Latest news

Qantas Flights to Rome Selling Extremely Well

Qantas’ first commercial flights to Rome since 2003 haven’t even taken off yet, but some flights on the flying kangaroo’s seasonal Perth-Rome service are already sold out. Qantas will commence 3x weekly Sydney-Perth-Rome flights on 22 June 2022 using Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. The route will run over the peak European summer period and the September … Continued

30 May 2022 Qantas

Qantas Trials New Self-Service Kiosks

Earlier this month, we brought you the story about Qantas’ plan to remove domestic airport check-in kiosks and replace them with new self-service machines that can only print luggage tags and charge for excess baggage. This new technology is now a reality, with Qantas commencing a trial of the new airport kiosks that cannot check … Continued

30 May 2022 Qantas

Air Canada’s Interesting Domestic Premium Cabin Pricing

If you’ve flown in Business Class on Qantas’ Boeing 737s and Airbus A330s, you’ll know that there’s a huge difference in the Business Class products on these two aircraft. Qantas’ narrow-body Boeing 737-800 features basic reclining Business seats with a little more width and legroom, which are suitable for the short flights it generally operates… … Continued

29 May 2022 Air Canada

Podcast #85: When Should Loyalty Programs Stop Extending Status?

Throughout the pandemic, most airline and hotel loyalty programs have offered free or easy status extensions to retain once-loyal customers and try to prevent them from switching to the competition when travel makes a comeback. But with travel starting to return with a vengeance and airport lounges getting full, is it now time to wind … Continued

28 May 2022 AFF on Air Podcast

When Should Loyalty Programs Stop Extending Status? – AIR085

  In this episode, loyalty program expert David Feldman is back for another chat about airline & hotel loyalty programs! This extended interview covers topics including COVID-19 status extensions, the “golden handcuff” effect, recent changes to hotel loyalty programs, why Qantas could be risking killing its profitable “golden goose”, and lots more.   Episode contents: … Continued

28 May 2022 AFF on Air (blubrry)

Velocity Gold vs Platinum Status: What’s the Difference?

Velocity Platinum members enjoy many additional benefits on Virgin Australia flights, but the extra perks are marginal on partner airlines.

27 May 2022 Virgin Australia

Unlimited German Train Travel for a Month for $14!

Update: Please note that this deal is no longer available. However, you can now get unlimited local & regional public transport in Germany for €49/month with a Deutschland Ticket! If you’re travelling to Europe over the upcoming northern hemisphere summer months, there’s a great deal on train travel in Germany that you might like to … Continued

26 May 2022 Ground Transport

Guide to Virgin Australia’s Partnership with United Airlines

Velocity Frequent Flyer members can now earn and redeem points on United Airlines, as well as earning status credits and receiving reciprocal status benefits. Overall, this is great news for frequent flyers of both Virgin Australia and United. The partnership is reasonably comprehensive and there are benefits available in both directions. However, United MileagePlus members … Continued

25 May 2022 Virgin Australia

Rex Withdraws from 7 Regional Routes

Rex will end all services on the Sydney-Canberra route this weekend, just over a year after entering the route. The announcement comes days after the regional airline revealed it will cease serving the Melbourne-Albury route at the end of May. Rex is also withdrawing from five other regional routes including Sydney-Bathurst and Adelaide-Kingscote at the end … Continued

25 May 2022 Rex & Regional Airlines

Seats Lost in Qantas Call Centre Stuff-Up

When calling an airline to make a simple enquiry about a confirmed booking, you certainly wouldn’t expect them to cancel your entire ticket without your consent or knowledge. But that’s exactly what happened to a Qantas Frequent Flyer member recently after they called Qantas to enquire about changing their Business Class flights. AFF member davidhes had … Continued

23 May 2022 Qantas

Virgin Business Class Doesn’t Cater to Dietary Needs

On many levels, Virgin Australia now offers a better domestic Business Class service than Qantas. Ever since Virgin revamped its Business Class catering in March 2021, the on-board meals have generally been well received and the on-board service is typically excellent. (AFF’s long-running thread on Virgin Australia Business catering is a testament to this.) However, … Continued

22 May 2022 Virgin Australia

Eurowings A320 Economy Class Review

If you’re travelling around Europe, you may come across an airline called Eurowings. Part of the Lufthansa Group, Eurowings is a low-cost carrier based in Germany. Eurowings operates a large network of short-haul flights to destinations all over Europe using Airbus A319 and A320 aircraft. While its parent company Lufthansa operates many short-haul and long-haul … Continued

21 May 2022 Flight Reviews