Author: Matt Graham
Matt Graham
Matt was the editor of Australian Frequent Flyer from 2015 until 2025. His passion for travel has taken him to more than 100 countries - with a lot of help along the way from frequent flyer points! Matt's favourite destinations (so far) are Germany, Brazil, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. His interests include aviation, economics & foreign languages, and he has a soft spot for good food and red wine. You can connect with Matt by posting on the Australian Frequent Flyer community forum and tagging @Mattg.
Air New Zealand Extends Status for a Second Year
With flights reduced and many international borders closed this year due to coronavirus, many airlines have already extended the elite status of their frequent flyers by 6-12 months. But Air New Zealand is going a step further. Having already extended the status of its frequent flyers by 12 months in March 2020, Air New Zealand … Continued
Southern Lights Flight on a Chartered Qantas 787
Antarctic sightseeing flights, operated by Antarctica Flights on chartered Qantas Boeing 787 Dreamliners, are proving popular this summer. Operating during daylight hours, passengers on these flights are treated to close-up views of the Antarctic icebergs. But another Melbourne-based tour company is now pioneering a different type of Antarctic scenic flight, the first of which is … Continued
Alliance Airlines Coming to Canberra
Alliance Airlines will launch scheduled flights to Canberra for the first time, with a new twice-weekly Canberra-Sunshine Coast service from 23 October 2020. The same aircraft, a Fokker 100 with 100 Economy class seats, will continue from the Sunshine Coast to Cairns. Passengers can travel from Canberra to Cairns on a single flight number without … Continued
Norfolk Island is Open for Tourism
Update (21 October): Air New Zealand will resume a second-weekly Sydney-Norfolk Island flight from November. With international borders shut, there are few opportunities for Australians to travel overseas this year. But Norfolk Island, an Australian territory located between New Zealand and New Caledonia, is open for business. Norfolk Island has introduced a similar hotspot-based system … Continued
Qantas Clarifies Lounge Access for Oneworld Frequent Flyers
Airport lounge access rules can be confusing at the best of times. But issues arise particularly often when frequent flyers try to use their status benefits from one airline while crediting the flight to a different airline’s frequent flyer program. If you have Oneworld Sapphire or Emerald status with an airline other than Qantas, such … Continued
Rex to Launch Boeing 737 Capital City Flights
It looks like Regional Express Airlines (Rex) is serious about leasing Boeing 737s and flying major capital city routes from March 2021. But will Rex be able to woo frequent flyers, and is there really enough room for a third player in the domestic market? Rex’s plan to launch capital city flights In May 2020, … Continued
How Many Flight Attendants Are Required Per Flight?
Ever wondered how many flight attendants are required to operate a flight? The minimum ratio of flight attendants to passengers varies by country, but it’s generally between 1:36 and 1:50. In Australia, the standard minimum ratio is 1 flight attendant for every 36 passengers. But there are some exemptions. For example, flight attendants are not … Continued
ANZ Rewards Travel Adventures Card Withdraws Virgin Benefits
The ANZ Rewards Travel Adventures credit card will no longer come with a complimentary annual return Virgin Australia flight or Virgin Australia lounge passes from December 2020. As a result of this change, the ANZ Rewards Travel Adventures annual fee will also be reduced from $225 to $120. But the loss of the Virgin flight … Continued
Double Velocity Points on Virgin Domestic Flights (September 2020)
Virgin Australia may still be in voluntary administration, owing thousands of customers refunds, but that’s not stopping the airline from trying to stimulate new flight bookings! Velocity Frequent Flyer has launched a new “double points” offer on Virgin Australia flights this week. Until 29 September 2020, you can earn double Velocity points on new Virgin … Continued