2PAXfly
VIETJET: Direct flights Sydney or Melbourne to Hanoi from June
The low-cost airline Vietjet is adding a brand new twice-weekly service on the Sydney to Hanoi route from 8 June 2024. This compliments its already daily service between Sydney and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). VietJet is also launching from 3 June twice-weekly flights from Melbourne to Hanoi. April 2023...
Wild About Travel
Tarmac to Takeoff: A Blistering Hot Charity Run on Bangkok Airport’s New Runway 3
As the dawn broke last Sunday morning, 17th March 2024, I joined around 5000 runners for a charity run on Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport’s new Runway 3. In July, 2024 the airport will open this 4 kilometre (2.4 mile) new runway for active use on the western part of the airport,...
2PAXfly
SINGAPORE AIRLINES: Adds more Brisbane flights from August
From 6 August, Singapore Airlines will add four more flights to its 21 flights per week between Brisbane and Singapore. The additional flights on the Star Alliance carrier will run on Tuesday, Thrusday, Saturday and Sunday. That makes four flights on those days between Brisbane and Singapore. The additional flights...
Wild About Travel
One of the World’s most Unusual Flights in the world’s most Controversial Business Seat.
Boarding Qantas Flight 291 is like stepping into a paradox where the expected norms are all flipped on their heads. The flight belongs to Qantas but Finnair provides the plane, pilots crew and service. Meals, amenity kit, and entertainment are all provided by Qantas and all carry Qantas branding. But...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Qantas Club membership price rise
Price rises for membership of the Qantas Club are to rise between 41% and 80% depending on the length of membership you purchase. Fee increases are applicable from 18 April 2024. The increases will be implemented before the rumoured introduction of a more pay-as-you-go monthly subscription model. The price rise...
2PAXfly
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: More delays to Boeing 737 MAX aircraft arrivals
Troubles at the manufacturer Boeing are impacting 31 deliveries of the 737 MAX aircraft family ordered by Virgin Australia, according to a management statement to staff on Friday, 15 March. Back on 26 January, a Virgin Australia spokesperson assured the AFR that no delays were expected on delivery of the...
Wild About Travel
12 Expert Strategies for Conquering Travel in 2024
I adjust my headphones a little louder as I stride into any airport, train station or ferry port. I have even created a Spotify list for my train journeys and flying! I walk compassionately past the crying couples, smile at the cheeky kids with their harried parents and feel a...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Honolulu flights replace Airbus A330 with Boeing 787 Dreamliner
From late March, Qantas will be upgrading the aircraft that take you between Sydney and Honolulu, Hawaii from an Airbus A330 to the much more contemporary Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The Honolulu flight aircraft change also modifies premium cabins, allowing passengers to choose Premium Economy. That is not the only improvement....
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Classic Plus Rewards. Rumoured changes to the Qantas frequent flyer scheme
Changes to the Qantas Frequent Flyer Scheme are only months away, according to an article in the AFR. Classic Plus is likely the name of the new scheme that will see points valued at 1¢ per dollar for use in redeeming airfares. New CEO Vanessa Hudson flagged changes to the...
2PAXfly
LATAM: Update on flight LA800 Sydney to Auckland incident investigation
Industry magazine The Air Current is reporting that the investigation of the LATAM Boeing 787 flight between Sydney and Auckland, which experienced a mid-air dive that injured 50 passengers and crew, will centre around the movement of a flight deck seat. Since the incident on the flight between Auckland and...
2PAXfly
LATAM: 50 injured when flight ‘drops’ between Sydney and Auckland
The pilot of a LATAM flight between Sydney and Auckland told passengers that the plane “dropped out of the sky”. About two hours into the flight, all the cockpit gauges went blank. Fifty unsecured passengers and crew collided with the ceiling, damaging panels. Others dropped heavily, sustaining many minor injuries....
2PAXfly
LOUNGE REVIEW: Revisiting the Sydney Qantas First Lounge
The focus of this trip report will be my stay at The George and the return flight in First Class on the Emirates A380 from Christchurch, New Zealand. But I thought it would be worthwhile recounting some of the experience with Qantas of getting to New Zealand. Introduction My flight...
2PAXfly
FIJI AIRWAYS: to become a full member of OneWorld
If you have never travelled on Fiji Airways, you should. That Pacific Islander hospitality is hard to beat. In 2018, Fiji Airways was the first and only OneWorld Connect partner. The concept didn’t really seem to catch on. Now, thanks to ET, we know that OneWorld will effectively abandon the...
2PAXfly
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: Starts airline pet sky wars
Oh dear, it looks like Virgin Australi has started the small-animals-in-cabins pet wars for Australian Airlines by announcing that it intends to be the first airline to offer pets onboard transport. I think today must be a slow news day, or Virgin Australia wants to capitalise on the current bad...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: More short-haul international flights for Brisbane
Brisbane will now host direct flights with Qantas on short-haul internationl flights to the capital of New Zealand, Wellington, and to Apia, the capital of pacific independent state, Samoa. Flights will commence late in October this year, operating larger aircraft more frequently to these destinations. Wellington, New Zealand The Wellington/Brisbane...
2PAXfly
MARRIOTT: New Adelaide hotel scheduled to open mid 2024
As regular readers will know, I frequent Adelaide, the capital city of the state of South Australia, to visit friends and family. Because of that, I try to keep up to date on hotel openings in the city. Over the last few years, IHG has opened an Indigo, a Crown...