Qantas has recently launched a promotion offering one million seat discounts to over 60 domestic destinations across Australia. Travelers can take advantage of this offer by booking a one-way trip from Sydney to Ballina or Sydney to Gold Coast, with prices starting as low as $109. Other discounted flights include Sydney to Coffs Harbour (starting from $129), Sydney to Melbourne (starting from $145), and Sydney to Adelaide (starting from $179).
To provide some context, it’s worth noting that Virgin Australia also offers flights from Sydney to Adelaide starting from $139, while Jetstar has a flight for the same route available from $111. This information helps travelers compare prices and make an informed decision.
In terms of performance, the Federal Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics recently released its latest airline performance statistics. The report shows that in May 2024, 79.4% of Qantas planes (including Qantas and QantasLink) arrived on time, with Virgin coming in close at 77.7%. When it comes to on-time departures, 80.6% of Qantas planes took off on time, while 78.9% of Virgin planes were punctual. Rex Airlines achieved 77.1% on-time arrivals and 80.1% on-time departures, while Jetstar recorded 79.1% on-time arrivals and 76.6% for departures.
Interestingly, Hinterland Aviation, a North Queensland airline, topped the list with 83.8% on-time arrivals and 90.2% on-time departures. These statistics highlight the efforts made by different airlines to ensure punctuality and customer satisfaction.
Qantas’ Chief Customer and Digital Officer, Catriona Larritt, commented on the results, stating that they have been working hard to ensure customers reach their destinations as quickly as possible. She also mentioned that they are getting closer to pre-pandemic levels of performance, which shows the airline’s commitment to improving their services.
Moving on to cancellation rates, it’s important for travelers to know which airlines have the lowest rates. According to the report, Rex Airlines and Hinterland had the lowest cancellation rate at 0.8%, followed by Jetstar at 1.1% and Virgin Australia at 2%. Qantas had a cancellation rate of 3.2%, while Skytrans recorded the highest percentage of cancellations at 7.7%. Additionally, Virgin Australia Regional Airlines had a cancellation rate of 6.1%, compared to QantasLink’s rate of 2.2%.
When looking at specific flight routes and airports, the Melbourne to Sydney route had the highest percentage of cancellations at 6.5%, followed closely by the Sydney to Melbourne route at 6.3%. The Kalgoorlie to Perth and Canberra to Melbourne routes also had high cancellation rates at 5.1%.
On the other hand, the Townsville to Cairns route had the highest percentage of punctual arrivals at 94.8%, along with on-time takeoffs at 95.5%. The Darwin to Perth route had the lowest percentage of punctual arrivals at 44.6%, while Hamilton Island to Sydney had the least on-time departures at 41.9%. It’s worth noting that Port Lincoln Airport had the highest percentage of punctual arrivals (92.1%) and on-time departures (91.3%).
In terms of new flight announcements, Rex Airlines recently launched its first domestic flights from Melbourne and Adelaide into Perth. To celebrate this milestone, the airline offered $99 flights for a limited time. John Sharp, the airline’s chairman, encouraged Australians to support competition in the airline industry by taking advantage of these affordable fares.
In a similar vein, Virgin announced new flights between Melbourne and Uluru. As part of the announcement, the airline launched a sale with fares starting from just $129 one way to the Red Centre. This presents travelers with an opportunity to explore new destinations at affordable prices.
Overall, Qantas’ seat discounts and the performance statistics provided by the Federal Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics offer valuable insights for travelers looking to make informed decisions. By comparing prices, on-time performance, and cancellation rates, passengers can choose the airline and route that best suits their needs. The new flight announcements from Rex Airlines and Virgin Australia also provide exciting options for those looking to discover new destinations within Australia.
