Fly to the Philippines for $213 - but be quick

To celebrate its 30th anniversary, leading Philippines airline Cebu Pacific has launched a month-long campaign of anniversary offers, kicking off with one of its biggest international seat sales of the year.

Until March 11, travellers from Australia can book flights to the Philippines from $213 all-in, with travel available from November 2026 1 – March 31, 2027. 

Once in Manila, travellers can easily connect across the country through the airline’s extensive domestic network.

With 35 domestic and 26 international destinations across Asia, Australia and the Middle East, Cebu Pacific offers connections through hubs including Manila, Clark, Cebu, Iloilo and Davao.

Just a two-hour drive from Manila, Clark serves as a gateway to some of the Philippines’ top island destinations, including Boracay, known for its powdery white sand beaches, and Palawan, with famous renowned limestone cliffs and scenic lagoons.

Cebu Pacific operates in 35 domestic and 26 international destinations spread across Asia, Australia, and the Middle East and offers various payment options, including credit or debit cards and e-wallets. 

See www.cebupacificair.com or book directly via the Cebu Pacific app. 

Qantas unveils good news for Western Australian flyers

Qantas has unveiled some good news for Western Australian travellers - including those in regional centres. 

The state is is to benefit from a multi-million dollar upgrade of QantasLink’s fleet, with the airline announcing upgrades to the onboard experience of its Airbus aircraft and confirming it has secured the initial three Embraer E190s to replace its Fokker 100 fleet.

These investments "will improve comfort and reliability for thousands of residents across regional WA, as well as workers in Western Australia’s critical resources industry", the airline said in a statement.

The airline will begin fitting its fleet of 28 Airbus A320 and A319 aircraft with onboard wifi so customers can keep connected and enjoy the latest hit movies and television shows on their own device via the Qantas Entertainment App.

The airline’s A320s will also be fitted with new seats equipped with USB A/C charging ports and portable device holders.

The first refurbished aircraft is expected to enter into service later this year, with the full cabin and wifi program set to be completed in early 2027.

The three mid-life Embraer E190 jets are expected to begin arriving by the end of the year, gradually replacing afleet of Fokker F100 aircraft.

In total, the airline will acquire up to 14 E190s. 

“This multi-million-dollar investment reinforces our long-term commitment to serving the critical resources sector in Western Australia and connecting regional communities across the state," says QantasLink CEO Mark Dal Pra.

 
“Not only will it significantly enhance the travel experience for our customers, it will also help us improve reliability and efficiency across our WA network.

“It also builds on Qantas’ commitment to developing Perth as its western hub, including recent investments in new training facilities, infrastructure upgrades at Perth Airport and the launch of domestic and international routes to destinations including Newcastle, Hobart, Johannesburg and Auckland.”

Emirates upgrades its fleet; codeshares with South African Airways

It has been a big week for Emirates Airlines, which has entered a new phase of refitting its aircraft and entered into a new deal with South African Airways.

Emirates' retrofit program sees 60 A380s and 51 Boeing 777s set to receive cabin innovations including next-generation, fully immersive in-flight entertainment systems and upgraded wifi connectivity.

Emirates will introduce the latest seating designs and a new onboard lounge on 60 A380s, paired with Panasonic's advanced Astrova inflight entertainment system.

“Emirates’ retrofit programme is about continuously elevating standards across our entire fleet," says Sir Tim Clark, the airline's president.

"Working with our long-standing partners, we're taking this commitment a step further with the aim of delivering product consistency at scale, in tandem with next-generation innovations in seating, entertainment, and connectivity being brought into service with our newly delivered fleet.

"Our customers expect an excellent experience every time they fly Emirates, and this investment ensures we deliver on that promise in the years to come, wherever they travel with us.”

Business class on both the A380 and Boeing 777s will receive a major upgrade while Emirates is installing fleet-wide Starlink connectivity.

Meanwhile, Emirates and South African Airways are working towards a reciprocal codeshare agreement, ahead of the busy peak travel season.

With single ticket fares and unified baggage handling, Emirates customers will be able to enjoy seamless access from Johannesburg to three domestic points in South Africa - Cape Town, Durban and Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), as well as a further thirteen regional points in Africa including Abidjan, Accra, Gaborone, Dar es Salaam, Kinshasa, Windhoek, Lagos, Lusaka, Lubumbashi, Harare, Victoria Falls, Windhoek, and Mauritius.

The codeshare will enable Emirates to tap into feeder traffic from South Africa, and regionally alongside long-haul connecting passengers from the UK and US.

This builds on the existing codeshare partnership that provides South African Airways customers with access to Dubai on Emirates’ soon-to-be 56 weekly flights from three gateways.

Based in Dubai, Emirates is one of the two flag carriers of the United Arab Emirates.

 

See emirates.com, flysaa.com or travel agents.

Qantas chooses Adelaide as technology hub

Qantas has chosen Adelaide as the location for a new technology hub opening next year.

The Australian flag carrier is establishing a new Product Innovation Centre in Adelaide to accelerate the delivery of “intuitive, world-leading digital experiences” for the millions of customers who travel with the airline each year.

The Centre is projected to be home to more than 420 highly-skilled technology roles over the next three years, bringing critical innovation capability in-house, the airline says.

The new purpose-built technology and innovation centre, which is being supported by the South Australian Government, will be based in Adelaide’s CBD and open in March 2026.

It will become the home of the airline’s technology product development teams, where product managers, digital experience designers, software engineers, and data and AI specialists will come together to cha ge how customers interact with Qantas.

Qantas is also partnering with Adelaide University to build graduate recruitment pathways directly into the Centre, creating opportunities for South Australian students to help shape the future of travel.

The centre will enable the airline to bring more critical innovation and technology skills in-house, supporting major initiatives, from the growth of its domestic and international network to new customer experiences and AI tools that help frontline teams serve customers better. 

For customers, Qantas says the centre will help deliver better digital experiences at every stage of the journey. From enhanced app functionality, seamless check-in to smarter baggage tracking. It will also develop AI-powered tools that help when travel doesn’t go to plan.

Qantas Group Chief Executive Officer Vanessa Hudson said the centre would transform how the airline delivers customer experiences.

“Innovation has been a core part of the airline’s DNA for more than 100 years,”Hudson said. “This centre marks a new chapter in our efforts to reimagine the travel experience for the millions of customers who fly with us.

“Technology and AI is critical to lifting the customer experience at every part of the journey, from booking to inflight and baggage collection. This new hub will bring the best Australian skilled talent together to build digital products and experiences that make travel easier and more personalised.

“Adelaide gives us access to world-class universities, a thriving tech community, and the ability to scale our in-house capability. It’s an investment in Australian innovation that will deliver real benefits for our customers.”

South Australian Premier the Hon Peter Malinauskas said:
“This historic agreement with Qantas will help supercharge growth in new highly skilled, high tech jobs.

“Through strategic partnerships under this agreement, including the collaboration between Adelaide University and the Australian Institute for Machine Learning (AIML), we are building a strong pipeline of talent with advanced AI and digital skillsets. 

“This initiative will ensure South Australia remains at the forefront of emerging technologies and future workforce opportunities.”

The new Qantas Product Innovation Centre is the latest in a series of investments by the national carrier in South Australia, including the recently opened lounge precinct at Adelaide Airport and the return of international flights from Adelaide to Auckland which launched earlier this month.

Low-cost airline carrier cuts back on flights

Planning a European trip with low-cost airline Wizz Air? 

It might pay to make sure your travel insurance is up to date and to have a back-up plan. 

Wizz Air continues to rationalise its network and close bases as it faces financial difficulties, travel news hub Travel Mole reported this week.

Wizz this week announced the gradual closure of its base in Vienna, following a strategic review of its operations and fleet allocation.

The process will take place in two phases: two routes and two planes, serving Bilbao and London Gatwick, will be withdrawn on October 26. Three remaining aircraft and the rest of the routes from the Austrian capital will cease operation on March 15, 2026.

Wizz Air launched its Vienna hub in 2018 and it has been one of the most important bases for the carrier in Central Europe. Vienna’s current fleet comprises five Airbus A321neo aircraft.

Operating 28 routes to 20 countries, the fleet reflects the strong position Wizz Air has achieved in Austria.

Since the inception of Wizz Air’s Vienna base, however, airport costs and taxes have increased significantly.

Operating from Vienna has become incompatible with the airline’s ultra-low-cost business model, Wizz Air management said in a statement.

"The airport cost base in Vienna, as well as taxes and ground handling services, has risen significantly since our launch, making continued operations unsustainable," managing director Mauro Peneda said.

Founded in 2002 and based in Hungary, the airline group has its largest hubs at airports in Budapest, Bucharest and London Luton Airport. It currently flies to 194 airports and has a fleet of over 220 aircraft.

In July this year, the company announced the suspension of its operations from Abu Dhabi, saying it was caused by geopolitical turmoil, supply chain constraints, and regulatory barriers.

All flights to the region ceased on September 1.

Keen on flying with screaming infants? This carrier makes it easier

 

Are you keen on taking flights with even more screaming infants than usual?

There is one airline that virtually guarantees that experience.

British carrier Jet2.com has taken the brave - or foolhardy - step of offering completely free flights for kids under two. It is the first in the UK to adopt the policy.

Clearly Jet2 has young families as its target market, as it is hard to see mature leisure travellers, or business folk, being keen on the idea.

The new "fly free" policy for infants starts immediately for all new bookings, whether a package or flight only, news hub Travel Mole reports.

It means all infants must be carried on a parent’s lap.

As an extra incentive for families to fly with Jet2, the airline is offering the check in of strollers, travel cots and other baby gear exempt from excess baggage fees.

And infants will still get a 10kg baggage allowance.

“As a family-friendly airline and tour operator, we are always looking at how we can make the experience even better for families travelling with us,” said Jet2 CEO Steve Heapy,

“By putting our customers first, we are making travel even more accessible for millions of families.”

But less enjoyable for others.

# Jet2 it is the third-largest scheduled airline in the UK, behind easyJet and British Airways. Jet2 is also officially the largest tour operator in the UK.

Another airline teeters on the brink

There are always risks associated with booking flights on small, independent airlines.

This week, Brazil-based Azul formally filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the US.

It issued a securities filing, aiming to restructure over $US2 billion of debt, travel news hub Travel Mole reported.

There is a commitment of $1.6 billion in financing as well as up to $950 million in equity financing after exiting Chapter 11.

The airline says it has agreements with existing bondholders, lessor AerCap, and airline partners United Airlines and American Airlines to help support its restructuring.

The airline’s financial issues date back to the Covid-era shutdown.

“We had too much debt on the balance sheet that principally came from Covid, said CEO John Rodgerson.

"We now have an opportunity to clean it all up.”

Azul had been exploring a merger with Gol, and it is unclear how the bankruptcy filing will affect this.

The airline was founded in 2008 by David Neeleman, who also started the airline JetBlue in the US. The airline offers affordable flights to places in Brazil that other airlines do not service.

Azul has 166 planes and flies to 162 destinations, Wikipedia says.

Vietjet drops bargain fares offer - but only until Saturday

 

Vietjet, the airline that delivers cheap and cheerful flights between Australia and Vietnam, has just dropped another of its flash sales. 

Vietjet is offering travellers discounts of up to 50%* on Eco-class fares across its entire flight network from now until April 18 - the bad news is that means only until Friday. 

Aussies can enjoy this deal by applying the promo code VJ50 when booking via www.vietjetair.com and the Vietjet Air mobile app for travel between April 28 and November 30. 

Travellers from Australia can fly directly from Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney to Ho Chi Minh City, and from Melbourne and Sydney to Hanoi. 

The promotion also allows travellers to book and save on domestic flights within Vietnam, making it easy for Aussies to explore other destinations up and down the surprisingly large country.

Vietjet is also giving away 1,000 SkyPoints to passengers who book flights on its new international routes and register for SkyJoy membership from now until June 30. 

These routes include 10 new international routes that Vietjet announced in early 2025 including those connecting major Vietnamese cities to popular destinations in China, India, Japan and Singapore. SkyJoy members can redeem points for exclusive rewards from over 250brands in Vietnam.

Vietnam has become a favourite among Aussie travellers, with its stunning landscapes, rich culture, world-class cuisine, and warm hospitality. The prices are good , too. 

Visitors can choose from the beaches of Da Nang, Nha Trang, and Phu Quoc, to the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Ha Long Bay, Ninh Binh, Hoi An, and Hue; from the elegance of Hanoi to the vibrant energy of Ho Chi Minh City. 

Discount prices exclude taxes and fees, and public holidays. 

Airline sues disruptive passenger; angry passenger sues airline

 

There should be more of it. 

With drunk and disorderly passengers on the upswing, one airline has decided to sue a passenger who abused air crew and caused a delay. 

Ryanair has initiated a private criminal prosecution in Spain against a passenger who allegedly behaved like a complete asshole, British media outlets reported. 

The airline says the passenger caused a 40-minute delay and "unnecessary disruption to 137 passengers".

The incident happened on a flight from Lanzarote to Santiago de Compostela in January.

This passenger "claimed to be a UN diplomat with diplomatic immunity, attempted to take a seat that was not assigned to him and became verbally abusive," the airline said.

He was removed from the flight by the Spanish Guardia Civil.

Ryanair says it has a strict zero tolerance policy towards passenger misconduct and will take decisive action

“It is unacceptable that passengers, many of whom are on a family holiday, are suffering unnecessary delay as a result of one unruly passenger’s behavior,” the airline said.

“We have initiated a private criminal prosecution against this passenger, in which the court may impose a sentence of 3-12 months imprisonment or a fine.

“These are just some of the potential consequences under Ryanair’s zero tolerance policy.”

But Ryanair is also being sued by a non-binary passenger because airline website did not provide gender-neutral title option for a flight booking|

The non-binary flyer is seeking £4,200 in damages.

After Ryanair refused to reach an out-of-court settlement, the complaint will now be heard by a court in Berlin.

As well as damages, the customer wants the airline to amend its booking platform to provide an option of a gender-neutral title.

Vietjet expands network to New Zealand

Rapidly growing Vietnamese budget airline Vietjet is expanding its network to New Zealand.

The leisure carrier this week unveiled its first route linking Vietnam and New Zealand, Kiwi news outlet Scoop reported.

Taking off in September, Ho Chi Minh City to Auckland flights will operate four times per week.

NZ Prime Minister Christopher Luxon visited Vietjet’s founder, Dr. Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, while in Vietnam recently.

“This strengthens the connectivity and the people-to-people links between our two countries," Luxon said.

"This enables lots of opportunities across the board, not just in tourism but also in trade and also in education.

”I can see how Vietjet has been built into such a successful airline in a very short period. Vietjet will be very critical for us to be able to realise and to catalyse the next growth."

Thao underlined Vietjet’s commitment to strengthening Vietnam-New Zealand relations and said: “Our bilateral trade target of US$3 billion is well within reach, built upon the solid foundation of existing cooperation agreements. 

"Vietjet, alongside businesses from both nations, is committed to expanding partnerships, driving sustainable development, and soaring to new heights together.”

Vetjet’s Aviation Academy and the International Aviation Academy of New Zealand (IAANZ) signed an agreement to collaborate on pilot training

Vietjet is also adding new international routes from Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi to major Chinese cities Beijing and Guangzhou in the coming weeks.

See at www.vietjetair.com

New morning service between Newcastle and the Gold Coast

Flyers on the Newcastle to the Gold Coast route are soon to have a choice of carriers.

FlyPelican has announced it will launch a new service from Newcastle to Gold Coast Airport from March 24.

The flights will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, leaving at 7am and arriving within 1.5 hours, with a 30-minute turnaround before the return flight, the Australian Aviation website reports.

The new service will use a Jetstream 32 aircraft with a capacity for 19 passengers with a checked baggage allowance included.

“FlyPelican is thrilled to expand our network, with our focus on getting local people where they need to go,” company CEO Marty Hawley said.

“We are now filling a key gap for travellers to and from the Gold Coast that are in need of a morning departure.”

Newcastle Airport acting CEO Andrew Warrender also noted that the morning departure times are ideal for business travellers and align with the business’ aim to improve connectivity for the Hunter region.

FlyPelican will compete with Jetstar on the route.

New scam targets unsuspecting Qantas customers

There is a new scam that targets unsuspecting Qantas flyers.

If you receive an email with an image like the one above from a formresponse.com email then you are advised to immediately delete it and block the address.

Whatever you do make sure you do not click on the link, which will contain malware designed to redirect you to a URL aimed at stealing your information.

My wife received an authentic-looking email this morning, saying that: "Qantas has sent you a Gift Coupon. Use it today or whenever you like, it never expires!

"From: Qantas Gift Coupon. Value: 99.5 AUD.

"This gift coupon can be redeemed only once. Please do not share the link with others. Choose your preferred method for redeeming the coupon."

The dodgy email address was one clue; as was the fact that no name or frequent flyer number was used. The way the dollar sum was written also does not look like it was written by an Australian.

This gift coupon can be redeemed only once. Please do not share the link with others Choose your preferred method for redeeming the coupon.

Newsletter TravelWeekly.com.au reports that Qantas has warned against similar scams. 

“From time to time we are made aware of email scams and social media posts that claim to be authentic Qantas communications," the airline says on its website.

 

" These may ask customers to visit an external site and download a file or confirm customer details.

“We will never ask customers to click a link to download a file about bookings from a website, including our own. We send important documents that relate to your booking as Adobe Acrobat (PDF) files that you can download directly.”

More recognition for high-flying Vietjet

Vietjet, a rising star in the airline business, has emerged as a dual winner at the 2024 World Travel Awards. 

Vietjet was named Asia's Leading Airline for Customer Experience and Asia's Leading Airline Rewards Program. 

The World Travel Awards (WTA) have been recognising and celebrating excellence across all sectors of the travel, tourism, and hospitality industries for over three decades. 

The annual awards are determined by votes from qualified experts in these fields, as well as consumer travel buyers around the world, recognising businesses with the most outstanding product offerings.

Graham Cooke, founder of World Travel Awards, said: “We commend Vietjet for its relentless efforts and are delighted to honour the airline once again this year. 

"With its expansive flight network across the Asia-Pacific region, Vietjet has introduced unique innovative offerings, such as the SkyCare insurance, the Vietjet SkyJoy loyalty program, and highly competitive fare promotions. 

"These initiatives have enabled the airline to consistently meet, and even surpass, passenger expectations.”

Do Xuan Quang, Vietjet vice president, said: “As Vietjet recently celebrated the milestone of serving 200 million passengers, we are thrilled to once again receive recognition from the World Travel Awards. 

"Above all, our deepest gratitude goes to our passengers for choosing to fly with us. Looking ahead, Vietjet will continue expanding our global flight network, introducing exciting promotions, and enhancing our services. We are committed to making every journey with Vietjet both inspiring and enjoyable as we fly our passengers to captivating destinations."

The airline has recently introduced new services, such as flight information notifications via Zalo (a messaging app in Vietnam) and WhatsApp, providing flight updates for passengers. 

In Australia, Vietjet has rapidly expanded with a total of seven routes after only entering the market in April, 2023. 

It currently has five routes connecting Ho Chi Ming City to Australia via Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney. It also connects to Hanoi via Sydney and Melbourne. 

For more info see www.vietjetair.com

Rex Airlines on the brink

 

To lose one commercial airline is careless; to lose a second one would be catastrophic.

Hot on the heels of the failure of start-up airline Bonza, Australian carrier Regional Express (Rex) is fighting for survival.

If Rex closes, the cost of airfares under powerful duopoly Qantas and Virgin Australia would almost certainly rise.

Rex is currently in a share trading halt and is trying to turn around some financial issues. It has not posted a media statement on its website for over a month and as of Tuesday afternoon its website was not taking bookings on some routes. 

Rex was predominantly a regional carrier until two or three years ago but has recently been operating in competition with Qantas and Virgin Australia on major routes.

The two big guns have a combined 93% of the market.

“One thing we need to do is to make sure that we have a viable and ongoing Australian aviation industry,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.

Albanese, unfortunately, often talks a good game but fails to deliver. There is no indication yet that he will step in. 

The PM said if Rex went under many outback and country communities would suffer.

“Rex is the only airline to go to some of those destinations, so it’s important,” he said.

Stay tuned.

Lufthansa makes major investment in new aircraft

German airline Lufthansa is extremely confident about the future of the aviation industry, making a major investment in new planes.

The Lufthansa Group has announced the order of 80 new "highly efficient" short- and medium-haul aircraft and agreed on a further 120 purchasing options.

Lufthansa has signed for the purchase of 40 Boeing 737-8 MAX with 60 purchasing options; the purchase of 40 Airbus A220-300s for Lufthansa City Airlines and 20 purchasing options as well as purchasing options for 40 aircraft from the Airbus A320 group. 

Deliveries will be made from 2026 to 2032 with the cost of the firm orders totalling around $US9 billion. 

"With this aircraft order, we are accelerating the largest fleet modernisation in our company's history," said Dr Detlef Kayser, member of the executive board, fleet and technology: 

This increases our order list of around 200 aircraft to 280 – plus an additional 120 purchasing options for further state-of-the-art short- and medium-haul aircraft. 

"We are pleased that both Airbus and Boeing were able to convince us on all commercial and technological aspects. 

"In addition to this, the decision for the Boeing 737-8 MAX will also give us more flexibility for the procurement of short- and medium-haul aircraft in the future. The new ultra-modern aircraft offer our guests additional comfort. They are also quieter, more economical, more efficient, and emit up to 30 percent less CO2 than their predecessor models. 

"The order demonstrates our airlines' future viability and ability to invest, and it shows that we are living up to our responsibility to reduce our carbon emissions."

With a current fleet of more than 700 commercial aircraft, the Lufthansa Group says it is pursuing "a long-term fleet strategy focused on cost efficiency and reducing emissions". 

See https://www.lufthansa.com/

Lost in translation. Parts 1 and 2

UPDATED (read to the end) 

Translations can be trap for the unwary, as China Eastern Airlines discovered this month.

The airline was at the centre of social media scorn after it was revealed that the English translation of its business class menu had an item listed as ‘imported dog food with okra’.

Oops. The mistranslation blunder left passengers baffled and the airline stupidly did not respond to media requests for an explanation - leaving itself open to further ridicule.

The menu listed several other items that were quite normal: grilled steak, a seafood stew, and stir-fried chicken.

But the menu also featured dubious dishes like 'corn dragon bone soup', ‘mushroom juice’ and ‘vanilla shrimp,’ Travel Mole reported.

Translation blunder followed by PR snafu. China Eastern might need some serious help. 

Then Steve McMeechan discovered an even worse translation faux pas - this time served up by a sweary Japanese hair care product (below).

As Steve pointed out: "It might just be me, but if I was a Japanese manufacturer of mass produced affordable hair products destined for overseas English-speaking markets that required instructions printed in English, I might think to myself - 'hey, maybe we should get someone who understands English to proofread the label before we go ahead and print a million of them'."

You have to wonder how many people they offended. And who hated them quite so much.   

Consumer watchdog unleashes on Qantas

Consumer watchdog the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission is sometimes derided as a toothless tiger, accused of failing to act against serial offenders.

Today, however, the ACCC has initiated legal action in the Federal Court of Australia against national airline Qantas, alleging that the carrier has engaged in "false, misleading or deceptive conduct" by advertising tickets for flights that it had already cancelled, sometimes weeks earlier.

The ACCC has accused the airline of selling tickets for more than 8,000 flights scheduled to depart between May and July 2022, alleging the Australian flag carrier kept selling tickets on its website for what is alleged to be an average of more than two weeks - and and in some cases for up to 47 days -after the cancellation of the flights.

The ACCC also believes that for more than 10,000 flights scheduled to depart in May to July 2022, Qantas did not notify existing ticketholders that their flights had been cancelled for an average of about 18 days.

The ACCC alleges that Qantas did not update its “Manage Booking” web page for ticketholders to reflect the cancellations.

“We allege that Qantas’ conduct in continuing to sell tickets to cancelled flights, and not updating ticketholders about cancelled flights, left customers with less time to make alternative arrangements and may have led to them paying higher prices to fly at a particular time not knowing that flight had already been cancelled," the ACCC said.

The action comes at a particular interesting time with the Australian government lately being accused of giving Qantas favourable treatment over its rivals.

The ACCC is Australia's national competition, consumer, fair trading and product safety regulator.

“The ACCC has conducted a detailed investigation into Qantas’ flight cancellation practices," ACCC chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said.

"As a result, we have commenced these proceedings alleging that Qantas continued selling tickets for thousands of cancelled flights, likely affecting the travel plans of tens of thousands of people.

“We allege that Qantas’ conduct in continuing to sell tickets to cancelled flights, and not updating ticketholders about cancelled flights, left customers with less time to make alternative arrangements and may have led to them paying higher prices to fly at a particular time not knowing that flight had already been cancelled.

“There are vast distances between Australia’s major cities. Reliable air travel is essential for many consumers in Australia who are seeking to visit loved ones, take holidays, grow their businesses or connect with colleagues. Cancelled flights can result in significant financial, logistical and emotional impacts for consumers.”

As an example of the conduct, the ACCC said ticketholders scheduled to fly on Qantas flight QF93 from Melbourne to Los Angeles on May 6, 2022, were first notified of the cancellation on May 4, two days before the scheduled departure and four days after Qantas had cancelled the flight.

One consumer was provided with a replacement flight a day before their original departure date, which was communicated only by the Qantas app. As a result, the consumer had to change connecting flights and had a 15-hour layover in Los Angeles, which had a significant impact on the consumer and left them $600 out of pocket.

The ACCC is seeking orders including penalties, injunctions, declarations, and costs.

Bonza jumps on the Matildas' bandwagon - but leaves it too late

There is nothing like jumping on a bandwagon to seek some publicity.

And it is even more obvious when you time your stunt just a day too late.

In celebration of the Matildas' World Cup semi-final appearance, Australia's newest airline Bonza has promised to name its next aircraft 'Matilda'.

The airline with an eye for bogan appeal also has four aircraft named Shazza, Bazza, Sheila and Malc.

The fifth plane, due to arrive next year after the airline's Gold Coast base launch, will have Matilda painted on its side.

“Like the rest of the nation, our team of legends have been gripped by Matilda Mania thanks to their sportsmanship, mateship with one another and their pride in wearing the green and gold," says Carly Povey, Chief Commercial Officer at Bonza.

"As an airline that is solely focussed on Australia, it seemed fitting to name our next aircraft Matilda.

“From all of us here at Bonza, congratulations and well done to the Matildas for what you've achieved on and off the pitch.”

All a bit cheeky when you consider that Qantas is an "official partner " of the Matildas and actually spends money to support the team.

Bonza scraps several domestic routes

New Australian domestic airline Bonza has just slashed five routes from its schedule, citing a lack of what it calls "sustainable demand".

Just a few months after launching operations, Bonza has confirmed its Sunshine Coast-Coffs Harbour, Sunshine Coast-Port Macquarie, Sunshine Coast-Tamworth, Cairns-Mackay and Toowoomba-Whitsunday Coast services will be removed from its route map from August 1.

“In order for us to earn your trust, as we know that we’re at the start of that journey, we have decided to take a step back to allow our services to become more reliable," Chief Commercial Officer Carly Povey said in a press release.

Customers booked on routes impacted will be contacted by the airline via SMS and will automatically receive a full refund or alternate flights with Bonza.

Despite the shock news, Povey said taking this latest step back in the short term will allow the airline to "take a leap forward".

"We’ve been compelled to take out five routes where there isn’t sustainable demand at present," she said.

"Twenty-two routes remain and we’re reducing some routes by one flight per week. Three of the many strong performing routes, namely Sunshine Coast to Albury and Melbourne (Avalon) plus Melbourne (Tullamarine) to Port Macquarie, will welcome a new service each week.

"By removing some flying from our schedule, and going where there is demand, we are achieving two things. Firstly, the changes will allow us to build in additional spare capacity within our current fleet of four aircraft, so we have a buffer when things don’t go to plan [and they will by virtue of being an airline].

"Secondly, by focusing on routes that are performing very well, we’re also taking decisive action by going where the demand is and in turn, setting Bonza up for the long haul - because competition in the airline industry is a good thing and the demand for Bonza is clear.

"We are learning quickly and looking to the future. Our sole mission is maintaining a safe, sensible and sustainable airline that Aussies can enjoy and trust for years to come."

Airline files for bankruptcy

Regular readers might remember Indian airline Go First as the company that left 50 passengers stranded on a shuttle bus and allowed a flight to take off regardless earlier this year.

Now the budget carrier has grounded all its flights and filed for airline bankruptcy.

It said full refunds will be issued to all affected customers "shortly".

Go First says the grounding will last for three days - although it is not clear what will happen after that.

The airline has blamed long running problems with engines for its demise, saying nearly half its fleet was grounded at one stage due to engine issues, Travel Mole reports.

The airline has an all Airbus A320 fleet.

“We had to take this step due to the ever-increasing number of failing engines supplied by Pratt & Whitney,” an airline statement said.

India’s Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said: “The Government of India has been assisting the airline in every possible manner.”

Stay tuned.