717s QantasLink still fly — not a single one anywhere has ever been involved in a crash that destroyed the hull or killed anyone. Those B717s may not be elegant and lack IFE, but they sure are safe.

Since 1959, Boeing has published an annual summary of commercial jet accidents. The last was published in September 2023 and dealt with accidents until the end of 2022. The aircraft types with the most hull losses and fatalities were older, reflecting the increasing statistical likelihood of an event happening as more time passes and the fact that older aircraft are less technologically advanced.

However, seven aircraft types still in production have never experienced a hull loss and eight types have never had a crash involving fatalities. If you are a slightly nervous flyer, these are the planes for you - the A220, A380, A350, B717, B747-8, B787, and CRJ700/900/1000. None has ever been involved in a crash causing a hull write-off, let alone a crash causing death.

Qantas operates the B717, B787, A220, and A380. Qantas went all out to get an A380 back in the air after an uncontained engine failure following takeoff from Singapore in November 2010 because neither the airline nor the manufacturer wanted that hull write-off blemish on their record. It's also a reminder that for all its rolling soap opera dramas, Qantas is fundamentally a good airline with a strong safety focus.

The B737 MAX doesn't make the grade because of the two catastrophic crashes late last decade caused by faulty software. However, that has since been rectified, and most people don't blink when boarding a MAX, which several airlines, including Virgin Australia, operate locally. The Royal Australian Air Force is also shortly picking up a couple of VIP-configured B737-8 MAX jets. If it's good enough for Albo and his sidekicks...

The A340 type, which South African Airways operates on its recently resumed Jo'burg—Perth run has experienced two hull losses but no fatalities. The B737NG jets, including the B737-800s operated by Qantas, Virgin Australia, and Rex, have experienced 22 hull losses involving 10 deaths over the years. However, Boeing has manufactured and delivered over 6,200 of these aircraft over the years, whereas Airbus built two hundred and fifty-one A380s, so it's all relative. 

If you drill down into the model variants, the A320neo and A321neo types made by Airbus and now filtering through to Qantas and Jetstar also haven't experienced any hull losses or fatalities from crashes. But the older A320-200 types still operated by Jetstar have.

Only a few years ago, a Pakistan International Airlines A320-200 crashed a few kilometres short of the runway at Karachi, killing 98 people. Investigators later attributed the crash to pilot error. In the same year, it was also revealed that multiple PIA pilots had fake qualifications, although that was not an issue with the crew on the doomed PK8303. Still, there is a reason why PIA remains banned from the UK and European Union.

A few simple tricks will keep you flying safe, including wearing seat belts and avoiding certain airlines in certain countries. However, passengers should be confident that travelling on reputable airlines from reputable countries is safe. Singapore Airlines is a stellar airline with a superb safety record, but turbulence cannot always be pre-plotted, and this week's incident could have happened to any airline anywhere.

It also, once again, reinforces the importance of buckling up when in your seat...

Read the full article The Safest Aircraft In The World, According To Data on DMARGE. Don’t miss it!

This Qantas story in brief:

We're usually Qantas' biggest fans, signing their praises wherever possible. Whether it's their classic TV ads making Aussies well up or their world-beating business class, the iconic Australian airline has always been very dear to our hearts. Are they infallible, though? Sadly not.

Qantas’ recent decision to raise the cost of extra legroom seats has ruffled the feathers of its most loyal customers. Effective since April 18th, the modest price hikes of $5 to $15 AUD for these coveted seats might seem insignificant, but the real hurt comes from changes made to the booking of Row 4 domestic Boeing 737 flights.

The T-80 rule, a well-known travel hack among frequent flyers, allowed passengers to snag these roomy seats for free if they were still available 80 hours before departure. Here's our video on that hack which, we're sad to say, hasn't aged well...

This perk will soon be a thing of the past. Row 4, once accessible to anyone at T-80, will now carry an additional cost of $35 AUD, transforming them into run-of-the-mill extra legroom seats. While Platinum One and Chairman’s Lounge members continue to access these seats without extra charge, it effectively locks out lower-tier frequent flyers from this freebie.

Qantas argues that this change benefits their top-tier members by reducing the competition for these seats. However, this justification falls flat for many frequent flyers who have relied on the T-80 rule for some years. Savvy travellers have counted on this window of opportunity to secure a more comfortable flight experience without additional cost and the reclassification of Row 4 seats into a paid category has been labelled a betrayal by some:

"Ah, yes, more things to get the frequent flyers back onside after years of neglect and … hey wait! This is ANOTHER negative..."

@thrillho

Frequent flyers have expressed their frustration online, accusing Qantas of putting profit over passenger loyalty. This sentiment has only been compounded by Qantas’ substantial profit announcements, making the extra charges feel like an unnecessary cash grab, according to the most bitter customers, anyway...

As a Platinum Frequent flyer for over 10 years, to now be charged for the privilege is just poor form. Chanrge for the exit rows, but row 4 should be for high-status flyers as a perk. Why? Becuase there's no perks onboard.

The new pricing structure impacts a wide range of routes. Short-range domestic flights will see a jump from $30 to $35 AUD, medium-range from $40 to $45 AUD, and the longest domestic routes from $70 to $75 AUD.

How does this land with you? (Pun intended...). Can you forgive Qantas for doing what they gotta do to keep the cash flowing, or does this feel like a slap in the face for their most dedicated frequent flyers?

This is what happens when a CFO becomes CEO.

Read the full article Qantas Charges $35 For Extra Legroom On Domestic Flights on DMARGE. Don’t miss it!

Aussies love travelling to the US, but not all airlines are created equal, and nobody wants to get stuck in a dud seat on a dud airline on a 14-hour flight, even if you jagged a decent fare.

There’s no shortage of choice when flying between Australia and the US, and the good news is that travellers are starting to see decreases in ticket prices and slightly more award availability, even in business and first class.

Six airlines offer nonstop flights between Australia and the US — Qantas, Jetstar, Hawaiian Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines. Some other carriers have viable one-stop options – think Air New Zealand, Fiji Airways, Singapore Airlines, and Cathay Pacific.

If you want to get creative, there are more options than you can count. But for brevity’s sake, we will focus on the nonstop options that link Australia and the US...

Qantas has seven nonstop routes to the US, including Brisbane to Los Angeles; Sydney to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas, and Honolulu; and Melbourne to Los Angeles and Dallas. The airline uses various aircraft, including an A330-200 on the Brisbane – Los Angeles route, the A380-800 on some Sydney and Melbourne to Los Angeles flights, and the B787-9 on the remainder.

Qantas wins points for a standardised and quite good business class seat across its long-haul fleet, superb first class lounges in Sydney, Melbourne, and LA, improved catering, and typically warm and friendly inflight service. It falls down owing to a lack of inflight WiFi (soon to be remedied), relatively shabby international business class lounges, and a subpar premium economy seat.

Oneworld partner American Airlines has one of the weakest full-service offerings on the Australia – US country pair, putting on daily B77-300ER services between Sydney and Los Angeles and seasonal Brisbane – LA flights using a B787-9 from late October.

American had the chance to smash it out of the park with its Brisbane flights. The airline was originally going to offer its new Flagship Business Suites on the route but recently downgraded it to the plain old Flagship business seats. 

There’s nothing wrong with American Airlines per se. It’s just very ho-hum across the board, with the airline on a downward slide towards mediocrity and getting thoroughly outgunned by its competitors. The inflight experience reflects this. Conversely, the fares are often less expensive than Qantas, and American can be a good vehicle for QFF award redemptions.

Hawaiian Airlines operates a five-times-per-week A330-200 service between Sydney and Honolulu. In many regards, Hawaiian isn’t a bad airline, but the 2-2-2 configuration in its A330 business class cabin is abysmal. That will improve when the airline starts taking delivery of its B787-9s with their fancy Leihoku Suite business class seats. But that won’t happen overnight. In the meantime, if you’re Hawaii-bound, best head straight for the Qantas counter.

That's unless the siren call of cheap fares on Jetstar lures you over to them. Jetstar has the only low-cost product on the Australia – US run, with B787-8 flights from Sydney and Melbourne to Honolulu. Jetstar business class punches above its weight as far as business class lite goes. It's not the product itself that bothers us....

Rather, it's Jetstar's propensity to cancel flights and leave passengers posted, as well as the antics of some of the passengers themselves. You can hit badly behaved passengers on any airline, but they seem to have a predisposition towards Jetstar. Maybe there is a secret loyalty program we don't know about.

United Airlines has the most extensive options of any airline flying between Australia and the US.  The airline is making a big play in the Southwest Pacific and currently flies between Melbourne and Los Angeles and San Francisco; Brisbane and Los Angeles and San Francisco; and Sydney and Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Houston.

Like Qantas, United gets brownie points for a consistent and very good business class seat on all Australia - US routes, the well-regarded Polaris seat.

United’s Achilles heel is its inflight soft product, which can be hit and miss. When the crew and catering are on point, United can be world-class. When things go south, you could be on American. Luckily, United is reasonably consistent and consistently okay. 

Its transpacific flights are also interesting opportunities for Star Alliance award redemptions and, if using programs like Aeroplan, can be outstanding value.

Delta is similar to United, only with a smaller Southwest Pacific network. Its A350-900s (arguably the best commercial jet in the skies) swing between Sydney and will start seasonal Brisbane to LA flights in December. Delta One business class is really very good. The real bonus is the sliding privacy partition, a standout attribute you won’t find on Qantas or United.

The downside is you can hit those US airline service standards, even in Delta's premium cabins, which if you regularly fly the Gulf or Asian airlines, or even Qantas, can be a real competitive disadvantage.

Qantas performs well compared to its competitors on the Australia – US routes. Its business class seats aren’t as flashy as Polaris or the Delta One seat, but they are good, and you know what you are getting. As an added bonus, there are first class cabins on Qantas A380 flights to Los Angeles if you really want to live it up.

Unless you are a super picky flyer, flying in a premium cabin onboard Qantas, United, or Delta transpacific flights will be a good experience. DMARGE is less keen on American and Hawaiian Airlines. As for Jetstar, every Australian knows, or should know, what they are in for when stepping onboard....

Read the full article Flying To The USA: The Best (And Worst) Airlines For Your Trip on DMARGE. Don’t miss it!

Fifth-freedom flights could be the easiest way to nab a cheap business-class seat that most Australians have never heard of.

Put simply, a fifth-freedom flight is a fight between countries A and B operated by an airline not from either country. For example, Qantas flying between Auckland and New York. Because travellers gravitate towards national carriers, fifth-freedom flights can be keenly priced from a cash and points perspective.

This article covers some of the well-known and not-so-well-known fifth-freedom flights to and from Australia...

The big daddy of Australia’s fifth-freedom flights is the daily return Emirates A380-800 service between Sydney and Auckland. Why such a big deal? Besides the fact that it’s an A380, which for some reason continues to get some people all hot under the collar, Emirates has a knockout business and first-class cabin on this aircraft type.

At 64,500 Qantas points (plus AUD186 in fees and taxes), this is one of the more affordable ways to wriggle your way into Emirates first class. Unfortunately, because people like me promote this redemption sweet spot, first-class redemptions are increasingly hard to come by. 

But business class redemptions (which are available) on the sector cost 43,800 points (plus AUD186 in fees and taxes). Frankly, when the alternative is Qantas B737-800 business class or all-economy Airbus narrowbodies on Air New Zealand or Jetstar, I know which I’d choose. 

Taiwan’s China Airlines operates an A350-900 between Brisbane and Auckland every day except Monday and Wednesday. The flight has a civilised lunchtime pushback from Brisbane and an early evening departure out of Auckland. Qantas, Air New Zealand, and Jetstar also fly the route. 

The China Airlines A350 has a striking 32-seat business class cabin in a 1-2-1 layout, with wide seats, great pitch, unrestricted footwells, lie-flat seats, and a walk-up bar. 

China Airlines is a SkyTeam member, Australia’s least popular airline alliance. However, China Airlines has a codeshare arrangement with Qantas, allowing QFF members to pay as little as 43,500 points (plus AUD164 in fees and taxes) for a one-way trans-Tasman flight. This is roughly 700 points more than a redemption on the evening Qantas B737 service out of Brisbane or 3,000 points less than the morning Qantas A330 flight.

But why would you want to fly on either of those when there is an A350-900 available?

Emirates also has a daily fifth freedom flight between Melbourne and Singapore, which DMARGE cannot recommend because it pushes back at Tullamarine at 2.30 a.m., and the 2-3-2 business class seat layout is a premium cabin horror show despite the best efforts of the lovely Emirate flight attendants.

The flight down to Melbourne is a more interesting option. Despite the lousy J cabin layout, it is a daytime flight, and these can be hard to come by between Asia and Australia. You can redeem QFF for these Emirates flights, and this may be a case where an economy class redemption (30,200 points plus AUD329 in fees and taxes) easily trumps the business class redemption price of 75,200 points plus a staggering AUD1,226 in fees and taxes. No thanks.

British Airways has an equivalent daily fifth-freedom service running between Sydney and Singapore, right down to the subpar B787-9 business-class cabin. That may change later this year when BA will probably swap out the Dreamliner for the B777-300ER with its up-to-the-minute business suites.

However, in the meantime, the superior Qantas and Singapore Airlines premium cabin products are available and better.

Out of Perth, Batik Air flies a B737-800 four times per week to and from Auckland. It’s not the greatest business-class product on the market, but the alternative, Air New Zealand’s B787-9's product isn’t so flash either.

The Batik Air business class proposition gets traction because it is roughly half the price (AUD2,000 return) of the Air New Zealand fare (circa AUD4,000 return). The tradeoff is you get a domestic business class recliner instead of a lie-flat bed, but for the saving, that is a tradeoff many people may be happy to make.

Nauru Airlines is another carrier that might not be top of your airline short-list. However, Nauru is starting a fifth-freedom B737 flight between Brisbane and Palau (Roror), a top-tier albeit under-visited destination for divers and people who simply want to tune out for a week. Flights start towards the end of May and run overnight, which isn’t ideal. On the plus side, Nauru Airlines does have a business class cabin, albeit in the domestic recliner style rather than lie-flat.

There are other fifth-freedom flights to and from Australia. They are typically, but not always, cheaper than the local airlines. It's a pattern that's repeated around the world. If you are looking for a premium cabin experience at an affordable price, fifth-freedom flights could be the answer.

Read the full article Fifth Freedom Flights: The Ultimate Travel Hack For Cheap Business Class Seats on DMARGE. Don’t miss it!