Iconic Australian airline Qantas have launched a huge new sale that offers one million discounted airfares across Australia.
The sale, which launched today, offers one-way domestic fares starting from just $35 on Jetstar and $99 on Qantas and QantasLink. The flights can be booked now and the flight period is for next year.
Qantas Group chief executive Alan Joyce said he hopes the reduced fares will encourage post-pandemic tourism in Australia.
“We have the biggest network of any airline in Australia and, between Qantas and Jetstar, there are some great value-for-money fares on offer.
“More than a quarter of the sale fares are under $200 for Qantas and 70 per cent of Jetstar sale fares are under $100. That leaves more money to spend on activities, which in turn supports tourism and small business operators across Australia, so it’s a win for both travellers and Australian tourism.
“Lots of the Jetstar fares are less than the cost of a taxi to the airport, while the Qantas fares come with checked baggage, complimentary food and beverages, free Wi-Fi and seat selection are great value for those who can plan ahead.”
International travel can to a halted during the pandemic due to border closures – and the Australian tourism industry suffered drastically. Although travel restrictions have been lifted, flight prices are still considerably high.
Love Travel?
Get the latest Travel news, features, updates and giveaways straight to your inbox Learn more
When Australian borders first opened, it was initially assumed that the flights were still so expensive because so many people were booking. However, months and months later, flights are still costing more than usual.
Turns out, one of the main reasons behind the raised prices is actually COVID-19 related. Most Australian airlines have a shortage of staff, as a result of the workers who were laid off (or quit) during the pandemic when the borders were closed.
“Until international airlines return to full workforce capacity that they reduced as a result of the pandemic, we’re going to see demand for air travel exceed supply for a number of months yet, and this is going to keep upward pressure on airfares, especially to destinations in Europe and North America,” Brent Novak, General Manager at Flight Centre Australia told Escape.com.au.
For more on this topic, follow the Travel Observer.
