Australian airlines scrap domestic travel flexible pandemic fares

Major Australian domestic airlines have scrapped flexible flight rules brought in during the pandemic.

Free flight credits and date changes introduced by Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin will no longer be afforded to domestic travellers from Sunday as the airlines transition out of pandemic protocols.

The airlines introduced the rule changes after masses of flyers were missing flights due to snap lockdowns and ever-changing restrictions, which made air travel unpredictable during the pandemic.

The flexible flight rules will stay in place for changes or cancellations to international flights up to June 30 and is inclusive of flights to the end of 2022.

One comfort for travellers that will remain is waived cancellation fees for passengers who test positive for Covid-19 or a close contact.

“It doesn‘t mean that you can’t buy a flexible fare, it just means that those blanket rules that apply to any ticket purchase are now coming off,” Adelaide Airport managing director Brenton Cox told Nine News.

Travellers flying out of Sydney airport last month for the Easter long weekend could feel the return of airline travel to normal as massive queues and delays caused chaos at the major airport.

Other airports around the country were also choked with staffing issues blamed for the massive delays.

People reported waiting hours to get through airport security as giant queues snaked around terminals.