There’s been union disputes for a while at Qantas, but the move to ground the international and domestic mainline fleet a day after the Qantas AGM is a surprise.

Latest Qantas updates at this link.

Affected flights (at time of writing)

Qantas operated international (and other airline codeshares on those flights)

Qantas mainline domestic

Unaffected flights (at time of writing)

Jetstar

Jetconnect (trans-Tasman flights except for A330 service between Auckland and Sydney)

Qantaslink domestic flights (numbered 1400 to 2699)

Qantas codeshare flights on other airlines

American AAdvantage is changing the qualification rules for lifetime elite status from 1 December.  Currently they have the most generous qualification rules of all airlines in that all mileage counts, even ones earned through credit card spend.  From 1 December 2011 further accrual towards lifetime elite status will only be for miles earned by flying. 

This is still at the more generous end of the spectrum of airline elite status qualification requirements (some frequent flyer programs have no lifetime status, or only count flights on their home airline).  The notice given for the change has been relatively short, which makes it difficult for some who wish to accelerate their earning to earn lifetime status before the rule change.

I’ve updated the full listing of lifetime elite frequent flyer status.

Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority has grounded Tiger Airway‘s domestic flights for a minimum of one week, disrupting thousands of travellers.

Passengers who were due to fly Tiger Airways between 1 July and 9 July 2011 are being offered full refunds or credits for later travel dates.  With school holidays in some Australian states and the effects of intermittent ongoing disruptions due to ash from Chilean volcano Puyehue Cordon-Caulle, some travellers may have difficulty making alternative flights on other airlines.

Tiger Airways international flights to and from Australia, and throughout Asia, are unaffected by the grounding.

Air New Zealand

Air New Zealand has compassionate fares to those needing to travel to Christchurch, oneway for $50 domestic (on standby basis until 31 March 2011) and other confirmable fares for those travelling to funeral or memorial services.  They are available by calling Air NZ.  In addition those with existing bookings to Christchurch for travel until 31 March 2011 have change fees waived – tickets can be rebooked to later date (fare difference may apply), an earlier date or another destination (fare difference will apply).

For more information please refer to Air NZ Christchurch update page.

Emirates

Emirates Christchurch disruption notice

Passengers flying to Christchurch are asked to provide proof of living in Christchurch or onward travel arrangements.  Failure to do so will result in denied boarding.

Fees are waived for cancellation or changes of travel booked to Christchurch up to 10 March 2011.  Change of dates is limited to 7 days.

Singapore Airlines

Period for rebooking waivers has passed. Normal terms & conditions apply.

Qantas

Qantas Christchurch disruption notice.

Travel between 1 March and 25 March 2011 can be rebooked to a later date, rerouted or held as a credit withouth change fees – no refunds.

Jetstar

There has been some media criticism of Jetstar’s handling of customers seeking rebooking.

Jetstar Christchurch disruption notice. 

Travel between 3 March and 25 March 2011 can be rebooked to a later date, rerouted or held as a credit withouth change fees – no refunds.  All changes must be made within 14 days.

Pacific Blue

Pacific Blue Christchurch disruption notice.

Travel until 25 March 2011 can be rebooked to any date up to 30 June 2011, or cancelled (for a credit not a refund) without fee.

Air Asia X

First flight to Christchurch is still due 1 April 2011.  I’ll update if this changes.

A short note on accommodation

Most inner city hotels are within the cordon and are closed until further notice, and some have suffered major damage.  There is a significant accommodation shortfall due to emergency personnel and displaced residents.  For travel to Christchurch in the next month or so, please check if your accommodation is available and strongly suggest to stay outside the city.

Latest information on flights to Christchurch by airlines other than Air NZ.  For Air NZ Christchurch information please see the separate post.

Emirates

Emirates Christchurch disruption notice

Passengers flying to Christchurch are asked to provide proof of living in Christchurch or onward travel arrangements.  Failure to do so will result in denied boarding.

Fees are waived for cancellation or changes of travel booked to Christchurch up to 10 March 2011.  Change of dates is limited to 7 days.

Singapore Airlines

SQ Christchurch disruption notice

Until 3 March 2011 (ex-Singapore and 4 March ex-Christchurch), flights are operating via Auckland and a new schedule applies.

Fees to change dates or destination (to Auckland), or for cancellation are waived until 6 March 2011.  Singapore’s Christchurch ticket office is located in the CBD and is closed until further notice.

Qantas

Qantas Christchurch disruption notice.

Travel until 28 February 2011 can be rebooked, rerouted or cancelled without change/cancellation fees subject to conditions.  Travel between 1 March and 25 March 2011 can be rebooked to a later date, rerouted or held as a credit withouth change fees – no refunds.

Jetstar

Jetstar Christchurch disruption notice. 

Travel until 28 February 2011 can be rebooked, rerouted or cancelled without change/cancellation fees subject to conditions.

Travel between 1 March and 25 March 2011 can be rebooked to a later date, rerouted or held as a credit withouth change fees – no refunds.  All changes must be made within 14 days.

Most flights to & from Christchurch on the afternoon of 22 February 2011 and on 23 February 2011 were cancelled.

Pacific Blue

Pacific Blue Christchurch disruption notice.

Travel until 15 March 2011 can be rebooked or cancelled (for a credit not a refund) without fee.

Air Asia X

First flight to Christchurch is still due 1 April 2011.  I’ll update if this changes.

Air NZ has been running significant extra capacity through Christchurch as part of the air bridge taking people out of the damaged city and bringing relief supplies in.

• 23FEB11 - 4 new flights from & to Auckland, 3 on 747 and 1 on 777
• 23FEB11 - 3 new flights from & to Wellington, 1 on 777, 1 on A320 and 1 on 737
• 24FEB11 – 2 new flights from & to Auckland, on 747
• 24FEB11 – 1 new flight from & to Wellington, on 737
• 24FEB11 – 2 new flights Auckland to Christchurch to Wellington to Auckland, 1 on 777 and 1 on A320
• 25FEB11 – 3 new flights from & to Auckland, 2 on 747 and 1 on 777
• 25FEB11 - 2 new flights from & to Wellington, 1 on 737 and 1 on ATR
• 25FEB11 – 1 new flight Auckland to Christchurch to Wellington to Auckland, on 737
• 26FEB11 - 2 new flights from & to Auckland, on 747
• 26FEB11 – 1 new flight Auckland to Christchurch to Wellington to Auckland, on A320
• 27FEB11 – 2 new flights from & to Auckland, on 747

Air New Zealand has offered compassionate fares to those needing to travel to Christchurch, oneway for $50 domestic (confirmed until 25 February 2011 and on standby basis until 6 March 2011), $50 + tax for Australia and South Pacific, and $400 + tax for longhaul. They are available by calling Air NZ.  In addition those with existing bookings to Christchurch for travel until 25 March 2011 have change fees waived – tickets can be rebooked to later date (fare difference may apply), an earlier date or another destination (fare difference will apply).

People with non-essential travel to Christchurch in the near future are requested to not travel.

For more information please refer to Air NZ media page.

A pleasant surprise in my email today. Effective 1 January 2011, Delta frequent flyer miles no longer expire.  Delta still has wording enabling accounts to be terminated for non-activity and non-response to contact (whatever that means).  So it isn’t quite in agreement with the email wording – “no asterisk, no fine print, no ifs, ands or buts”.

I think it is a good move, particularly those who have gotten orphan miles (eg through involuntary rereoute onto Delta from another airline).  Gary Leff isn’t quite so convinced.

I’ve updated my summary of frequent flyer mileage expiry policies for all major airlines.  Hopefully some other frequent fleyr programs follow suit.

Since my recent post on fuel surcharge increases some more airlines have announced their increase. The latest are:

• South African Airwyas by $5 to $30 per flight from 27 January
• Air France KLM on 1 February
• British Airways by £12 (£17 in first & business class) on longhaul & mediumhaul flights from 8 February
• Qantas by $20 to $50 each way for international flights from 19 February (oddly subsidiary Jetstar is not increasing their fuel surcharges)

Other airlines with recent fuel surcharge increases include Air Berlin, Biman Bangladesh, Cathay Pacific, Jet Airways, Kingfisher, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines.  See the previous post for more fuel surcharge increase details.

With the unrest/revolution (depending on your viewpoint) currently occurring in Egypt a number of airlines (but far from all) have ceased commercial flights.  Some governments are arranging charter flights for their citizens (and in some cases also for citizens of friendly countries).  In all cases, information is a little difficult to obtain but as best I can tell (from various sources), the following have already arranged some charter flights over upcoming days:

• Australia
• Azerbaijan
• Bahrain
• Belgium
• Canada
• China
• Greece
• India
• Iraq
• Israel
• Japan
• Kuwait
• Qatar
• South Korea
• Thailand
• Turkey
• USA
• Yemen

This list is probably incomplete as the situation is highly changeable.

If you are a visitor to Egypt and wanting to leave, best to first try to contact your embassy, secondly your government through people in your home country, and failing that enquire at the airport.

A number of the evacuation flights are to nearby countries such as Cyprus and Greece.  Accommodation in Larnaca and Athens may be tighter than normal for the next few days.

Some airlines are increasing their fuel surcharges.  Here are the latest increases announced (but note some airlines such as British Airways increased their fuel surcharges in December).

• Air Berlin on January 20 – by €3 to €5 per flight
• Biman Bangladesh on January 17 - by $85 for Europe, by $55 for Middle East and Far East, by $5 for South East Asia
• Cathay Pacific on January 31 – by 9% to 11%
• Jet Airways on January 1 – by up to $4
• Kingfisher on January 1 – by up to $4
• Lufthansa on January 25 – by €2 to €26 per flight
• Singapore Airlines on January 27 – by $3 to $27 per flight (they also increased on December 2)

Hong Kong’s Civil Aviation Department has approved increases in fuel surcharge for flights to & from Hong Kong by up to 11%.