AFF on AIR Podcast

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”.

 

Episode contents:

1:30 - Fortnightly news round-up

8:33 - Interview with Alan Lam: Getting an exemption to leave Australia

15:52 - Interview with Alan Lam: COVID-19 testing requirements when travelling overseas

22:45 - Interview with Alan Lam: Things to consider when booking international flights via a third/transit country

25:14 - Interview with Alan Lam: COVID-19 travel insurance

31:16 - Decommissioned airports that have been creatively repurposed

 

Links:

AFF on Air Discussion thread - a dedicated AFF thread to discuss the podcast and ask questions

Travelling to Australia During COVID-19 (Guide)

Travelling to Australia During COVID-19 (Discussion)

Hong Kong's Kai Tak Sky Garden

 

Frequent Flyer Gazette articles referenced in the fortnightly news round-up:

Overview of Australian State & NZ Border Restrictions

Qantas & Virgin to Give Prizes for COVID-19 Vaccination

Last Chance to Fly to Norfolk Island with Qantas Points!

Emirates Restricts First Class Awards, Upgrades

Air Canada Fined $34 Million for Extreme Refund Delays

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".

 

Episode contents:

2:09 - Fortnightly news round-up

11:02 - Interview with Alan Lam: Update on COVID-19 airline schedules & when to book flights to Australia

14:50 - Interview: Which fare types give you the best chance of flying to Australia without getting bumped in June 2021, and which is the best Australian city to fly into?

21:00 - Interview: Some strategies for booking with frequent flyer points to Australia (particularly from the USA)

24:01 - Interview: DFAT Qantas repatriation flights

27:50 - Interview: Common travel agent scams

 

Links:

AFF on Air Discussion thread - a dedicated AFF thread to discuss the podcast and ask questions

Travelling to Australia During COVID-19 (Guide)

Travelling to Australia During COVID-19 (Discussion)

 

Frequent Flyer Gazette articles referenced in the fortnightly news round-up:

Overseas Travel for Vaccinated Australians Within 6 Weeks?

Which Countries Ban Their Citizens From Leaving?

Taxi Credit Card Surcharge Rip-Off

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.

 

Episode contents:

1:00 - Fortnightly news round-up

12:45 - Matt's trans-Tasman travel experience

17:50 - How successful has the trans-Tasman bubble been so far?

23:02 - Velocity's generous new bonus status credits offer

27:50 - Feedback - another person who successfully flew from Europe to Australia on points during COVID-19

29:35 - Are there any Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) implications when transferring Qantas Business Rewards points?

 

Links:

AFF on Air Discussion thread - a dedicated AFF thread to discuss the podcast and ask questions

Qantas Trans-Tasman A330 Business Class Review (May 2021)

Many Qantas Trans-Tasman Flights Cancelled

How to Maximise Velocity’s Bonus Status Credits Offer (May 2021)

Current Virgin Australia Discount Codes

Fringe Benefits Tax information from Cooper Partners

ATO guidance on FBT when transferring points from a business account

 

Frequent Flyer Gazette articles referenced in the fortnightly news round-up:

Overview of Australian State Border Restrictions

How to Book a Qantas 787 Domestic Flight

Virgin Adds Domestic Routes, Delays International Restart

Rex to Break Canberra-Melbourne Duopoly

Rex Introduces In-Flight Wifi

IT Outage Causes Major Virgin Australia Delays

Major Qantas Call Centre Changes

Qantas Adds to Points Club Perks

The Most Expensive Domestic Flights in Australia

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.

 

Episode contents:

1:35 - Fortnightly news round-up

10:39 - Interview with Devon Indig

33:43 - Ask Matt: PPS Club & preventing points from expiring

37:21 - Ask Matt: Transferring Qantas Business Rewards points

 

Links:

AFF on Air Discussion thread - a dedicated AFF thread to discuss the podcast and ask questions

Australians Stuck Around the World Facebook group

Mandatory 14 day Hotel Quarantine Facebook chat group

 

Frequent Flyer Gazette articles referenced in the fortnightly news round-up:

International Border to Remain Closed Until Mid-2022?

Qantas Expands Embraer E190 Fleet, Destinations

Domestic Price War Heats Up with $39 Full-Service Fares

Photos: Virgin Australia’s New Melbourne Pop-Up Lounge

15-30% Bonus on Credit Card Points Transfers to Velocity (May 2021)

ANZ, HSBC Restore Velocity Redemptions

Discounted Qantas Club Membership

Double Qantas Status Credits to New Zealand (May 2021)

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.

 

Episode contents:

1:10 - Fortnightly news round-up

11:55 - Interview with Alan Lam - New Zealand travel bubble

21:38 - Interview with Alan Lam - Australia's Tourist Refund Scheme (TRS)

27:46 - Interview with Alan Lam - Australia bans flights from India

32:10 - What happens to frequent flyer points after you pass away?

 

Links:

AFF on Air Discussion thread - a dedicated AFF thread to discuss the podcast and ask questions

Information about CoverMore's COVID-19 travel insurance coverage

Information on the Tourist Refund Scheme from Australian Border Force

What Happens to Frequent Flyer Points After You Die?

 

Frequent Flyer Gazette articles referenced in the fortnightly news round-up:

Qantas Customers Short-Changed on Refunds

Overview of Australian State Border Restrictions

Qantas Reports Strong Forward Bookings to UK, USA

Qantas Centenary Celebrations Continue with New Museum Exhibit, Gin

Singapore KrisFlyer Miles Will Not Expire Until April 2022

How to Book a Jetstar Business Class Seat for $62

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.

 

Episode contents:

1:28 - Fortnightly news round-up

12:51 - Qantas is reopening some of its international airport lounges

14:38 - Alan Joyce speaks about the reopening of the Qantas First Lounge in Sydney and the future of Qantas' domestic & international businesses

23:13 - Neil Perry on the new Qantas First Lounge menu

24:06 - Interview with Carl Herve

29:37 - Qantas, Air New Zealand & Singapore Airlines all launch new status fast-track offers

 

Links:

AFF on Air Discussion thread - a dedicated AFF thread to discuss the podcast and ask questions

Qantas Status Fast Track Extended to NZ Residents

Air New Zealand "Touch of Gold" offer

Earn Singapore Airlines Gold Status Without Flying

My Little Canele website

 

Frequent Flyer Gazette articles referenced in the fortnightly news round-up:

Two-Way Trans-Tasman Bubble from 19 April 2021

Qantas First Lounges Reopen from 19 April 2021

Steep Rise in International Flight Taxes & Charges

Qantas Frequent Flyer Expanding in New Zealand

Overview of Australian State Border Restrictions

Velocity Frequent Flyer to Partner with 7-Eleven

Rex Opens New Temporary Canberra Lounge

Most Australian Ibis Budgets Now Participate in Accor ALL

Triple Velocity Points on Virgin Flights (April 2021)

Qantas Brings Back In-Flight Entertainment

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.

 

Episode contents:

1:15 - Fortnightly news round-up

15:12 - 800,000 half-price domestic flights go on sale in Australia

22:56 - Interview with Sam Heathfield

35:54 - What to do about expiring Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles

39:49 - Qantas Wine's storewide 20%-off sale

 

Links:

AFF on Air Discussion thread - a dedicated AFF thread to discuss the podcast and ask questions

Half-Price Domestic Flights on Sale from $32

AFF Meetings & Social Events forum

KrisFlyer Miles Expiration Policy is Outdated & Unfair

Heirloom Anevo Grenache Touriga Tempranillo 2019 on sale for $345 (discount applied at checkout) at Qantas Wine

 

Frequent Flyer Gazette articles referenced in the fortnightly news round-up:

Virgin Australia Introduces New Economy & Business Class Menus

Jetstar Back at Almost 100% of Pre-COVID Domestic Capacity

Overview of Australian State Border Restrictions

Rex to Begin Sydney-Canberra Flights

Amex Shop Small Becomes Year-Round

Virgin Clamps Down on Hand Luggage

Qantas Domestic Double Status Credits Offer + Best Status Runs (March 2021)

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.

 

Episode contents:

2:12 - Fortnightly news round-up

14:07 - New opportunities to buy miles in 2021, including with Air Canada Aeroplan

22:06 - Interview with Henrique Pereira

46:22 - Upcoming changes to frequent flyer programs to be aware of

 

Links:

AFF on Air Discussion thread - a dedicated AFF thread to discuss the podcast and ask questions

More info on the upcoming Frequent Flyer Solutions webinar - "New Opportunities to Buy Airline Miles in 2021" (8pm AEDT on Wednesday 24 March 2021)

Draper Startup House, Lisbon

 

Frequent Flyer Gazette articles referenced in the fortnightly news round-up:

All Australian State Borders Have Reopened

Half-Price Flights in New Tourism Support Package

Virgin Australia Reopens Canberra Airport Lounge

Most Qantas Club Lounges to Reopen by Easter

Qantas to Serve Norfolk Island

QantasLink Adds Seasonal Cooma, Albury Flights

ACCC Weighs In On Rex Allegations Against Qantas

ANZ Rewards Hopes to Reinstate Velocity Points Transfers Soon

Velocity Extends Discover Gold & Status Rewards

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.

 

Episode contents:

1:05 - Fortnightly news round-up

13:47 - The Asia Pacific Aircraft Storage (APAS) facility at Alice Springs

24:28 - Rex begins Boeing 737 flights between Australian capital cities

28:26 - Virgin Australia's new Adelaide lounge

29:57 - Are you legally entitled to a refund for cancelled flights?

 

Links:

AFF on Air Discussion thread - a dedicated AFF thread to discuss the podcast and ask questions

Entrepreneur builds an aircraft ‘boneyard’ in centre of Australia (Financial Times article)

Inside the abandoned rotting Thomas Cook planes that were so mouldy they had to be torn apart (The Sun article)

Upcoming Frequent Flyer Solutions webinar - "New Opportunities to Buy Airline Miles in 2021", at 8pm on 24 March 2021

 

Frequent Flyer Gazette articles referenced in the fortnightly news round-up:

Rex Melbourne-Sydney 737 Flights Start

Rex to Launch Boeing 737 Flights to Adelaide & Gold Coast

Rex Shakes Up Regional Network in Response to Qantas “Predatory Moves”

Australia’s COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout Has Begun

Australia Extends Outbound Travel Ban Until 17 June 2021

Qantas Now Plans to Restart International Flights in October 2021

Qantas Wine Sales Boomed During COVID-19 Lockdowns

Virgin Australia Opens New Lounge in Adelaide

Get 30% off Qantas Sydney-Melbourne Reward Flights [March 2021]

Qantas Launches “Mystery Flight” Adventures

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.

 

Episode contents:

1:30 - Fortnightly news round-up

11:25 - Interview with Alan Lam about flying back to Australia during COVID-19

38:14 - How to earn full points for ATO payments with an American Express credit card

 

Links:

AFF on Air Discussion thread - a dedicated AFF thread to discuss the podcast and ask questions

Alan's helpful AFF thread - Travelling to Australia During COVID-19

AFF thread - Sniip accepting Amex at same rate as Visa/Mastercard

Subscribe to the Frequent Flyer Gazette

Become an AFF Supporter

 

Frequent Flyer Gazette articles referenced in the fortnightly news round-up:

Price War: Virgin, Rex Sell $49 Sydney-Melbourne Flights

Qantas Catering Now Miles Ahead of Virgin Australia

Qantas & Virgin Add New Routes to Beach Destinations

Can You Get a Refund for Cancelled Domestic Flights?

Air Namibia Enters Liquidation

Air New Zealand Says It Doesn’t Have to Refund Cancelled Flights

Save up to 30,000 Qantas Points off The Ghan Journeys

The Epic 70-Day Bus Tour from Delhi to London