Red e deals Sydney to Canberra

[Townsend]

I am trying to book a Sydney to Canberra flight and have noticed that there are no red e deals available on this route at present. The cheapest flight on this route in August, at any time or any day, is $408. I guess I will be driving!

Just wondering if anyone would know why Qantas is only offering Flex on this route at oresent

 

[oz_mark]

It's more widespread than Sydney-Canberra. Some glitch in the matrix would be my guess...

 

[Townsend]

Thank you

 

[madrooster]

There's issues with Amadeus and Qantas at the moment due to the go-live of the Qantas channel today. It's slowly coming back.

 

[Townsend]

Many thanks

 

[Spongbob]

Your $408 fare is return?

 

[Townsend]

No, it was one way! I am glad to say that red e deals are now back.

 

[jboy90]

Had the same issue this morning when booking flights on a different. Was resolved by this afternoon

 

[bluesky300]

I am probably one of the most frequent SYD-CBR customers over decades and although this time it is a glitch I can confirm that the pricing on this route over the last several months has been steadily increasing to prohibitively stupid levels. Frequently the QF Dash-8 fare in morning or afternoon is many many mulitples of the VA fare, and it is not unheard of to find 700 plus one way fares being advertised. It is completely unsustainable for any small business, and it is surely only a matter of time before the government market is taken to task in estimates over the best fare of the day policy. The very small saving in time over the drive is no longer justifiable at those fare levels.

 

[Townsend]

Totally agree blue sky. I did see that thy were trying to sell a J seat via Brisbane for $2,300. I remembered that famous comment from The Dish..’tell em their dreamin’!

Unless there is a sale or classic seats available we will now usually drive.

 

[levelnine]

the pricing on this route over the last several months has been steadily increasing to prohibitively stupid levels.

Completely agree. CBR is a terrible port to fly into and out of on QF due to the outrageous fares they charge. Not only the port in which they do it, of course, but a strikingly noticeable one.

 

[Flying mermaid]

I have lost track of the number of times the pollies have tried to get public service travel under control - it never happens. They will continue to book Qantas whatever the fares, because the individual gets status. Public servants above a certain level get business travel and of course anyone at assistant secretary level gets chairman lounge. I generally use points to book awards for travel out of Canberra.

 

[levelnine]

I generally use points to book awards for travel out of Canberra.

That's what I'm finding myself doing. Getting almost 2c/pt in value due to the high QF fares!

 

[Hvr]

of course anyone at assistant secretary level gets chairman lounge.

I think it's actually FAS level, i.e. SES Band 2 and above.

 

[Flying mermaid]

I think it's actually FAS level, i.e. SES Band 2 and above.

Nope - Friend was AS and he got it and I know a few others as well. So maybe not every AS gets it, but my sample goes across a number of Departments.

Edit - although my info is a bit out of date, as they have all retired. Possibly they have started limiting it to FAS level as there are more AS now than you can poke a stick.

 

[fersea]

Assistant Secretaries do not get Chairman’s Lounge. It is normally only offered to Head of Agency.

This specific question was asked by Centre Alliance Senator Rex Patrick to all agencies in Senate estimates a little while back.

 

[kamchatsky]

I have lost track of the number of times the pollies have tried to get public service travel under control - it never happens. They will continue to book Qantas whatever the fares, because the individual gets status. Public servants above a certain level get business travel and of course anyone at assistant secretary level gets chairman lounge. I generally use points to book awards for travel out of Canberra.

Not sure about that, I sat next to a former PM on VA CBR-SYD 2 years ago and he said that they have no control on what airline he got to fly and BFOD rules. He was quite fine with it.

 

[kookaburra75]

Not sure about that, I sat next to a former PM on VA CBR-SYD 2 years ago and he said that they have no control on what airline he got to fly and BFOD rules. He was quite fine with it.

The fine print that goes with the BFOD rules means travellers can pick and choose which flight they 'need' to be on e.g. timing of meetings. Not unsurprisingly, that can mean one airline is favoured over another.

 

[bluesky300]

That is meaningless ex CBR where the rival flights follow eachother out on the taxiway like centipedes utnil at least 10.00.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Not sure about that, I sat next to a former PM on VA CBR-SYD 2 years ago and he said that they have no control on what airline he got to fly and BFOD rules. He was quite fine with it.

Had a friend who insisted on keeping to the rules and he flew Virgin quite a bit - he reckoned he was the only one in his area who did.