Author: Matt Graham
How to Get Good Qantas Customer Service for Under $3,000
The problems with the Qantas call centre are well-documented on Australian Frequent Flyer and elsewhere. Unless you happen to have Platinum or Platinum One status with Qantas Frequent Flyer, you’ll often wait hours on hold just to speak to somebody who isn’t trained properly, can’t help, puts you on hold, or hangs up on you. (Or … Continued
Many Australian International Routes Resume from 27 March 2022
Today marks the start of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) northern summer scheduling period, an industry-wide changeover date when airlines adjust their schedules for the northern hemisphere summer season. (27 March also marks the start of daylight savings in Europe for 2022, which is why this otherwise arbitrary date is used for the changeover.) … Continued
Australia to End Pre-Flight COVID Testing
People arriving in Australia will no longer be required to get a pre-departure COVID-19 test, effective from 17 April 2022. This is the date that the federal government’s current Biosecurity Emergency Determination period will lapse. Health Minister Greg Hunt confirmed yesterday that, “following medical advice”, the government will not renew this when it expires next month. … Continued
Qantas Brings Back Double Status Credits (or Points)
It’s been 10 months since Qantas last ran a Double Status Credits promotion. Since then, one of the most common and hotly debated questions on AFF has been “when will the next double status credits offer be?” The wait is finally over, with Qantas launching a new promotion today! This offer gives Australian-based frequent flyers … Continued
Singapore Ends Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTL)
Singapore will scrap its Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) scheme, with quarantine-free travel to Singapore available to anyone who is vaccinated from 1 April 2022. There will still be some basic entry requirements to travel to Singapore under the new “Vaccinated Travel Framework” (VTF), which will replace the VTL scheme from next month. But arriving passengers … Continued
More Qatar Airways Rewards for Qantas Frequent Flyers
Qatar Airways is no longer giving reduced access to Business Class reward seats on its Australian flights to Qantas Frequent Flyer members. It comes as Qatar Airways also switches its points currency to Avios, and British Airways Executive Club drastically reduces the cost of reward seats on Qatar Airways flights. Qantas Frequent Flyers now have … Continued
Virgin Business Class Better Value than Qantas in 2022?
In early 2021, I wrote that Qantas in-flight catering was miles ahead of Virgin Australia. But Virgin Australia has massively improved its Business Class offering since then… while also slashing its Business airfares. At a basic level, Qantas and Virgin Australia now provide very similar domestic Business Class products. Both airlines have lounges, the Boeing 737 … Continued
Singapore Airlines Call Centre Woes
Prior to COVID-19, the Singapore Airlines call centre was generally excellent. It didn’t take long to get through to an operator, and the Singapore-based staff were able to competently assist with most requests. Unfortunately, it’s now quite a different story. It appears that Singapore Airlines has closed its Singapore-based call centre during the pandemic and … Continued
Air New Zealand Reopens International Lounges
Air New Zealand will reopen all of its international airport lounges over the coming weeks as New Zealand prepares to reopen its border to the world. Currently, all Air New Zealand international lounges are closed except in Rarotonga, Christchurch and Auckland. The Auckland lounge is currently only open until 3.30pm, meaning it is open for … Continued