Time for a Qantas sale? Another DSC offer?

[aus_flyer]

I thought that with the announcement yesterday about Qantas international operations ramping up, we'd see a launch sale. Or a DSC offer. Surprised there's nothing (so far).

I'm very keen to start making some bookings - so please help me out, Qantas!

 

[TheInsider]

I doubt there will be much until more certainty with the vaccines.

 

[bussyboy]

...still waiting for DSC! Historically, is there any chance of overlap with sale fares?

 

[Mox_Fulder]

Waiting patiently.....I am glad the QF travel credits have end 2023 expiry !!

 

[Daver6]

I can't see any reason that QF or any airline flying to AU would need any sort of promo now that borders are opening up. There would be so much pent up travel demand. Suspect they could double prices and still sell out.

 

[aikman]

The current 'Great Escape Sale' ends on Monday so maybe a DSC offer on Tuesday?

 

[AIRwin]

The only sales I'm seeing on the QF website currently are:
- Canada Fly Away (ending 30 November)
- Fiji (ending 19 November)
- Half Off domestic (ending 30 November)
- Northern Territory (ending 19 November) which looks like is matching VA's Seek adveNTure sale
- Sunshine Explorer (ending 19 November) which looks like is matching VA's Tropic Like it's Hot sale

 

[TheInsider]

The only sales I'm seeing on the QF website currently are:
- Canada Fly Away (ending 30 November)
- Fiji (ending 19 November)
- Half Off domestic (ending 30 November)
- Northern Territory (ending 19 November) which looks like is matching VA's Seek adveNTure sale
- Sunshine Explorer (ending 19 November) which looks like is matching VA's Tropic Like it's Hot sale

The international sales have been quite lacking.

 

[RichardMEL]

re int sales - I suspect there is an intent to both guage, and grab, initial post-opening up demand for the destinations.

Depending on how things go there may be some more specialised, and deeper discounted sales down the track I reckon.

btw the recent HNL sale of $999 in Y was not the worst I've seen. Other fares not so great, but that was not a horrible one, and did include next AU winter, or dates within.

We've already seen some downguages in equipment on LAX already show up - and for mid next year too - usually a peak time. That implies the demand, at least for LAX/US travel, is not perhaps what was expected (yes, this is full on speculation of course), but given the fares have aso not been terribly inspiring yet one wonders if one feeds the other.

Time will tell I guess.

 

[serfty]

Not Sale as it were but SIN return for under $600has been mentioned.

 

[Basalt]

We've already seen some downguages in equipment on LAX already show up - and for mid next year too - usually a peak time. That implies the demand, at least for LAX/US travel, is not perhaps what was expected (yes, this is full on speculation of course), but given the fares have aso not been terribly inspiring yet one wonders if one feeds the other.

I'm also thinking the rebound in demand is lower than expected, in fact I suspect a lot lower. I've been doing a lot of international searching out of Melbourne and every permutation I look at, for times out to Nov 2022 and I'm frankly surprised at the lack of decent, or any useful (award or routing) flights. Really, we should be damn near COVID normal for Japan, much of SE Asia, N America and EU by then.

My take is that lots of people are like us, super eager to go, but not when we're facing paying for up to 3, or more, COVID tests (could easily be $2500 for a family of of 5), having to fork out for an extra 'wasted' night or 2, stuck in a quarantine hotel waiting for the COVID test to come back, and the uncertainty that brings. Until mandatory multiple COVID tests required between effectively fully vaxed countries are no longer required, a very large percentage of tourist travelers and risk-averse business travelers simply aren't going to book. And I don't think the cost is the only issue with mandatory tests, it's the uncertainty you may get stuck.

I think this also means more sales and DSC promos though - I reckon late January or February for the next non-targeted DSC.

 

[Ade]

it's the uncertainty you may get stuck.

True. From what I know in my immediate circle of friends, colleagues etc - no one is getting testing if they develop mild/light symptoms ... So imagine you are in a foreign country and the pre-dep test returns +ve ... so you are stuck until the local authorities have action the protocol, isolate, quarantine, treat, test, re-test and finally certify that you are -ve after 14 days (minimum) .. scary

 

[NSun]

I'm also thinking the rebound in demand is lower than expected, in fact I suspect a lot lower. I've been doing a lot of international searching out of Melbourne and every permutation I look at, for times out to Nov 2022 and I'm frankly surprised at the lack of decent, or any useful (award or routing) flights. Really, we should be damn near COVID normal for Japan, much of SE Asia, N America and EU by then.

My take is that lots of people are like us, super eager to go, but not when we're facing paying for up to 3, or more, COVID tests (could easily be $2500 for a family of of 5), having to fork out for an extra 'wasted' night or 2, stuck in a quarantine hotel waiting for the COVID test to come back, and the uncertainty that brings. Until mandatory multiple COVID tests required between effectively fully vaxed countries are no longer required, a very large percentage of tourist travelers and risk-averse business travelers simply aren't going to book. And I don't think the cost is the only issue with mandatory tests, it's the uncertainty you may get stuck.

I think this also means more sales and DSC promos though - I reckon late January or February for the next non-targeted DSC.

February has typically been a month they've done DSCs in the past so there should be an offer about that time.

It was interesting nonetheless to see the Canada sale and it appears to be on for the rest of the month - it is a year-round service now rather than just seasonal. Clearly they believe people will not want to transit anywhere in the US to get to Canada and go straight there.

I was able to get a deal for the 2nd week of January - not the sale price but $4.4k return in premium economy which was very reasonable for that time of year given most other dates in that fortnight are $6-$7k return. I feel safe taking going to Canada given the lower case numbers compared to the US and Europe as well as that my holiday there will be mostly outdoors.

 

[Mrmaxwell]

Was surprised to see SYD-SIN rtn for $600 didn’t expect those prices for some time…

 

[AIRwin]

Was surprised to see SYD-SIN rtn for $600 didn’t expect those prices for some time…

Matching SQ?

 

[Mrmaxwell]

Matching SQ?

Yes competition is good who would’ve thought?

 

[Economy_Gold]

I'm also thinking the rebound in demand is lower than expected, in fact I suspect a lot lower. I've been doing a lot of international searching out of Melbourne and every permutation I look at, for times out to Nov 2022 and I'm frankly surprised at the lack of decent, or any useful (award or routing) flights. Really, we should be damn near COVID normal for Japan, much of SE Asia, N America and EU by then.

My take is that lots of people are like us, super eager to go, but not when we're facing paying for up to 3, or more, COVID tests (could easily be $2500 for a family of of 5), having to fork out for an extra 'wasted' night or 2, stuck in a quarantine hotel waiting for the COVID test to come back, and the uncertainty that brings. Until mandatory multiple COVID tests required between effectively fully vaxed countries are no longer required, a very large percentage of tourist travelers and risk-averse business travelers simply aren't going to book. And I don't think the cost is the only issue with mandatory tests, it's the uncertainty you may get stuck.

I fully agree that demand is probably much lower than expected by Qantas and other airlines for the reasons outlined by you - cost of COVID tests plus uncertainty. There is also another factor stopping people making bookings - the high cost and uncertainty of travel insurance. The prices of insurance that covers COVID I have seen quoted for just a one-week US trip are pretty crazy - and the typical credit card travel insurance usually does not cover COVID costs, so almost everyone needs to pay for this significant additional cost on top of the COVID tests.

 

[Ade]

And I don't think the cost is the only issue with mandatory tests, it's the uncertainty you may get stuck.

I agree with you on this point. Totally. I had reservations about going into SYD this weekend from CBR. I did it though, but had some hesitations before travelling.

searching out of Melbourne and every permutation I look at, for times out to Nov 2022 and I'm frankly surprised at the lack of decent, or any useful (award or routing) flights

On this point though, do we have enough data to say that there is a lack of rewards seats because the airline has not released yet (because the airline did not forecast demand or any other reason) OR those seats that are released are already snatched by the travel hungry folks, indicating an upward trend in bookings due to border openings. I mean, it's not clear at this point that *unavailability* is genuinely seats unavailable as opposed to seats were available but all sold ?

 

[BD1959]

True. From what I know in my immediate circle of friends, colleagues etc - no one is getting testing if they develop mild/light symptoms ... So imagine you are in a foreign country and the pre-dep test returns +ve ... so you are stuck until the local authorities have action the protocol, isolate, quarantine, treat, test, re-test and finally certify that you are -ve after 14 days (minimum) .. scary

... and then having to find availability in a similar fare class at very short notice ....

Not only does this apply to your return from your destination but also any stopovers en route ... makes the whole exercise a bureaucratic tangle at the minimum, increasingly expensively and downright risky ...

Regards,

BD

 

[Ade]

stopovers en route

Yes!

And as we all know, live & breathe by the adage "why fly direct when you can connect", tending to changes happening at/to stopovers enroute is going to an issue.

I'm thinking very deeply to make a booking for Mar'22 involving at least 9 flights between CBR & MAA over 30 hours of flying ... should I do it or skip the transits and book direct? #Confusions!

I'm leaning towards making the multi-city hop/transit, but wondering what happens if I get stuck in ADL or CMB ...

Do we know if the ORC will apply if the number of transits reduce for any reason (inter-state border closure or anything CoVID related) ?