Now, flying with Qantas is as easy as one-two-three. In a continuing effort to provide passengers with lower fares, more choice and travel flexibility, Qantas Airways introduced its bold new streamlined fare structure for new low fares on sale today for travel starting August 1, 2005.
With just three fare families, the new structure is user-friendly with an easy to understand range of fares. It offers more choices for passengers to customize itineraries to suit individual needs and provides greater selection and pricing options by combining fares, streamlining minimum and maximum stay requirements, eliminating weekend surcharges and, in general, offering much more flexible purchase conditions.
The new simplified fare families include:
—Red Tail - offers the lowest fares from under $1,000 from Los Angeles with certain restrictions
—Super Saver - great fares with more flexible conditions
—Flexi Saver - flexible fares, providing the most choices for travel
“We are very excited about our fare simplification initiative and are confident that passengers will be pleased when making their future travel plans,” said Howard Goldberg, Qantas Airways vice president marketing and leisure sales, The Americas. “Our goal is to provide travelers booking flights on Qantas with increased choices, lower fares and more flexible conditions to streamline and enhance their travel experiences from the moment they make a reservation,” he added.
All economy core fares are priced for round-trip travel, and one-way fares are also available with Super Saver and Flexi Saver at just 60 percent of the round-trip fare. These fares are combinable with all other economy fares based on a half round trip fare, and booking classes can be combined across fare families. Passengers can travel using one fare level on the outbound flight and a different fare level for the return. With the new combination fares, the more restrictive conditions apply.
Passengers are no longer subject to advance purchase requirements and ticketing time limits have been further relaxed. Additionally, all weekend surcharges have been eliminated. Minimum and maximum stays have been adjusted to provide more simplified options for customers. Minimum stays have been removed from Super Saver and Flexi Saver fares, and for Red Tail fares, the minimum stay has been reduced to just five days. Previous maximum stay restrictions have been eliminated and all fare families now have a one-year maximum stay.
Free stopovers are another major benefit of the new fare structure. A certain number of free stopovers are included with each fare family, and if passengers prefer, they can add additional stopovers for a nominal charge based on each fare family’s conditions.
Seasonal travel periods have been reduced from four to three to Australia and to New Zealand. Peak season has been eliminated and, in consideration of customer demand, seasons have been adjusted on an annual basis as follows:

  Low season: May 1-June 8, July 24-September 21

  Shoulder season: February 1-April 30, June 9-July 23,
  September 22-December 8

  High season: December 9-January 31

Increased flexibility is also demonstrated in change, ticket reissue and cancellation policies. Flexi Saver fares can be changed at any time before departure without charge, subject to availability, and tickets can be reissued for credit for a future flight (local service fee may apply). Super Saver fares can be changed for a fee of $100 and Red Tail fares for $150, and these fares may be exchanged, less a service fee based on the specific fare family. Cancellation requirements have been simplified as well. On occasion, Qantas may offer periodic fare sales, which would not be included in these three fare families.
The successful Qantas Aussie Airpass continues to be offered in 2005/06 with its own set of fares, terms and conditions.
Passengers are eligible to earn mileage on a choice of frequent flyer programs from Qantas partners: Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, British Airways, Continental Airlines, US Airways, oneworld alliance or the Qantas Frequent Flyer Program and should check with their preferred partner program for details on mileage accrual and redemption.
Qantas international flights from the U.S. feature complimentary bar, meals and individual seat-back entertainment options that provide passengers with a new level of inflight service. On select international business class services to Sydney and Melbourne, Qantas offers the award winning business class sleeper seat Skybed for the ultimate in air travel comfort. Skybed is being progressively introduced to Auckland and Brisbane by November 2005. Skybed is subject to aircraft availability.
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