AFF on AIR Podcast

2020 has been a tough year for many Australian tourism businesses. But few parts of Australia have been affected as badly as Kangaroo Island in South Australia. The island was still recovering from a disastrous summer bushfire season, which destroyed almost half the island, when the coronavirus crisis hit. With borders now closed, the island's economy which relies on tourism is struggling. In this episode, Matt takes a close look at how these dual crises impacted Kangaroo Island and its people.

In this episode, Matt also discusses what it's like flying around Australia at the moment, the future of Virgin Australia and the hierarchy of Qantas award availability.

 

Episode contents:

1:00 - Fortnightly news round-up

9:50 - The future of Virgin Australia & the risk of getting squeezed by Qantas

15:50 - What's it like flying with Qantas & Virgin at the moment - both on the ground and in the air?

20:22 - How Kangaroo Island has dealt with two crises this year, and how its tourism industry is affected

28:00 - Ask Matt: Qantas award availability when using AAdvantage or Alaskan miles

 

Links:

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

Virgin’s “Hybrid” Strategy is Fraught with Risk

Great Food & Service at Reopened Qantas Lounges

Upcoming Frequent Flyer Solutions webinar: Australian Domestic Travel Tips & Tricks (9 September 2020)

 

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

Qantas 2019-20 Financial Results a Mixed Bag

Qantas International Flights Unlikely to Restart Before July 2021

Amex Scraps $400 Travel Credit for Platinum Reserve Card

Qantas Frequent Flyer Quietly Ends Air Niugini Partnership

Qantas Selling Care Packs for $25

Qantas may have retired its last active Boeing 747, but there are still two of the "queens of the skies" on display in Australian aviation museums. One of those, a Boeing 747-200, can be found at the Qantas Founders Museum in Longreach, Queensland.

Qantas has a long and proud association with Longreach, the town where it first started its operations in the 1920s and even manufactured its own aircraft. Today, Longreach is home to the iconic museum that celebrates the history of Australia's national carrier. As well as the Boeing 747, there is a Boeing 707, Super Constellation, DC3, Catalina and other Qantas aircraft and memorabilia on display.

In this episode, Matt chats to Tony Martin, the CEO of the Qantas Founders Museum in Longreach.

 

Episode contents:

1:03 - Fortnightly news round-up

10:22 - Interview with Tony Martin

 

Links:

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

Qantas Founders Museum

 

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

Virgin Australia to Retain Lounges, Ditch 777s & A330s

Defunct Tigerair Loses its Roar

Overview of Australian State Border Restrictions

Woolworths Relaunches Everyday Rewards

ACCC Forces Etihad to Refund Cancelled Flights

What Could Oneworld Alliance-Wide Upgrades Look Like?

Qantas Dream Planner Sends Real-Time Reward Alerts

This week, Australia said farewell to a national icon: the Qantas Boeing 747. Over the past 49 years, Qantas - once an all-747 airline - has operated almost every Boeing 747 variant that has existed. The "queen of the skies" has transported millions of passengers to destinations all over the world, including Olympic athletes and stranded Australians returning home from disaster epicentres - many years ago from Darwin after Cyclone Tracy, and most recently from Wuhan.

Current world events have resulted in an early retirement for the Qantas 747 fleet. Despite the current pandemic, Qantas has still managed to put on three excellent final joy flights for fans of the Boeing 747. In this episode, Matt speaks to some of the passengers that were on board the last ever Qantas 747 passenger flight out of Canberra on 17 July 2020.

 

Episode contents:

1:12 - Fortnightly news round-up

14:48 - The last ever Qantas Boeing 747 passenger flight departs Canberra

18:32 - Interview with Bindibuys, a passenger on the Canberra 747 joy flight

29:15 - The Customer Service Manager's emotional final speech on the last Qantas 747 passenger flight

34:50 - Ask Matt: How to redeem 500,000 Qantas points for a round-the-world trip

 

Links:

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

Paul Stewart's YouTube video - Onboard the LAST EVER Qantas Boeing 747 flight - QF0747 'Jumbo farewell flight'.

How to Book a Qantas Oneworld Classic Flight Reward

 

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

Velocity Reinstates More Reward Flights, Upgrades

Qantas Gifts Status Credits to Frequent Flyers

Earn Qantas Status Credits for Hotel Bookings

It’s Getting Progressively Harder to Return to Australia

Many Fuel Surcharges Remain Excessive Despite Low Oil Prices

Woolworths Rewards Launching in Tasmania on 6 August

Amex Launches “Plan It” as Qantas Partners with Afterpay

Australia is Building a New Airport in Antarctica

Imagine discovering that your available credit card balance is suddenly over $28 million! That's exactly what happened to AFF moderator JessicaTam recently after Qatar Airways accidentally refunded her in Australian Dollars instead Indonesia Rupiah. JessicaTam joins Matt on this episode to talk about the story that has gone viral over the past week.

Also in this episode, hear the latest frequent flyer news and learn how to take advantage of various airline status matches & challenges currently available.

 

Episode contents:

0:49 - Fortnightly news round-up

10:56 - Interview with JessicaTam

21:45 - Qatar Airways & the botched status match

24:05 - TAP Portugal status match

26:09 - The Qantas "tier accelerator" challenge

 

Links:

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

Qatar Airways Passenger Almost Gets $28 million Refund

How Qatar Airways Botched its Status Match Promo

Star Alliance Status Match with TAP Portugal

Upcoming Frequent Flyer Solutions webinar: "The Forgotten Australian Loyalty Programs" (22 July 2020)

 

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

Qantas 747 Joy Flight Tickets on Sale Today

Qantas Extends International Cancellations Well into 2021

Flights Cancelled as NSW, Victoria Border Closes

Queensland Border to Reopen on 10 July, But Not to Victorians

Former Program Partner Slams Qantas Business Rewards

Virgin Australia Happy Hour Sales are Back

Qantas Reopening Domestic Lounges from 1 July 2020

Qantas Brings Back the Booze on Domestic Flights

Qantas Offers Status Credits, Extra Value for Accepting Flight Credits

For frequent flyers, noise-cancelling headphones are the ultimate travelling companion. But have you ever wondered how they actually work to cancel out noise?

In this episode, aerospace engineer Hossein Seif Zadeh (a.k.a. hossein_au on the Australian Frequent Flyer forum) explains how noise-cancelling headphone technology works and the difference between a $100 and a $600 pair of headphones. A lot more science goes into creating the perfect pair of noise-cancelling headphones than you may realise!

Also in this episode, found out how Australians may be able to benefit from the great deals available on U.S. credit cards, and how to easily earn Star Alliance Gold status via the Asiana Club frequent flyer program.

And as always, we take a look at the biggest Australian airline & frequent flyer news from the past fortnight, including Qantas' brutal COVID-19 recovery plan and Virgin Australia finding a new owner.

 

Episode contents:

1:15 - Fortnightly news round-up

11:11 - Interview with Hossein Seif Zadeh: How noise-cancelling headphones work

28:10 - Interview with Hossein Seif Zadeh: How to get a U.S. credit card

43:38 - Why the Asiana Club program is good for earning Star Alliance status

 

Links:

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

Podcast episode #11 - Star Alliance status via Asiana Club

 

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

Qantas to Axe 6,000 Jobs, Raise $1.9b Equity

Qantas Cancels Most International Flights until October

Bain Capital to Buy Virgin Australia

Qantas Forced to Offer Refunds for Cancelled Flights

Qantas Extends Flight Credit Validity to December 2022

Velocity to Refund Cancelled Reward Seat Bookings

Travel Agents in NSW Must Disclose Commissions, Incentives

Australian International Flights Down 98% in April 2020

With Queensland and South Australia having now announced dates when their borders will reopen, James Green from Award Flight Assist joins Matt in this episode to discuss travel around Australia.

James also explains how to maximise opportunities for Qantas Points Club members to earn status credits from Qantas Classic Flight Rewards. And in a rare reversal of roles, James interviews the podcast's host, Matt Graham, asking him about his favourite countries, airlines & travel tips.

 

Episode contents:

0:49 - Fortnightly news round-up

13:38 - Interview with James Green: Should we be booking international flights now?

17:45 - Interview with James Green: Australian states reopen their borders

27:05 - Interview with James Green: Qantas Points Club status runs

41:28 - James interviews Matt

 

Links:

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

Qantas Website Error Codes (And How to Avoid Them)

Qantas Points Club Has Launched

 

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

Qantas, Jetstar Add Domestic Flights from June 2020

Virgin Adds Additional Domestic Flights

Then There Were Two: Virgin Narrows Down Potential Buyers

Air New Zealand Ends Social Distancing as NZ Eradicates COVID-19

Singapore & Hong Kong Reopen to Transit Passengers

Dubai, Abu Dhabi Reopen for Transits

Amex Shop Small Returns for 2020

Austria, India Legislate Minimum Airfares

Ola Calls In Debt Collectors After App Error

Woolworths Rewards Offers Have Become More Generous

Qantas Increases Cost of Emirates Reward Flights

As the coronavirus crisis continues, many airline passengers are still waiting for refunds from cancelled bookings. Meanwhile, some passengers have discovered that they would have to pay extra - thousands of dollars, in some cases - to rebook their cancelled flights for a different date.

Recently, a Lufthansa customer in Germany was asked to pay around $5,000 to change their travel dates after the airline cancelled their flight. The matter was taken to court in Germany and the airline lost. In this episode, Matt Graham chats to Dr Matthias Böse, the lawyer that defended this court case.

You'll also hear about the latest Australian airline news and the current refund policies of Qantas, Jetstar & Virgin Australia.

 

Episode contents:

1:09 - Fortnightly news round-up

10:22 - Interview with Dr Matthias Böse - Lufthansa loses a recent court case on rebooking fees

18:40 - Interview with Dr Matthias Böse - Consumer rights & air passenger protections in the European Union

27:00 - Interview with Dr Matthias Böse - Lufthansa Miles&More changes

30:10 - Interview with Dr Matthias Böse - Berlin Brandenburg Airport is finally opening!

35:50 - Current refund & travel credit policies of Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Australia

 

Links:

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

Court: Airlines Can’t Charge More to Rebook Cancelled Flights

How to Use Qantas Flight Credit Vouchers

Qantas Waives Classic Flight Reward Cancellation Fees

Velocity Reinstates Limited Domestic Flight Redemptions

Qatar Airways’ Generous New Rebooking Policy

Refunds & Credits for Unused Travel Insurance Policies

 

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

The Future of Travel Without a COVID-19 Vaccine

NSW Re-Opening for Regional Travel

Amex, Flybuys Reinstate Velocity Transfers

LATAM Airlines Files for Bankruptcy

List of Emirates Carrier Charges

Qantas to Fly Boeing 787 to Johannesburg

Qatar Airways Status Match for Velocity Members

AviatorInsight, as he's known on AFF, is a Boeing 737 First Officer for Virgin Australia. As the voluntary administration process continues and many flights remain grounded, he joins Matt in this episode of AFF on AIR to talk about life behind the cockpit door.

 

Episode contents:

0:56 - Fortnightly news round-up

12:42 - Maximising frequent flyer points on the ground

16:05 - Interview with AviatorInsight

 

Links:

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

Upcoming Frequent Flyer Solutions webinar: Maximising Points on the Ground (27 May 2020)

Index of Popular “Ask The Pilot” Topics

 

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

No Refunds, Only “Conditional Credits” for Virgin Customers

Velocity Reinstates Limited Domestic Flight Redemptions

How Virgin’s Administration Affects Velocity Credit Cards

Rex Considers Connecting Capital Cities

Earn Qantas Status Credits at Woolworths

Woolworths Rewards is Coming to Tasmania

Update on Qantas Flight Credits (May 2020)

Qantas Market Update: Project Sunrise, A380 Upgrades On Hold

No Qantas Status Upgrades for Grounded Flyers

Emirates, Etihad Resume Flights to Australia

Cathay Pacific Has Eliminated Fuel Surcharges

Flight Centre Fee Backflip after Legal Action Threats

Qantas is Still Printing its In-Flight Magazine

LifeMiles Safe (For Now) as Avianca Files for Bankruptcy

When Peru suddenly went into lockdown in March, hundreds of Australians were stranded all over the country, unaware of what was going on or how many others were in the same situation. Within days, Gus Higgins created the "Aussies in Peru" Facebook group which has been credited with connecting most of those Australians and aiding the work of repatriation activities.

In this episode, Gus Higgins tells Matt about his experience and returning home to Australia while mandatory hotel quarantine is in place.

Also in this episode, find out what it's flying on Air Koryo and travelling to North Korea - a country that had strict rules and border controls well before COVID-19 made them cool. And Matt summarises the current situation with Virgin Australia as it enters voluntary administration.

 

Episode contents:

1:28 - Virgin Australia in voluntary administration

4:54 - Fortnightly news round-up

14:43 - Interview with Gus Higgins: Aussies in Peru Facebook group

25:57 - Interview with Gus Higgins: Flying back to Australia with hotel quarantine on arrival

36:14 - Interview with Gus Higgins (continued): Touring North Korea, including a flight on Air Koryo

 

Links:

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

Frequent Flyer’s Guide to Virgin Australia in Voluntary Administration

An Air Koryo Business Class Review

 

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

Virgin Australia Creditors Owed $6.8 Billion

What to Expect on Domestic Flights during COVID-19

Virgin Australia to Extend Lounge Memberships by Six Months

Which International Airlines Still Fly to Australia in May 2020?

LATAM Airlines Has Left Oneworld

Flight Centre Caps Refund Cancellation Fees

Amex Platinum Cardholders Get Double Points until July

Qantas Enhances Two-Factor Account Verification

Struggling Hotels Offer “Work from Hotel” Packages

As Virgin Australia suspends share trading on the ASX and considers the possibility of voluntary administration, many Velocity Frequent Flyers are watching the news nervously. What will happen to Virgin Australia, and are Velocity Frequent Flyer points safe?

In this episode, Phil Gunter from New World Loyalty shares his insights with Matt. Phil is a loyalty program expert and ran the Velocity Frequent Flyer program between 2006 and 2013.

 

Episode contents:

1:10 - Fortnightly news round-up

7:47 - Interview with Phil Gunter

34:01 - Feedback & Virgin Australia's record flight

 

Links:

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

Petitions Call for Government Support of Virgin Australia

Virgin Australia Just Flew Non-Stop from Paris to Brisbane

 

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

Federal Government Underwrites Qantas & Virgin Domestic Flights

COVID-19 Travel Update: 17 April 2020

Reduction in Velocity Global Wallet Earn Rate

Flight Centre Cancellation Fees Under Fire