To mark the start of the 2019 footy season, Qantas has added more flights and larger aircraft along with a special ‘Back Your Team’ sale for footy fans to get to Melbourne over Grand Final weekend in September.
The national carrier has today added six flights (three return services) between Perth and Melbourne and will use larger aircraft (A330 instead of 737) on another three flights – adding more than 800 seats in each direction – due to demand for travel on the route that weekend.
One-thousand of these additional seats are available for footy fans for the next four days or until sold out at $349 one-way. Qantas is waiving the standard $99 flight change fee on these fares so that fans can put the fare towards any other flight (route or time) over the next 12 months if their team doesn’t make the Grand Final. Fans in Sydney, Adelaide and Brisbane will have a similar offer.
Qantas Domestic CEO Andrew David said the ‘Back Your Team’ sale meant footy fans can secure a great fare to Melbourne to be there over Grand Final weekend but if results don’t go their way can travel at another time or go somewhere else.
“Our forward bookings show that West Australian fans are clearly confident this year. Demand for flights across Grand Final weekend is 20 per cent higher at the start of this season than it was at the start of last season,” said Mr David.
“Because fans do not know if their teams will make it until a week before, and it’s the busy school holiday period, there are generally only a small number of seats left one week out from the big game and they are often the more expensive fares.
“By booking well in advance, fans can enjoy avoid a last-minute dash to purchase flights and enjoy the season knowing they have locked in a great fare to Melbourne with the option to change their flight in the unlikely event that their confidence is misplaced.
“Footy fans should get in quick as we expect these special fares to sell out quickly.”
The AFL Grand Final is being held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday 28 September 2019. The ‘Back Your Team’ fares are for travel from Perth to/from Melbourne between 25 September and 30 September 2019 at $349 one-way. Sale fares are also on offer for customers travelling from airports in regional Western Australia. The “Back Your Team” fares are for travel to/from Melbourne between 26 September and 30 September 2019:
- Perth – Melbourne – at $349 one way
- Sydney – Melbourne – from $169 one way
- Adelaide – Melbourne – from $165 one way
- Brisbane – Melbourne – from $175 one way
In 2018, Qantas and Jetstar added 2,500 more seats for football fans travelling between Perth and Melbourne to be there over Grand Final weekend. Qantas and Jetstar will again make an assessment on demand and aircraft availability after the 2019 preliminary finals.
Footy fans can back their team this season by buying their fares in advance via the dedicated sale website qantas.com/footyfinals (opens in new window). Customers should look for the specially marked ‘Back Your Team’ fares when booking. Fares are on sale until 11.59pm on Monday 25 March 2019 (unless sold out prior).
*Offer ends 23:59 on 25 March 2019, unless sold out prior. Selected travel dates and days apply. Changes to “Back Your Team Sale” fares are permitted prior to the date of scheduled departure for travel anywhere on the Qantas network within 12 months of the date that the original ticket was issued. At the time of making the change, you must pay any fare difference between the fare for your new booking and the original fare, provided the new fare conditions are met. Changes on the day of departure are not permitted. Back Your Team Sale tickets are non-refundable in case of cancellation or no-show however you may be entitled to a refund or alternative flight under the Australian Consumer Law or Conditions of Carriage, in which case no fees apply. The flight change fee is only waived on “Back Your Team Sale” fares when purchased one way or together as part of a return booking, so customers can then amend their booking if their team doesn’t make it to the Grand Final.
Source: JAL
