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QantasLink Boeing 717 Business Class Review

QantasLink offers Business class on many Boeing 717 flights – particularly routes between Australian capital cities. But what’s the experience like, and is QantasLink 717 Business class worth it? We put it to the test on a short flight from Canberra to Sydney. Flight Details Flight number QF1520 Route Canberra (CBR) to Sydney (SYD) Aircraft … Continued

9 Mar 2020 Flight Reviews

Podcast #31: COVID-19: This is Not Business as Usual

The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is having an unprecedented impact on the travel industry – and the world in general. Thousands of flights have been cancelled, travel bans are being introduced and millions have had their travel plans disrupted. In Episode 31 of the AFF on AIR podcast, Matt takes a detailed look at the impact … Continued

7 Mar 2020 AFF on Air Podcast

COVID-19: This is Not Business as Usual – AIR031

  The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is having an unprecedented impact on the travel industry – and the world in general. Thousands of flights have been cancelled, travel bans are being introduced and millions have had their travel plans disrupted. In this episode, Matt takes a detailed look at what this all means for travellers.   … Continued

7 Mar 2020 AFF on Air (blubrry)

Hawaiian Business Class Sale & Other Deals – March 2020

In light of recent global events, demand for air travel has plummeted in a matter of weeks. But if you do want to book a trip, there are no shortage of excellent travel deals available right now! There are currently cheap flights available around Australia, as well as to overseas destinations including Hawaii, North America, Cook … Continued

6 Mar 2020 Planning & Booking

Flybe Collapses, Flights Grounded

UK regional airline Flybe has become the latest victim of coronavirus, entering administration yesterday. All Flybe flights have been grounded and customers have been told not to travel to the airport. Flybe has been in financial trouble for some time already, and was purchased by a consortium that included Virgin Atlantic in 2019. The plan … Continued

6 Mar 2020 Other Airlines

What is “Cancel For Any Reason” Travel Insurance?

Update: As of Friday 13 March 2020, Cover-More has suspended sales of its Cancel For Any Reason travel insurance add-on in Australia and New Zealand. This does not affect existing policies. As the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak wreaks havoc on the travel industry, planning an overseas trip has become considerably more difficult. Many travel insurance providers … Continued

5 Mar 2020 Coronavirus and Travel

Qantas Swings Boeing 787 onto Sydney-Vancouver

Qantas will switch its seasonal Sydney-Vancouver route from a Boeing 747 to a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner service from next summer. Qantas traditionally operates a 3x weekly service from Sydney to Vancouver over December and January. But next summer, the route will operate for an extra month, running from 12 December 2020 until 27 February 2021. … Continued

4 Mar 2020 Qantas

Brisbane Airport’s New Runway Opening on 12 July 2020

The new runway under construction at Brisbane Airport (BNE) is due to open on 12 July 2020, the Brisbane Airport Corporation has confirmed. The third runway at Brisbane Airport has been under construction for the past 8 years, after 40 years of planning. The runway surface is now sealed, and line marking on the runway … Continued

1 Mar 2020 Airports & Lounges

Air New Zealand Skynest: Will it Ever Happen?

Air New Zealand’s recent announcement that it could introduce lie-flat bunk beds in Economy class went viral. Social media exploded and the story has been regurgitated by news outlets all over the world. Some journalists have even predicted that the Air New Zealand Skynest will spell the end of Business class. To be clear, that’s … Continued

29 Feb 2020 Air New Zealand

Virgin Australia Removes Velocity Numbers from Boarding Passes

Virgin Australia will no longer print Velocity Frequent Flyer membership numbers on boarding passes issued by airport check-in kiosks. The change, which appears to be for privacy and security reasons, took effect from yesterday. In addition, Velocity Frequent Flyer members are now required to show their digital membership card along with their boarding pass in … Continued

28 Feb 2020 Virgin Australia

Should Airlines Extend Status Due to Coronavirus?

As the coronavirus outbreak spreads, more flights are getting cancelled and fewer people are travelling. Demand for leisure travel is weak, some countries have imposed travel bans, and many corporate travellers are grounded as businesses impose their own travel restrictions. As a result, many airlines and hotels – especially in the Asia-Pacific region – are … Continued

28 Feb 2020 Coronavirus and Travel

Shangri-La Golden Circle Extends Status of All Global Members

The Shangri-La Group has announced that it will extend the tier status and benefits of all Golden Circle hotel loyalty program members worldwide. Current Diamond and Jade members of Shangri-La’s Golden Circle program will all have their status extended until 31 December 2021, due to the current coronavirus situation and associated travel restrictions. The updated … Continued

28 Feb 2020 Hotel Loyalty Programs