Author: Matt Graham
Matt Graham
The editor of Australian Frequent Flyer, Matt's passion for travel has taken him to more than 100 countries… with the help of frequent flyer points, of course! Matt's favourite destinations (so far) are Germany, Brazil, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. His interests include aviation, economics & foreign languages, and he has a soft spot for good food and red wine. You can connect with Matt by posting on the Australian Frequent Flyer community forum and tagging @AFF Editor.

How Will Virgin Australia Launch Flights to Tokyo?
Just before the COVID-19 pandemic began, Virgin Australia won a daily slot to operate flights to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport. Virgin prepared for months to launch daily Airbus A330-200 flights from Brisbane to Tokyo, which were to be operated in partnership with All Nippon Airways. The airline even began selling tickets and had planned a big … Continued

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

Sydney-Melbourne in Qantas Business Class: 737 or A330?
When flying from Sydney to Melbourne with Qantas, you’ll often have the choice to fly on a narrow-body Boeing 737 or a wide-body Airbus A330. The Airbus A330 is a more popular aircraft with most passengers because it has a better Business Class product and is more spacious. On the Qantas A330, all Business Class … Continued

Review: Canberra-Sydney with Link Airways (Virgin Australia)
Since March 2022, Link Airways has been operating the Canberra-Sydney route on behalf of Virgin Australia using Saab 340 turboprop aircraft. These flights are marketed by Virgin Australia and carry “VA” flight numbers. The usual Velocity Frequent Flyer benefits apply in the same way that they would for a Virgin Australia flight, meaning you can … Continued

Jetstar Strands Passengers in Bali for 18 Days
A family of four was left stranded in Bali for 18 days after Jetstar cancelled their flight home and didn’t offer an alternative flight until more than two weeks later. After a holiday in Indonesia, AFF member Hutch0007 and their family was booked to return to Melbourne on a Jetstar flight departing on 16 September 2022. … Continued

Newcastle Gathering Marks Return of AFF Events!
Over the weekend, around 40 AFF members travelled to Newcastle, NSW for the 15th annual weekend get-together. A long-standing Australian Frequent Flyer tradition, these weekends are a great opportunity to meet other frequent flyers and fellow points enthusiasts to share travel tips and see some of the sights at the destination. Last year’s event, also … Continued

Giving Gifts to the Cabin Crew: A Good Idea?
Being a flight attendant may seem like a glamorous job, but it can also be a thankless one. Airline cabin crew are highly trained, work long hours, put up with a lot of difficult passengers and at the end of the day, are responsible for the safety of their passengers – a tough job that … Continued

Qantas Pauses Perth-Johannesburg Ticket Sales
Update (25 October): Due to issues with Border Force and customs processing inbound passengers at Terminal 3 of Perth Airport, Qantas has cancelled its planned launch of Perth-Jakarta flights and the Perth-Johannesburg route will only run until March 2023 at this stage. Qantas has temporarily removed all Perth-Johannesburg flights from sale, as it finalises customs … 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