Air NZ Removes “Seat Only” Fares to Perth, Hawaii & Tahiti

Over the past decade or so, there has been a clear trend in the airline industry to “unbundle” airfares. For the increasingly prominent low-cost carriers, selling cheap tickets with optional add-ons is a core part of the business model. But even some full-service legacy carriers have launched “light” or “basic” fares in recent years which … Continued

Qantas 737 Trans-Tasman Economy Class Review

New Zealand is one of the most important international destinations for Qantas. Competing with Air New Zealand on many routes, Qantas currently offers 182 trans-Tasman flights per week using a mix of Boeing 737 and Airbus A330 aircraft. While Air New Zealand is effectively a low-cost carrier across the ditch, charging extra for things like … Continued

USA Proposes Mandatory Refunds for Aircraft Type Downgrades

The United States Department of Transportation (DOT) has proposed updated legislation that would require airlines to offer refunds for “significant changes” including aircraft type changes that result in a downgrade in the available amenities and onboard experience. The US government already requires airlines to offer customers a refund if there is a significant change and … Continued

Virgin to Bring Back In-Flight Wifi from Late 2022

Virgin Australia will restore in-flight wifi from the end of this year, with high-speed internet to be rolled out across most of the airline’s fleet over the next 18 months. Virgin Australia previously offered wi-fi on board most of its planes before the pandemic. This service was free on domestic flights and for the first … Continued

Air Canada Boeing 787 Economy Class Review

Air Canada uses Boeing 787 Dreamliners on many long-haul international routes, including from Sydney and Brisbane to Vancouver. These aircraft are also frequently used on busy domestic routes such as Toronto-Vancouver. For this review, I tested out Air Canada’s Boeing 787-9 Economy Class on a relatively short Canadian domestic flight from Vancouver to Calgary. Flight … Continued