Paying premium for flights out of Australia?

[rechoboam]

If there are issues with credit card payments overseas surely direct bank transfers would work? If you are already in the US/Singapore you could pay cash or I assume a credit card is fine no matter where it was issued (if you are on site)?

 

[Ansett]

Just checked Qantas for First class Lon-Mel Return in April and it is 4634 pounds = $7021.00 yet from oz same dates cheapest is $12,865.00

Business ex London 3122 punds = $4730.00 from oz Cheapest is $9423.00

PE Ex london 2096 pounds = $3176.00 from Oz Cheapest is $6176.00

And their is no issue using a credit card issued in OZ just change location on the Qantas Website to UK and it all works well Just booked 3 trips in First and not from Australia

 

[spudseamus]

Just checked Qantas for First class Lon-Mel Return in April and it is 4634 pounds = $7021.00 yet from oz same dates cheapest is $12,865.00

Business ex London 3122 punds = $4730.00 from oz Cheapest is $9423.00

PE Ex london 2096 pounds = $3176.00 from Oz Cheapest is $6176.00

And their is no issue using a credit card issued in OZ just change location on the Qantas Website to UK and it all works well Just booked 3 trips in First and not from Australia

My blood pressure is now off the scale!!!:evil:

 

[Dalescott]

The question is what can we in Australia do about it. Nothing or something, can we buy overseas, do we support Asian(Chinese) airlines, or do we shutup and just except that we are being screwed and will continue to be screwed by inefficient Australian airlines. Even the Arabs are now screwing us royally (EK $6498 Mel to Ncl mixed class). I fly a number of times a years and look for the cheapest and most direct route to either Man or Ncl in J, Qantas, BA, EK, Qatar, Etihad, and a couple of other are no longer even in the race, any flight with a cost over $6000 is immediately rejected. $5500 or less are in the running, not even PE on Qantas or BA is in the race. Some people I believe have more money than commonsense. Effiencies have to be made in the dearer airlines (Unions are U listening), I would love to fly Qantas. But why should I pay through the nose for a second rate service, from snooty nosed FA.

 

[Ansett]

Well as much as I hate to say it their are IMO 2 options book from overseas if you can and travel regular OR Boycott Qantas.

I find crazey that one can fly First class for less than 15% more than people flying PE bought in OZ versus First from UK???

The sad part is that airlines such as the arabs and asian companies are following qantas lead and ripping us off too. It seems best options are the likes of Finair for example who often have cheaper fares than qantas etc yet often code share with same airlines.

In summary yes we get ripped off in Australia !!!!

 

[mannej]

Why boycott QF when this practise is not limited to them?

 

[ozmille]

Why boycott QF when this practise is not limited to them?

Good question. I fly J QF but I buy my tickets in Europe, easy enough if you have to go at least once a year


Sent from my iPad using Aust Freq Fly app

 

[Ansett]

I suggest that we need to where practical reverse purchase the sugestion to boycot Qantas is not a prefered option merely a sugestion. However if other airlines see the back lash that Qantas suffers as a result of the shown fare differentials for Australian Flyers v european flyers, remembering Qantas is an Australian Company, then perhaps they may start to reflect on their own practices and perhaps just perhaps we may see REAL competition in the region.

 

[Must...Fly!]

EK J
ATH-PER
$2070

PER-ATH
$6300

same dates

 

[Jleno]

Qantas Celebrates G'DAY USA with 'Destination Australia' Fare Sale -- NEW YORK, Jan. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Yet more sick to the stomach offers not available ex-Oz. Here's hoping some clever lawyers can find a case against airlines under the anti discrimination act.

 

[serfty]

LAX to MEL r/t @US$1098* & +++ ≈ US$1238, SYD r/t @US$1098* & +++ ≈ US$1257,

From Feb, they'll need to advertise that in the USA as $1238/$1257.

Another issue is that there is no $30 CC surcharge ex USA.

 

[Ansett]

From the US their is not such a big difference especially in Economy can currently get Qantas special to LA-Melb Ret for $1213.00 it is more in the pointy end of the aircraft that things become dispraportionate

 

[Awesom Andy]

It looks like this applies even for ASA tickets.

Based on the cheapest rates available on dates over 2 weeks near end of March/start of April:
FASA SIN-SYD return = 676,395 points
FASA SYD-SIN return = 766,718 points

Needless to say, I doubt anyone would redeem at this rate, but it certainly looks like AU-based flyers are ripped off when it comes to ASA redemptions as well.

 

[Happy Trails]

It looks like this applies even for ASA tickets.

Based on the cheapest rates available on dates over 2 weeks near end of March/start of April:
FASA SIN-SYD return = 676,395 points
FASA SYD-SIN return = 766,718 points

Needless to say, I doubt anyone would redeem at this rate, but it certainly looks like AU-based flyers are ripped off when it comes to ASA redemptions as well.

Not only that, but JASAs / FASAs ex Asia usually have full Business / First fare conditions while the equivalent flights booked ex Aus have will more often have Saver fare conditions.

 

[PineappleSkip]

I fly a number of times a years and look for the cheapest and most direct route to either Man or Ncl in J.

Wouldn't the logical thing to do be buy an outbound single ex AUS, then book return flights ex MAN or NCL? When travelling you mightn't know when your next trip over is, but on a J fare you should have flexibility to change dates when you do. Need to consider visa requirements where appropriate (e.g. If you need evidence of return flight) but so long as you have flight out booked when travelling into wherever, shouldn't be a problem.

E.g. When Mrs pineapple commuted BNE-POM, best fares ex POM were cheaper than ex BNE, so we always booked in reverse, e.g.she wants to be in POM say 1/4-4/4 and 12/5-15/5 I would book ex POM say 4/4 out and 12/5 back. The other sectors would be off similar bookings.

Cheers skip.

 

[Jeffrey O'Neill]

I do wonder if the ACCC could do something.

maybe we need some sort of shame shame shame FF Hinch to highlight the rip offs and shame the airlines in to giving us a fair go.

seeing teh pricing for preimus seats into Australia and what we're expected to pay is really giving me the s&*ts.

I suppose though with the Europenas and Americans benefiting from this there wont be much we can do. If it was the other way around am sure you could mount a case in Europe to sort this out.

 

[spudseamus]

I did drop an email to ACA but they haven't responded as yet !! oh and I did the exercise of a single to Lon and then a single back to OZ --- yes they have that one covered !!!

 

[amaroo]

It's a free market and we are all free to pick & choose where we spend our money. Likewise companies are free to price their product & services how they see fit. QF seem to be very comfortable in allowing their QI market share drop to around 18% - have/are structuring their business to suit.

The BAEC forum on FT are discussing this very same topic but in reverse......why is BA more expensive out of UK, etc. Seems like the world is small & we all have the same problems!

Another way of looking at it:-

If you buy a packet of chips or a bottle of coke at Woolworths you will pay substantially less than buying the very same product from a Woolworths owned & operated fuel station.....same product sold by the same company in the same suburb - but at very different prices!

Convenience, customer acceptance & repetition is the key that allows companies to maintain multiply price structure. There is also the enormous lure of a frequent flying scheme that turns a high percentage of sensible people into fanatics that can only purchase airline tickets from one source

I doubt that ACCC or any other organisation will have any issue with their pricing structure as it's not like there isn't another carrier you can book with.

If you don't like it - you better start the process of going cold turkey and stop the addiction that is a FF scheme:!:

 

[Jleno]

The strategy of buying return airfares from overseas usually requires a "sacrifice" one-way flight out of Oz which we all know is (a) expensive because it is Australia after all, and (b) one way usually costs more than half the price of a return airfare (except for budget airlines).

But what if one uses their FF points for the one-way out? When redeeming points, one way usually costs exactly half the number of points than a return redemption. (I know that's the case with SQ anyway - except SQ is probably a bad example since they will rape you with airport taxes and surcharges that you can't use points for).

If someone is in the position to use the above strategy, then
(a) they can get their one-way out of Oz without feeling ripped off (since it is a points redemption) and
(b) they can start saving big time on return flights in and out of Oz.

Just a thought.

 

[spudseamus]

It's a free market and we are all free to pick & choose where we spend our money. Likewise companies are free to price their product & services how they see fit. QF seem to be very comfortable in allowing their QI market share drop to around 18% - have/are structuring their business to suit.

The BAEC forum on FT are discussing this very same topic but in reverse......why is BA more expensive out of UK, etc. Seems like the world is small & we all have the same problems!

Another way of looking at it:-

If you buy a packet of chips or a bottle of coke at Woolworths you will pay substantially less than buying the very same product from a Woolworths owned & operated fuel station.....same product sold by the same company in the same suburb - but at very different prices!

Convenience, customer acceptance & repetition is the key that allows companies to maintain multiply price structure. There is also the enormous lure of a frequent flying scheme that turns a high percentage of sensible people into fanatics that can only purchase airline tickets from one source

I doubt that ACCC or any other organisation will have any issue with their pricing structure as it's not like there isn't another carrier you can book with.

If you don't like it - you better start the process of going cold turkey and stop the addiction that is a FF scheme:!:

My indignation has nothing to do with FF! Im willing to pay hard cash for a J ticket !! I just want REAL competition in long haul Prices!! this is not about bashing QANTAS or any airline in particular all im asking is a fair pricing structure both ways ! on the same airline ! on the same route !!!!