486 2 After customer feedback, low-cost carrier Bonza has launched a new website that allows flyers to make bookings.

Travellers can use the new website to book flights and Bonza Holiday packages, which include flights, baggage, accommodation and the option to add travel insurance, car hire or airport transfers.

Prior to the new website, Bonza customers could only book flights on the carrier’s app. The first airline globally to prioritise app bookings, the airline says its Fly Bonza app has been downloaded over 1.8 million times since launching just over a year ago.
.
it will continue to be the only way to check in, obtain boarding passes, make menu purchases and enjoy entertainment onboard.

The airline’s new website lets customers book tailored package holidays to any of their 21 destinations, with activities and attractions also coming soon. Each Bonza Holiday package includes a 23kg checked bag, 8kg hand luggage and standard ‘Pick’ seats.

Plus, the carrier offers a price match guarantee, in which it will refund the difference if customers find a cheaper holiday within 24 hours of booking.

In February, the airline announced it would link the Sunshine Coast and Tasmania for the first time.

Apparently the demand for the ability to book via a website was a critical part of flyer feedback to Bonza. Well done Bonza for being responsive to its customer's requests !

I hope this initiative results in even greater support for this low-cost airline.]]> https://www.pointsnplaces.com/media/website_posts/486/Bonza.jpg none 2024-04-06 00:04:00 484 2 Singapore Airlines has updated its Premium Economy inflight experience for the first time since launching in 2015 with an expanded dining menu that includes a flute of French Champagne after take-off plus a new amenity kit from 31 March 2024.
As part of the Premium Class revamp, Singapore Airlines (SQ) will also introduce upcoming new cabin products and inflight entertainment systems.

All SQ flights will offer the improved Premium Class dining and beverage selection, which includes a glass of Charles de Cazanove Brut Tradition NV Champagne and meals served on custom-made porcelain serviceware.

SQ has more than 200 new appetisers, main courses and desserts in its Premium Economy Class inflight menu expansion. Special meals including a vegan option are also available.

* New Premium Economy Class meals include a seasonal appetiser, main course, bread, dessert and cheese and crackers served on a linen-lined tray with silverware.

* Passengers will also have the option of croissants for breakfast and a choice of international or Asian cuisine for the main course on all flights.

They can also choose from an expanded Book the Cook menu with up to 20 dishes available on rotation for pre-order at least 24 hours before departure.

Along with the French Champagne, passengers will enjoy an expanded beverage selection that includes the signature Singapore Sling cocktail, ANZ wines, herbal teas and a new Cadbury hot chocolate option.

Between meals, they can request new snack options such as almonds and cashews along with the existing variety of potato chips, assorted buns, sandwiches, muffins and flavoured popcorn.

In addition, on all flights of at least seven hours’ duration, passengers will receive a new, exclusively designed eco-friendly amenity kit with slippers, an eye mask and lip balm, while kids flying to and from Singapore will enjoy Disney collectibles.

]]> https://www.pointsnplaces.com/media/website_posts/484/SingaporeAirlines-A350-mediumhaul.jpg none 2024-03-18 02:30:00 482 2 Australia welcomes Turkish Airlines. The carrier that flies to more countries than any other airline has added Australia to its list of international destinations, touching down at Melbourne Airport - its 346th port - on Saturday night. 03 Mar 2024

Istanbul bound - Turkish Airlines' first Australian flight takes off from Melbourne Scheduled to arrive in Melbourne at 8.40pm, flight TK168 landed in the Victorian capital at 8.44pm (pretty punctual for a first effort), before TK169 departed for Istanbul (via Singapore) at 11.20pm (scheduled for 10.30pm). Turkish’s arrival in Melbourne marks several firsts. Most obviously, it is the first time the 90-year-old carrier has operated a service to Australia, a market it is confident will take up the direct flights – thanks in part to Melbourne’s large Turkish population. Secondly, Turkish’s arrival marks the first time any airline has operated direct flights from Australasia to Türkiye, a destination that straddles Europe and Asia and has a special connection to Australia through Gallipoli. Moreover, TK’s arrival marks the return of a mainland European carrier to Australia, with British Airways the only other European airline to operate flights Down Under (Sydney-London via Singapore). The new service will operate three times per week via Singapore (departing Saturday, Tuesday and Thursday) until the arrival of new long-range aircraft in Turkish’s fleet makes it possible to fly the route non-stop. While the Istanbul-based carrier utilised its B777 aircraft for its inaugural flight to Tulllamarine, it intends to use its B787 Dreamliners and flagship A350s on the route from later this month.

Downward pressure on fares?

With the arrival of Turkish Airlines, Melbourne Airport is now served by a record 39 international carriers – and its CEO, Lorie Argus, is understandably excited by its debut. “Turkish Airlines has an extensive network and flies to more countries than any other airline so this new competitor in the Australian market is fantastic news for consumers,” she said. “We’ve worked closely with the Victorian State Government to bring Turkish Airlines to Melbourne, and we now look forward to growing their services over the coming years.” Argus also expects the extra capacity will help lower airfares “which will ensure Victorian residents and businesses can stay connected with family, friends and clients around the world”.

Turkish Airlines lands at Melbourne Airport.

“Melbourne is proudly home to the largest Turkish population in Australia, so we expect these flights will prove particularly popular with people looking to visit friends and relatives,” she added. Victorian Minister for Jobs and Industry Natalie Hutchins said international air travel out of Melbourne “continues to go from strength to strength”. “With more airlines choosing Melbourne as their destination of choice, we’re boosting tourism, trade, international education, business connections and local jobs,” she remarked. Meanwhile, Minister for Small Business Natalie Suleyman said the new flights would help tourism and trade, create jobs and support small businesses.

Long-anticipated arrival

Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and Executive Committee Dr Ahmet Bolat said the carrier’s arrival fulfilled a long-held ambition to fly to the Australian continent.

“This achievement follows meticulous planning and extensive infrastructure developments, symbolising the successful bridging of Istanbul with a new and vibrant continent,” he said.

“The inauguration of our Melbourne route is a testament to our growing influence in the Asia-Pacific region and underscores our unwavering commitment to fostering connections between diverse cultures and communities across the globe.

“Through our unparalleled network, we are thrilled to offer our guests a gateway to global exploration, ensuring that our legacy of exceptional service quality continues to flourish in every corner of the world.”

Celebrating at Melbourne Airport

Turkish Airlines announced its intention to fly to Australia in June last year, saying it would commence flights in December 2023. After stalling on its Aussie launch, it then confirmed a start date of 16 March 2024, before finally bringing forward flights by two weeks to 2 March.

And don’t expect the airline to stop with Melbourne. After Federal Transport Minister Catherine King approved a proposal from Türkiye in December, Turkish Airlines is authorised to operate up to 35 flights a week in and out of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Western Sydney airports by 2025.

So watch this space.]]> https://www.pointsnplaces.com/media/website_posts/482/TK.jpg none 2024-03-03 23:00:00 479 2

Qatar Airways, the Global Partner and Official Airline of F1, in partnership with Qatar Airways Holidays, announced on 19 February the launch of its fan packages for the upcoming FIA Formula One World Championship.

The packages allow fans travelling from more than 40 countries to be up-close to high-octane action and enjoy unique experiences.

From the beginning to end of their journey, the packages are designed for fans to enjoy a seamless motorsport extravaganza, with the inclusion of return flights, hotel accommodation, F1 Paddock Club or Grandstand race tickets, and return airport transfers for all global races (excluding Qatar). Packages are available for purchase at: qatarairways.com/f1.

Similar to the inaugural packages, this year’s fan packages include an array of flexible and competitively priced options for select F1® 2024 race destinations.

This year, fans are also encouraged to experience guided track tours, pit lane walks and more with the F1® Paddock Club™ packages, featuring savings of up to 20 per cent on global race packages.

One of the best spots to watch the action, offering world-class cuisine and free-flowing beverages, the Paddock Club™ is the pinnacle of F1® hospitality.

Qatar Airways Privilege Club members

In addition, Qatar Airways Privilege Club members can collect Avios and Qpoints on all fan packages, accumulating rewards to use towards future travel and experiences while helping them retain and quickly reach their next tier.

Members can also purchase their package using Cash + Avios.

Alternatively, members can bid for the packages using Avios.
How will the Formula 1 deals work?

Packages have been secured for the following races:

Melbourne Grand Prix, 24th March (now open for bidding)
Miami Grand Prix, 5th May
Monaco Grand Prix, 26th May
British Grand Prix, 7th July
Las Vegas Grand Prix, 24th November
Qatar Grand Prix, 1st December

The Privilege Club Collection website is only open for bidding on the Melbourne Grand Prix at the moment, so we don’t know exactly what will be available for each race.

However, each package will include two Paddock Club™ VIP passes and hotel accommodation for the entire race period, usually three days. Paddock Club is the highest level of hospitality available and includes track tours and pit lane walks.
How can you bid for Privilege Club experiences?

Privilege Club Collection will eventually have a mix of ‘buy it now’ and auction experiences, although everything currently listed is for auction.

Here are two very important points to note:

(1) You must have Avios in a Qatar Airways Privilege Club account before you can bid. It is NOT good enough to have Avios in say a British Airways Executive Club account which is linked to your Qatar Airways Privilege Club account. You must have physically moved Avios across to your Qatar Airways Privilege Club account.

(One snag here is that you can’t use the entire balance of a British Airways Executive Club household account to bid. The only Avios you can move into a Qatar Airways Privilege Club account are those in your own personal account. If you have 200,000 Avios and your partner has 50,000 Avios to give you a household balance of 150,000 Avios, the most you could use to bid for a single Privilege Club Collection auction is 200,000 – ie your own balance.)

(2) You must have enough Avios in your Qatar Airways Privilege Club account to match your maximum bid. You cannot bid more than your current Avios balance, and you cannot set a future auto-bid which is higher than your balance. Transfers are free, instant and can be reversed at any time.

]]> https://www.pointsnplaces.com/media/website_posts/479/Qatar-logo-dark.png none 2024-02-21 01:30:00 472 2 A new agreement with Link Airways will see Virgin Australia grow its regional footprint by 45 per cent - 90 new flights on 17 domestic routes
The partnership will benefit Velocity Frequent Flyer’s nearly 12 million members, allowing them to earn Points and Status Credits on Link Airways-operated codeshare flights by Virgin Australia. Platinum, Gold and Silver members will earn bonus Points and extra baggage allowance, while eligible members can also access Virgin lounges.

Thanks to the new arrangement, Virgin Australia flyers can now book travel to 42 Australian destinations, including Inverell, Wollongong and Biloela, with through check-in and baggage transfer, a first for these locations.

"...the partnership is set to support regional trade and tourism in destinations like Inverell, Wollongong and Biloela, which are not currently serviced by any other major airline" stated Virgin Australia Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer, Alistair Hartley

“....Together, our networks will be operating up to 365 daily flights across Australia, offering 42 domestic destinations for guests to explore, all while ensuring guests can enjoy seamless connectivity and loyalty benefits under our award-winning Velocity Frequent Flyer program when they travel.”

New regional routes available as Virgin Australia codeshare:

Brisbane <> Coffs Harbour (BNE-CFS)
Brisbane <> Bundaberg (BNE-BDB)
Brisbane <> Biloela (BNE-ZBL)
Brisbane <> Inverell (BNE-IVR)
Brisbane <> Narrabri (BNE-NAA)
Brisbane <> Dubbo (BNE-DBO)
Brisbane <> Orange (BNE-OAG)
Brisbane <> Tamworth (BNE-TMW)
Brisbane <> Armidale (BNE-ARM)
Brisbane <> Wollongong (BNE-WOL)
Sydney <> Narrabri (SYD-NAA)
Sydney <> Inverell (BNE-IVR)
Melbourne <> Dubbo (MEL-DBO)
Melbourne <> Orange (MEL-OAG)
Melbourne <> Wollongong (MEL-WOL)
Canberra <> Hobart (CBR-HBA)
Canberra <> Newcastle (CBR-NTL).

]]> https://www.pointsnplaces.com/media/website_posts/472/VA-2022-logo.png none 2024-01-19 01:30:00 466 2
There were 9,342,312 two-way trips completed on the MEL-SYD route, during 2023. This was a reduction by 6% from 2022 numbers.

The busiest route globally is once again between Seoul’s Gimpo Airport (GMP) and Jeju (CJU) off the coast of the Korean Peninsula.
The second- and third-busiest routes are both Japanese domestic flights, with Hokkaido’s Chitose Airport (CTS)-Tokyo Haneda International Airport (HND) taking second on 11.9 million seats, followed by Fukuoka (FUK)-Tokyo Haneda with 11.3 million seats.
Hanoi (HAN) to Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) is the fourth-busiest route globally with 10.9 million seats.

There were no international routes in the top 10.

For the international routes, 9 of the top 10 busiest routes were lin Asia. The only route in the top 10 international routes not to involve an origin or destination in the Asia-Pacific or Middle East regions was between New York John F. Kennedy International Airport and London Heathrow Airport (JFK-LHR), which ranks as the eighth busiest.

]]> https://www.pointsnplaces.com/media/website_posts/466/plane-2899226_640.jpg url https://aviationweek.com/air-transport/airports-networks/asia-pacific-region-dominates-busiest-route-rankings?utm_rid=CPEN1000041256873&utm_campaign=41749&utm_medium=email&elq2=53cc269ced57454b9a7d07669498948e&utm_emailname=AW_News_Airport 2023-12-22 02:30:00 449 2
First flights wlll commence 6 June 2024, with Virgin Australia (advertiser) bookings for MEL/AYQ and BNE/AYQ currently on sale from AUD 169 economy, one-way (T&C's apply).

The amount of Velocity points required is not yet known, but will be released later.

Direct flights from Melbourne and Brisbane are a great benefit for overseas tourists wishing to see this icon of Australia.]]> https://www.pointsnplaces.com/media/website_posts/449/VA-2022-logo.png none 2023-12-10 23:45:00 445 2
Alaska CEO Ben Minicucci said in an interview. “We become a bigger competitor against the big four airlines, United, Delta, American and Southwest.”

The acquisition appears to be a good cultural fit, as Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines are both known to have a deep commitment to caring for their employees, guests and communities.

The deal will also open up new opportunities for Alaska, through Hawaiian's membership of the Oneworld alliance.

More details are yet to be announced, but I would expect Alaska's loyalty program to remain intact, with that of Hawaiian being absorbed into it somehow.

This is exciting news for travellers located in east Asia and the Pacific regions. ]]> https://www.pointsnplaces.com/media/website_posts/445/ASTF-Air-to-Air-Lock-Ups_FINAL-With-Lock-Up.webp none 2023-12-04 00:00:00 435 2
Replacing the current A330 used on the route, the upgauge will give passengers the broad choice of Economy, Premium Economy and Business cabins on the popular leisure route.

The announcement comes ahead of Qantas’ return to Shanghai this weekend after more than three years of ceased operations.

Elsewhere, Qantas and Jetstar are preparing for several new and upgraded services over the next month as international demand continues to surge. Among these are:

New routes from Brisbane including Qantas to Wellington and Honiara and Jetstar to Tokyo (Narita)
An increase between Sydney and New York (via Auckland) to four flights per week
An increase of Jetstar’s Brisbane-Auckland service to daily flights
An upgauge on QF’s Sydney-Bali flights, from a B737 to an A330
Increased frequencies on Melbourne-Hong Kong, Singapore, and Los Angeles route
Doubled frequencies to Tokyo, providing four daily Australia-Japan flights from November 26

]]> https://www.pointsnplaces.com/media/website_posts/435/air-plane-4253282_640.jpg none 2023-10-27 21:30:00 426 2
For a limited time, Alaska Airlines is offering a promo for any Delta elite who’d like to transfer their membership ( and tier status) to Alaska!

For more details click this link - Alaska Airlines: Status Match into Mileage Plan
]]> https://www.pointsnplaces.com/media/website_posts/426/airplane-749542_640.jpg none 2023-10-02 06:00:00 414 2
If you apply prior to 15 September, Virgin Australia's Velocity will match your Qantas FF status for 3 months. If you fly only once during that period, that status is extended for a further 12 months.

To apply, email info@velocityfrequentflyer.com with "Velocity Discover Gold trial offer" in the heading.

Perks of Velocity Gold Status include complimentary Virgin Australia Lounge access, priority boarding, preferential seating, additional baggage allowances (not available when travelling on a Lite fare), and bonus Velocity Points and Status Credits when guests book and fly with Virgin Australia.

Gold Status with both of Australia's major carriers provides a lot of flexibility. Qantas is a member of the OneWorld alliance and has a cooperative arrangement with Emirates Airlines. Virgin isn't currently a member of any alliance, but has an eclectic collection of partners who are, so can readily find a partner to take you almost anywhere (with good perks).

Terms & Conditions apply...
]]> https://www.pointsnplaces.com/media/website_posts/414/VA-jet.jpg url https://www.velocityfrequentflyer.com/partners-offers/holidays-travel/luxury-escapes#discover-gold-trial 2023-08-25 05:00:00 412 2
In its determination, the ACCC said the conduct between the two parties has not materially changed since initial authorisation was granted in 2013 and that “The ACCC considers that the conduct would be likely to result in public benefits, in the form of: increased connectivity and convenience; facilitating capacity restoration and expansion; and, better frequent flyer program benefits. The ACCC also considers the conduct is likely to result in limited public benefits through stimulation of tourism and trade,” the determination reads. A little odd considering Qantas' lobbying against the granting of 3 additional slots to Qatar in mid-July resulted in the Federal Minister for Transport (with advice received from the ACCC) rejecting Qatar's application..

Qatar was looking to add 21 flights per week into hubs such as Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth from the Middle East. The Federal Government sought out the opinion of Qantas as part of Qatar Airways’ application process for bilateral air rights. Qantas opposed the bid on the grounds that it would cause Australian job losses, according to The Australian.. Qatar Airways’ application rejection came amid high international airfares, which some attribute to a lack of competition.

At the time of its submission, Qatar Airways’ CEO, was amongst those criticising Qantas’ influence here. He highlighted that his airline continued to operate flights throughout the pandemic, even when Qantas suspended all flights except government-subsidised repatriation flights and reduced its local labour force.

If true, then this latest decision will do nothing to increase competition on key Australian routes..

There is a caveat to the approval, however. The ACCC said it is concerned that the coordination between the two carriers could harm competition in the market between Sydney and Christchurch, New Zealand, as Air New Zealand is the only other carrier operating the route. Because of this, Qantas and Emirates have been directed to “provide regular updates on passenger revenue and operating costs to enable us to monitor competition on this route over the next five years,” the ACCC said.
.]]> https://www.pointsnplaces.com/media/website_posts/412/Qantas-logo.png none 2023-08-19 04:30:00 409 2 This article originally appeared in The Guardian on 25 July 2023. Excerpts are repeated here to help spread the warning to users of loyalty programs, like you our readers. For the complete article and links to related ones, you should read the original article (which has copyright owned by The Guardian).

The ACCC has issued an urgent warning to customers of some of Australia’s largest loyalty reward programs, including Qantas Frequent Flyer, after detecting a new scam that targets valuable points. The National Anti-Scam Centre has received 209 reports to Scamwatch in the past four months, of the scam targeting Qantas frequent flyer, Telstra and Coles loyalty programs customers.

Australians lost a record amount of more than $3.1bn to scams in 2022, up from the $2bn lost in 2021, according to ACCC figures. New data from Commbank released on Tuesday showed Australians are becoming more cautious of answering the phone because of the increase, with three in four (76%) people only picking up if they recognise the number.

With the new scam, consumers receive a text message or email stating their loyalty points are expiring. It includes a link to a fake website, which prompts customers to log in. Customers may also be prompted to provide credit card details to use loyalty points. Scammers then steal customers’ points, their login details and personal information to use on other platforms and commit identity fraud.

The vast majority of reports to Scamwatch received so far are in relation to Qantas frequent flyer, Telstra and Coles loyalty programs, but Australians should be aware that any loyalty program could be targeted, ACCC deputy chair Catriona Lowe said.“The National Anti-Scam Centre has contacted the companies that have been impersonated by scammers and is working with web host providers to have the fake websites taken down, to minimise harm to the community,”

Lowe said. “We are very concerned that Australians experiencing cost-of-living pressures may be more susceptible to these scams. Scammers are deliberately panicking consumers by claiming their points are expiring soon. We urge people to immediately delete or ignore any message regarding a loyalty program that contains a link.

We advise our readers to be vigilant and if receiving any such emails or texts, to not use those links, but instead go directly to their loyalty program website and check there. There are details on the official sites that provide contact details should you need to speak to anyone.

Further details on the ACCC report can be found....]]> https://www.pointsnplaces.com/media/website_posts/409/Scam-Alert.jpg url https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/scam-alert-new-scam-targets-customers-of-loyalty-points-programs 2023-07-29 01:00:00 406 2
Turkish Airlines says it is in advanced negotiations with both Sydney and Melbourne as it aims to introduce flights to Australia, with ambitions of touching down at either airport for the first time potentially before the end of 2023.

If and when Turkish Airlines does commence operations down under, it would be the only mainland European carrier to fly to Australia. Australians are also no stranger to Turkish Airlines, with the carrier welcoming nearly 119,000 Aussies on board in 2022 through various codeshare agreements it holds with other airlines

The airline is currently working through some legal loopholes before being able to add either city to its expansive network of nearly 130 destinations worldwide, however Turkish Airlines Chairman Dr Ahmet Bolat recently said in an interview that he was hoping for a final decision by next month.

But there appear to be two main (related) catches:

1. Lack of aircraft capable of non-stop flights

While Turkish Airlines has maintained an office in Sydney for some 35 years, another major problem standing in the way is the lack of an aircraft capable of making the non-stop journey from Istanbul to either Sydney or Melbourne.

At a flying time of at least 17 hours non-stop, the airline is banking on a future order of up to 15 Airbus A350-1000XLR or Boeing 777X as being the missing link, however neither aircraft are expected to be ready until near the end of this decade.

For now, flights to either Sydney or Melbourne could become a reality on its ready-made fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners, with a refuelling stop in Singapore in both directions.

“Our main goal is to fly directly to both Sydney and Melbourne every day, with the production of a new generation of ultra-long-range aircraft,” Bolat said.

2. The need to be able to sell tickets for the link between Singapore and Australia

For now, the airline requires ‘fifth freedom’ rights to sell tickets on the sector between Singapore and both Sydney and Melbourne for Australian flights to make economic sense. This would enable it to pick up and drop off passengers in Singapore.

Turkish Airlines operates the world’s largest network and currently holds rights to land in Australia up to four times per week under an existing air rights agreement with Australia, however Bolat has ambitions of eventually offering daily flights to both Sydney and Melbourne.

“We are eager to add Australia to our network and connect Australian people to the world with our award-winning service quality.”, Bolat said.

Turkish Airlines has won several Skytrax World Airline awards, including Best European Airline 2023 and best in both Economy and Business cabins specifically.
Miles&Smiles, its loyalty program alst has some very attractive features.]]> https://www.pointsnplaces.com/media/website_posts/406/TK.jpg none 2023-07-24 07:45:00 399 2 Travellers can now access more of Japan on a single booking through the wider tie-up that includes 12 cities within Japan and others around the world.

The boosted tie-up allows customers to book airfares on ANA-operated flights between Australia and Japan on VA’s website for the first time. .
When flying ANA, Velocity Frequent Flyer (VFF) members can earn points and status credits across over 130 destinations in the ANA network, including 12 domestic links in Japan (such as Sapporo, Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Osaka-Kansai, Nagasaki, and Okinawa), and connections to Asia, North America and Europe.

Earning points
Through the partnership, Silver, Gold and Platinum members flying on ANA planes with VA flight numbers will earn points on miles on top of base points, accruing 50 per cent, 75 per cent and 100 per cent bonus points respectively. Gold and Platinum members on ANA flights will receive priority check-in, priority baggage and an extra checked baggage allowance among other benefits. Meanwhile, to mark the launch, Velocity members will earn 20 per cent bonus points on eligible ANA-operated Sydney-Tokyo flights for travel between 18 July and 31 December 2023. The member must activate this offer by 1 August 2023 to qualify for this offer. As part of the launch of the partnership expansion, Velocity is offering a 20% mileage bonus on ANA flights between Tokyo and Sydney through December 31, 2023, if they register for this offer by August 1. You can access this offer on Virgin Australia’s website here and ANA’s page for partner airlines here, where the offer's T&C's are listed.

Conclusion
ANA is Virgin Australia’s fifth Star Alliance partner and Virgin Atlantic, also a VA partner, recently joined SkyTeam. Virgin Australia used to be Delta’s Australian partner but switched to United Airlines (a Star Alliance member) instead. While some may wish for Virgin Australia to settle on joining one of the alliances (except perhaps OneWorld of which Qantas is founding member), but having a diverse set of partners provides VFF members the ability to access to a wide range of partners within both Star Alliance and SkyTeam networks.]]> https://www.pointsnplaces.com/media/website_posts/399/VA_logo_horizontal_RGB-(1).png none 2023-07-19 09:30:00 390 2

World’s Best Airline

Singapore Airlines claimed the prestigious title of World’s Best Airline in the 2023 Skytrax World Airline Awards, marking the fifth time the fifth time in the 23 year history of the awards.the carrier has taken out the prestigious accolade.

The seven times winner of the prestigious Airline of the Year award, Qatar Airways, was ranked No 2 in the world for 2023, with ANA All Nippon Airways in third place, Emirates fourth, and Japan Airlines in fifth position, out of more than 325 airlines included in the survey results.

A new award was introduced in 2023, for the World’s Most Family Friendly Airline, this being won by Air Canada. This award includes family seating policies, dedicated family check-in facilities, priority boarding, children’s meals, children’s amenities / toys / activity packs, child specific onboard entertainment, free checked luggage and policies for carrycot / pushchairs, and the standard of service assistance from ground staff and cabin crew during the travel experience.

Big Winners

Notably, multiple award winners included Qatar Airways who scooped nine award wins, with Singapore Airlines also receiving nine awards. In North America, Delta Air Lines was the success in North America, winning six awards. In Europe, Turkish Airlines was dominant, receiving four awards including the highly competitive Best Airline in Europe title.

Qatar Airways continued its domination in business class, winning the awards for World’s Best Business Class, the World’s Best Business Class Seat, the World’s Best Business Class Lounge (the Al Mourjan lounge at Hamad International Airport), the World’s Best Business Class Lounge Dining and the Best Airline in the Middle East.

Singapore Airlines dominated the First Class travel awards, winning the awards for the World’s Best First Class, the World’s Best First Class Seat, the World’s Best First Class Comfort Amenities and took top position as the Best Airline in Asia.

ANA All Nippon Airways claimed third place in the global ranking, and repeats its earlier successes by winning awards for the World’s Best Airport Services and the World’s Cleanest Airline.

Kuwait Airways wins the 2023 award as the World’s Most Improved Airline, ahead of StarLux in 2nd place and PLAY in 3rd position. This is award reflects an airline’s Quality improvement across the entire Awards programme, evaluating an airline’s change in the global rating, and their performance in different award categories.

Cathay Pacific had a notable achievement for 2023 as they were judged as providing the World’s Best Inflight Entertainment for the very first time.

EVA Air won the award for the World’s Best Premium Economy Class (the travel cabin that EVA invented more than 30 years ago). EVA Air also won the award for the Best Premium Economy Class Catering.

Japan Airlines ranks No 1 in Economy Class, winning the award for the World’s Best Economy Class as well as the award for the World’s Best Economy Class Seat.

Fiji Airways secured the Best Airline in Australia / Pacific for the first time, and in a double success also won the award as the Best Airline Staff Service in Australia / Pacific for the third time.

In the India / South Asia region, Vistara reigns supreme and was again named winner of the Best Airline in India / South Asia award, in addition to Best Airline Staff Service for the region.

In North America, Delta Air Lines was the Best Airline in North America, in addition to Best Airline Staff Service for the region. Sun Country Airlines wins the Best Low-Cost Airline in North America title for the first time.

Alaska Airlines was the Best Regional Airline in North America in this very competitive market. Air Transat were another big winner from North America after being named as the World’s Best Leisure Airline – an award the Canadian airline has won on four previous occasions.

For a full list of the awards and winners, you can ...
]]> https://www.pointsnplaces.com/media/website_posts/390/Depositphotos_63143099_S.jpg url https://skytraxratings.com/singapore-airlines-is-named-the-worlds-best-airline-at-the-2023-world-airline-awards 2023-06-21 06:30:00 385 2
A major global airline has invested big bucks (not just lip-service) in bringing a wheelchair securement space to life.

Delta Flight Products, a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines that was “established to re-think aircraft interiors” has announced its backing of the Air4All wheelchair securement system on commercial jets — the company unveiling its design prototype at the Aircraft Interiors Expo 2023 in Hamburg, Germany.

Air 4 All works in a similar way to latch-type locking and securement systems used by many wheelchair users in their own vehicles. When a wheelchair user is flying, the seat folds up to reveal the securement space and attachments. If no wheelchair users require access, the seats function as regular airline seats.

The design has the added benefit of enabling airlines to retain the design of their cabin on every seat, ensuring a cohesive brand experience for all passengers. Air 4 All will facilitate a smoother boarding and disembarking experience and will also significantly reduce the number of wheelchairs that are damaged through poor handling.”

John Morris of wheelchairtravel.org tried out the seat design that has a securement system that can accommodate a wide range of both powered and manual wheelchairs. He felt that critical reporting on this product, its advancements, features and opportunities for improvement should come from within the disability community.

John says, “Are you ready to have your mind blown? I tested out the wheelchair securement space unveiled today by Delta Flight Products — it's nothing short of amazing, and I'm more confident than ever that we'll see a wheelchair space on airplanes not only in my lifetime, but soon! “ You can read and watch his demonstration here: https://wheelchairtravel.org/first-look-air4all-airplane .

Imagine the number of people whose travelling will be made soooo much more enjoyable once this becomes available from airlines.

Kudos to Delta !]]> https://www.pointsnplaces.com/media/website_posts/385/Air4All.pic2022b-1.jpg none 2023-06-07 10:30:00 379 2

In September 2022, Accor Hotels improved its partnership with Qatar Airways. Since then, members have been able to double dip on Accor hotel stays and Qatar Airways flights. To do this, you need to link your ALL account with your Qatar Airways Privilege Club account. You can do that with Accor Hotels or Qatar Airways.

Even better, if you haven't already done this, members now can earn a bonus through June 10, 2023 just for linking their accounts.

If you already took advantage of the ALL and Flying Blue partnership or the ALL and Qantas partnership, you'll need to choose which airline you want to double dip with. You can link your ALL account to just one airline at a time. If you linked your ALL account to Flying Blue or Qantas in the past 12 months, you need to wait until the end of 12 months before you can link to Qatar Airways.

This promotion is available to members who have not linked their ALL and Qatar accounts before May 10, 2023. If that is you, link your ALL and Qatar Airways accounts before June 10, 2023. After doing so, complete an eligible stay and/or flight before August 31, 2023 to earn bonus points and Avios. Members will receive 500 bonus ALL Reward points on the stay and 1,000 bonus Avios on the flight.

Terms & Conditions

Members must link accounts for the first time between May 10 and June 10, 2023 (at 11:59pm Arabia Standard Time, GMT+3) before booking a stay or flight.
Book the stay or flight before June 10 and complete it before August 31, 2023.
Accor stays must be booked directly with Accor.
Qatar Airways flights can be booked through any channel.
Members can only claim this promotion once.
Make sure to provide the applicable membership number at the time of booking.
After completing an eligible stay, bonus points will credit to the member's account within six weeks. Regular points from the stay will credit within seven days, and Avios will credit within 10 days.
After completing an eligible flight, bonus Avios will credit to the member's account within six weeks. Regular Avios will credit within 24 hours, and ALL Reward points will credit within 10 days.
This promotion stacks with other Accor or Qatar Airways promotions.
Stays at onefinestay are not eligible for this offer.
Stays and flights that are partially or wholly purchased with loyalty points are ineligible.

You can link your accounts either through Accor Hotels or Qatar Airways.

Fast Track to Elite Status

The Accor and Qatar partnership includes a fast track to elite status in both rewards programs. Accor elite status members will earn Qatar Airways Privilege Club elite status after their first qualifying flight:

ALL Gold status members will receive Privilege Club Silver status.
ALL Platinum status members will receive Privilege Club Gold status.
ALL Diamond status members will receive Privilege Club Platinum status.

Conversely, those with Privilege Club elite status can earn ALL elite status after the first qualifying hotel stay:

Privilege Club Gold status members will receive ALL Silver status.
Privilege Club Platinum status members will receive ALL Gold status.

The Fast Track offers are available only once per person. Your complimentary ALL elite status will last until the end of the following calendar year. To maximize this, try to get your status as close to the beginning of the year as possible. Complimentary Privilege Club elite status will last for 12 months from the date it's received.

This is a great partnership, especially for Australians, offering better value than the Accor-Qantas partnership, combining the same access to OneWorld partners with the wide range of Accor properties and perks available in APAC..

]]> https://www.pointsnplaces.com/media/website_posts/379/qatarairways-accor.jpg none 2023-05-21 02:00:00 372 2
Combining real-time data Awayz claims 99% accurate price comparison from all sources for:
* hotel room pricing,
* points balances,
* award availability (up to 12 months) and
* credit card benefits.

After trialling it ourselves, we believe this is one travel subscription you must have. It will enhance your points and miles experience and save you $$$.]]> https://www.pointsnplaces.com/media/website_posts/372/Depositphotos_263037770_S.jpg page https://www.pointsnplaces.com/hotels/cash-or-points/ 2023-04-16 04:00:00 364 2 Low fare, more air sale. (advertiser)

Get up to 30% off fares to 35 local and international destinations, including (one-way) Melbourne to Gold coast from AUD 99, or Melbourne to Hamilton Island from AUD 139.

Return flights are available from Melbourne to Bali from AUD 589 or Melbourne to Fiji from AUD 559.

But be quick! These prices only last until midnight (AEST) on April 3rd. Other T&C's also apply.

]]> https://www.pointsnplaces.com/media/website_posts/364/VA_logo_horizontal_RGB-(1).png none 2023-03-27 02:00:00 345 2
Qantas award availability has been notoriously hard to find, but Qantas is working on changing that perception. The Australian airline has announced the release of thousands of Classic Flight Reward seats starting Friday, February 24, 2023, at 11:00 am. Sydney time and and will include space in economy, business, and first class.

The release timing translates to:

London 12:00 (midnight) Friday, February 24, 2023 — as Sydney is 11 hours ahead of GMT.
New York: Thursday, February 23, 2023, at 7:00 pm — as Sydney is 16 hours ahead of NYC.
Los Angeles: Thursday, February 23, 2023, at 4:00 pm — as Sydney is 19 hours ahead of LA.

According to the Qantas press release, the award availability will be across its entire international network featuring over 30 destinations. Also, Qantas is including all cabin classes in this award drop — including Classic Flight Rewards dropping in economy, business class, and first class.

Using Your Qantas Points

A quick glance at the Qantas Classic Flight Reward Chart makes it clear that longer awards in premium cabins are a little on the steep side. However, they are still a much better deal than the other, more expensive awards. Qantas prices its awards based on distance and which airline you are flying.

Conclusion

Qantas Classic Rewards are the best way for Qantas members to maximize the value of their points. So, this is a great opportunity if you have some upcoming travel plans involving taking a Qantas flight. Remember that although Qantas is releasing all this award space, it is unclear if any of it will be making its way to Qantas’ Oneworld partners. So, if you see an award itinerary that works for you, you should strike while the iron is hot and have Qantas points at the ready.so you can quickly snap it up.]]> https://www.pointsnplaces.com/media/website_posts/345/airplane-749539_640.jpg none 2023-02-24 09:30:00 344 2
Business class fares are available from A$499 on Qantas.

Between Qantas, QantasLink and Jetstar, the sales span more than 170 routes around Australia including capital cities and regional towns. Jetstar is also offering sale fares on more than 20 international routes, with fares starting from A$175 one-way.

“We’re seeing really strong demand as Australians continue to put travel at the top of their shopping list. We’ve been adding new routes to help meet that demand, especially to leisure destinations, and we’ve put a lot of sales into the market,” said Mr Joyce when launching this sale.

“This is the ninth network-wide sale from Qantas and Jetstar in the past six months and we have more planned,” added Mr Joyce.

This week, Qantas added tens of thousands of additional international reward seats – flights that can be booked for as few as 8,000 Qantas points – for its Frequent Flyers through December 31, 2023.

The airlines are encouraging customers with COVID credits – travel credit left over from the pandemic – to use them in booking their sale fares. COVID credits received during the pandemic expire at the end of 2023, with customers needing to book and travel before then. A dedicated hotline has been established to assist customers using their travel credit. Customers can call the Travel Credit Concierge Team on 1300 171 505 or visit the Travel Credits Hub online.

]]> https://www.pointsnplaces.com/media/website_posts/344/airliner-570679_640.jpg none 2023-02-23 01:00:00 343 2 press conference in London on Tuesday, September 27, 2022, that the airline would join the SkyTeam airline alliance.

Now we have a bit more concrete timing. From March 2, 2023, London-based carrier Virgin Atlantic (VS) will become SkyTeam’s only U.K.-based airline. This is huge news for both U.K. and U.S. travelers, as routes between the 2 countries are the bulk of Virgin’s route network. Specifically, VS operates nonstop routes to the U.K. from Austin (AUS), Atlanta (ATL), Boston (BOS), Las Vegas (LAS), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA), New York (JFK), Orlando (MCO), San Francisco (SFO), Seattle (SEA), Tampa (TPA), and Washington, D.C. (IAD).

As Virgin already has close ties with key airline members of SkyTeam such as Air France/KLM and Delta Air Lines, joining SkyTeam is a natural progression.

What We Know So Far About Virgin Atlantic Joining SkyTeam

Here is what we know so far:

Virgin Atlantic will be admitted as a member from 2 March, 2023.
Flying Club members will be able to earn and burn points with all alliance members. However, no rates have been announced.

In terms of elite status levels:

Virgin Atlantic Silver will equate to SkyTeam Elite status.
Virgin Atlantic Gold will get SkyTeam Elite Plus perks.

Elite members will receive the usual raft of benefits associated with status. These include priority check-in, baggage handling, lounge access, and more.

For more info see Virgin Atlantic FAQ on joining SkyTeam and SkyTeam's Statement on Virgin Atlantic becoming an alliance member.

Reciprocal Benefits
When Virgin Atlantic joins the alliance, frequent flyers will be able to spend and redeem their miles with up to an additional 15 airlines.

Perhaps even more exciting is that once Virgin joins the alliance, Flying Club elite status holders will receive SkyTeam Elite status, opening up reciprocal benefits with the other SkyTeam member airlines — and vice versa.

Virgin Silver members will receive SkyTeam Elite benefits, which include:

Priority reservation wait list
Preferred seating
Priority check-in counters
Priority or “at leisure” boarding
Extra baggage allowance

However, it’s Virgin Gold members who will benefit from the full perks of the SkyTeam alliance. They’ll receive automatic Elite Plus benefits, which include:

Guaranteed full-fare economy class (Y class) bookings on sold-out long-haul flights at least 24 hours before departure
Worldwide access to lounges for the traveller and a guest, no matter the class of travel
Priority baggage
Extra baggage allowance.

Who may benefit the most?

Virgin will soon be joining Aerolineas Argentinas, AeroMexico, Air Europa, Air France, China Airlines, China Eastern, Czech Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Garuda Indonesia, ITA Airways, Kenya Airways, KLM, Korean Air, Middle East Airlines, Saudia, TAROM, Vietnam Airlines, and Xiamen Airlines as part of the SkyTeam Alliance.

This development is most exciting for Virgin frequent flyers with Silver or Gold status who, until March 2, 2023, only have had some of the benefits of their status reciprocated with Air France/KLM and Delta.

For those travelers who already have SkyTeam status through another carrier, they will also benefit from the benefits of Virgin’s Flying Club. However, it's currently rumored that elites from other SkyTeam airlines won’t get access Virgin’s exclusive London Heathrow Clubhouse.

Potential Downsides - Will Sweet Spots Be Eliminated?

While it is great news for Virgin to join SkyTeam. Some Flying Club members will be concerned about what will happen to some of the best Flying Club redemption sweet spots. Currently, you can use your Virgin points for many excellent awards, including:

ANA first class from Japan to Europe or Central/Eastern US for 60,000 Virgin points each way plus taxes and fees.
Air New Zealand business class awards from New Zealand to either North or South America for 125,000 Virgin points round-trip plus taxes and fees.

Unfortunately, both Air New Zealand and ANA are members of Star Alliance. This puts them in direct competition with many of Virgin Atlantic’s new (SkyTeam) alliance partners. Will these great deals remain, or is the time up for these excellent redemption options? Only time will tell.

We can only hope that Virgin Atlantic joining SkyTeam leads to new excellent redemption opportunities within the alliance.]]> https://www.pointsnplaces.com/media/website_posts/343/VS-red-logo.jpg none 2023-02-19 04:00:00 336 2 After much fanfare around its arrival, Australian low-cost carrier Bonza is finally open for business.

Twelve destinations on 15 routes are on sale for travel until late October 2023, with fares starting from just $49 one way.

The carrier’s first flight will take place on Tuesday, 31 January, from the airline’s Sunshine Coast home base to the Whitsunday Coast.

Bonza says flights from its second base at Melbourne Airport should go on sale in the next few weeks.

Among the routes to go on sale from today are Sunshine Coast to Coffs Harbour ($49), Newcastle ($59), Albury ($69), Avalon ($79), Whitsunday Coast ($59) and Cairns ($79).

Flights from Cairns to Mackay ($49) and Rockhampton ($59), Rockhampton to Townsville ($49) and Newcastle to Whitsunday Coast ($79) are also on sale from today.

“The wait is over! 2023 is the Year for Australia, with low cost air travel to many holiday spots, some of which are relatively undiscovered. It’s time to see more of your own backyard for less,” Bonza chief commercial officer Carly Povey said.

The airline’s promise

Bonza says that the flights on sale indicate “what’s here to stay” for the airline.

“It’s important that Aussie travellers know we’re on sale, not having a sale. We’re committed to low cost fares which will in turn, stimulate new markets for Australia’s domestic tourism industry,” Povey added.

“We’re confident whenever customers choose to travel, all our fares and not just our starting fares will represent great value.”

Meanwhile, Sunshine Coast Airport CEO Andrew Brodie said Bonza’s launch into the Sunny Coast would be a massive boost to two-way tourism.

“The Sunshine Coast is a wonderful place to holiday and visit and now with Bonza, more people can experience our beautiful region,” Brodie remarked.

“Not only will people choose to holiday here, they will also use our airport to easily connect through to other regions making travel for our regional visitors a whole lot easier.” ]]> https://www.pointsnplaces.com/media/website_posts/336/Bonza-Logo.png none 2023-01-27 07:45:00 330 2
The AOC is required before an airline is permitted to fly scheduled passenger-carrying flights in Australia..

The airline is now “finalising its preparations to go on sale” with the first flights to fly out of the Sunshine Coast followed by Melbourne.

Bonza was cryptic about the exact date tickets would go on sale, with chief executive Tim Jordan saying it would welcome people aboard “soon”.

However, Bonza's initial 27 routes linking 17 destinations was also released. The airline says 93 per cent of its routes are not currently served by any other airline and 96 per cent currently have no low cost carrier.

Australians who are looking to book a flight with Bonza are urged to download the airline’s app, which is the only way they will be able to book outside of a small group of local travel agents.

]]> https://www.pointsnplaces.com/media/website_posts/330/Depositphotos_536967376_S.jpg none 2023-01-14 11:00:00