Departing Australia in 2021 is unfortunately not as simple as booking a ticket and going to the airport. If you’re an Australian citizen or permanent resident who normally lives in Australia, you’ll firstly need to apply for an exemption from the Department of Home Affairs to even be allowed to exit Australia. You’ll then need to navigate complex COVID-19 testing requirements and entry requirements for your destination (and any transit) countries.

The previous episode of AFF on Air included Part One of an interview with travel agent Alan Lam about travelling during COVID-19. This episode includes Part Two of this interview, which is all about leaving Australia.

You can contact Alan by emailing alan[at]netwavetravel[dot]com or find him on the Australian Frequent Flyer forum posting under the username “madrooster”.

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With Australia’s international border still closed (except to New Zealand), and restrictive international arrival caps still in place, flying to Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic sadly remains a huge challenge.

In this episode, travel agent Alan Lam from Netwave Travel returns to the podcast to give an update on how to maximise your chances of successfully booking a flight to Australia during COVID-19. The discussion includes detailed information about what type of ticket to book, how much you can expect to pay, where to fly to in Australia, DFAT repatriation flights, common travel agent scams and more.

This episode includes Part One of our extended interview with Alan on international travel during the pandemic. Part One is all about inbound travel to Australia. The next episode of AFF on Air will include Part Two of the interview, which will be about outbound travel from Australia.

You can contact Alan by emailing alan[at]netwavetravel[dot]com or find him on the Australian Frequent Flyer forum posting under the username “madrooster”.

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Business rewards programs such as Qantas Business Rewards have become increasingly popular. With Qantas Business Rewards, points are earned by the business and can then be transferred to anyone including employees. But does this have any Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) implications?

Also in this episode, Matt gives an update on the trans-Tasman travel bubble and explains how you could renew Virgin Australia Gold status for under $1,000 thanks to a new Velocity Frequent Flyer promotion.

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Over the past year, flying back to Australia has been very difficult for tens of thousands of Australians – some who are still stuck overseas. Many have been bumped off their flights due to the Australian government’s restrictive arrival caps. Even some passengers on expensive paid airfares have been kicked off their flights.

So, clearly trying to fly from Europe to Australia during the pandemic using frequent flyer points is very risky. But it’s not entirely impossible. In this episode, Matt chats to Devon Indig, who used her Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles to successfully book her partner a Business class ticket from Amsterdam to Sydney last month. Find out how she did it, and the extraordinarily careful planning that enabled it to happen.

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The trans-Tasman travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand is now well and truly open, and thousands of Aussies have already flocked to New Zealand to take advantage of it. In this episode, Matt chats to Alan Lam from Netwave Travel (a.k.a. madrooster on the Australian Frequent Flyer forum) about the bubble and what you need to know before travelling to New Zealand right now. You can contact Alan by emailing alan[at]netwavetravel[dot]com.

Also in this episode, how you can claim back the GST on items you’ve bought in Australia before leaving the country through the Tourist Refund Scheme. And what happens to your frequent flyer points after you die?

Plus, as always, get a round-up of the most important Australian airline & loyalty program news from the past fortnight.

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The long-awaited trans-Tasman travel bubble is finally here, with quarantine-free travel in both directions between Australia and New Zealand starting on Monday, 19 April! To celebrate the occasion, Qantas is reopening its flagship international First Class lounges in Sydney and Melbourne from the same date – and even Qantas Club, Gold members and Business class passengers will have access to them.

In this episode, hear what Qantas CEO Alan Joyce has to say about the launch of trans-Tasman flights, the reopening of Qantas’s international lounges and the strong recovery of Australia’s domestic aviation market.

Also in this episode, Matt chats to Carl Herve, a Qantas employee who started a successful bakery business while stood down during the COVID-19 crisis. Although he’s now back working for Qantas, Carl’s business has become so successful that he still bakes on the weekend – and Qantas is now a customer!

Finally, find out how to get a Gold status fast-track with Qantas, Air New Zealand or Singapore Airlines thanks to three lucrative new offers.

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Last Thursday, 800,000 half-price domestic flights went on sale as part of the federal government’s push to get more Australians to holiday at home. In this epsisode, find out how to book one of the discounted flights to 15 Australian regional destinations, and what catches to look out for.

This episode also features an interview with Sam Heathfield (a.k.a. “support” and “samh004”, who is responsible for AFF member support and does a lot of work at AFF behind the scenes). Plus, what to do with expiring Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles, how to get more than 20,000 Qantas points & a case of delicious red wine for $345, and the latest Australian airline & frequent flyer news.

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It’s exactly one year today since Tasmania became the first Australian state to close its border to interstate travel. Since then, there have been endless state border closures and changes to interstate travel restrictions. But thankfully, as of last Monday, all domestic borders in Australia are now open again for the first time since March 2020. Things are now looking up!

On this one-year anniversary of the start of the coronavirus pandemic, we find out what happened to Henrique Pereira, the manager of Draper Startup House in Lisbon, Portugal, which had to close in March 2020 just two days after opening. Matt previously interviewed Henrique on Episode 32 of this podcast, which aired a year ago. Since then, what has happened to tourism businesses in Portugal, and did the hostel survive?

Also in this episode, how airlines have turned to selling miles to generate pandemic income – creating new opportunities within many frequent flyer programs. And the episode finishes with a reminder of some upcoming changes to several frequent flyer programs coming at the end of March 2021.

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Visitors to Alice Springs, a town in Australia’s red centre, have been greeted by an unusual sight since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The town is also now the temporary home of Singapore Airlines A380s, Cathay Pacific 777s, and many other airliners grounded by the pandemic. In total, there are now around 150 planes parked beside Alice Springs Airport at the Asia Pacific Aircraft Storage (APAS) facility, which takes advantage of Alice Springs’ ideal climate for long-term aircraft storage. This episode takes a deep dive into what’s been dubbed the Alice Springs “plane graveyard”.

Also in this episode, Rex begins Boeing 737 services connecting Australia’s capital cities. What’s the Rex in-flight experience like, and does the new entrant have what it takes to reshape Australia’s domestic aviation market?

And Matt explains what Australian Consumer Law says about your legal right to a refund if an airline cancels your flight in Australia.

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With the Australian government’s international arrival caps still in place, getting back to Australia from overseas remains a huge challenge. In this episode, travel agent Alan Lam (a.k.a. madrooster on the Australian Frequent Flyer forum) shares his tips and advice for Australians trying to return home without getting bumped from their flight.

Also in this episode, how to earn full points while paying tax with an American Express credit card and the latest frequent flyer & airline news.

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