qantas staff travel prices

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Qantas Airways Limited, QF (known as "Qantas")

*** important information ***, flight listing policy and procedures, flights excluded, special service requests, unaccompanied minors, upgrade policy, useful extra information, covid-19 travel information:.

Updated 19 February 2021

Some Australian states and territories have introduced new measures, including additional health and safety protocols, in response to Coronavirus that may impact your travel.

Before booking and before you travel, ensure you check the latest government  travel requirements , which may include mandatory health declarations, use of face masks, entry permits, pre-approval and quarantine (possibly at your own expense), or you could be denied entry.

Flight listings are required by staff travellers for all Qantas and Jetstar flights.

Flight listings must be made at least 24 hours prior to travel.

Staff travellers without a listing may be refused travel.

 Qantas flight listings:

• E-tickets purchased through myIDTravel and issued by Qantas (081 ticket stock) are automatically listed for travel at the time of booking.
• E-tickets purchased through myIDTravel and issued by your own airline (ticket stock is not 081) or e-tickets purchased directly with your airline require a listing to be made.
• Flight listings should be made via   https://www.myidtravel.com/myidlisting/ . If you do not have your airline's log-in access to myIDTravel, please contact your staff travel office for the applicable Userid and password. 
• If you are experiencing problems listing via the myIDTravel website, please ensure your e-tickets have been issued correctly. If the issue continues and travel is imminent please email [email protected]  or call +61 1300 303 411 (select option 1) with your details (including passenger name/s, airline, e-ticket number/s, flight and date details) for assistance in making a listing.

Jetstar flight listings:

• Bookings purchased via myIDTravel and issued by Jetstar are automatically listed for travel at the time of booking.
• If your airline has an IET agreement for travel on Jetstar services operated by a QF code-share flight number and e-ticket has been closed to QF carrier-code, a listing must be made with Jetstar prior to airport check-in
• Listings can be made by contacting Jetstar on the following numbers between 0600 - 2030 (Australian Eastern Standard Time):

Australia: 1300 042 394 or +61 3 8668 8277

Singapore: 800 852 9510

New Zealand: 0800 284 510

Other countries: +61 3 8668 8277

• Refund requests for wholly unused e-tickets will be processed automatically.
• Partially used e-tickets will be processed manually and can take up to 8 weeks from receipt of refund request.
• Downgrade refunds will be processed manually and can take up to 8 weeks from receipt of refund request. Please email a copy of your boarding pass, booking reference, ticket number and passenger details to [email protected] to have your downgrade refund actioned.  
• E-tickets with an issue date exceeding one (1) year are not eligible for refund.

Jetstar / Jetstar Asia / Jetstar Japan:

• Refund requests for future dated segments will be processed via myIDTravel.
• Refund requests for past dated segments will be processed manually and can take up to 8 weeks from receipt of refund to process. To request a refund for a past dated flight segment. Please email [email protected] to request a refund for your past dated Jetstar booking or contact the Jetstar Tradeline by calling:
•  The Call Centre is open 7 days a week, 0600 - 2030 (Australian Eastern Standard Time).
• Bookings with an issue date exceeding six (6) months are not eligible for refund.

LAX-JFK-LAX flights are permanently embargoed.

All QF flight numbers NOT operated by Qantas or Jetstar aircraft - ie. codeshare services

• Qantas economy class commercial baggage allowances apply for staff travellers.
• Refer to qantas.com for full details.
• Note that even if your baggage meets the requirements, we may refuse to carry it if it is not properly and securely packed.
• Remember that no single item of checked baggage may exceed 32kg (70lb) and all cabin baggage must fit under the seat in front of you or in an overhead locker, including musical instruments.
• If you exceed the baggage allowance, you must pay any applicable excess baggage charges.
• Jetstar, Jetstar Asia and Jetstar Japan checked baggage allowance is 20kg.
• Additional baggage can be purchased for Jetstar, Jetstar Asia and Jetstar Japan flights. Please contact the Jetstar Tardeline and have your booking details available.
• Please note that excess baggage fees are non-refundable .

Check In Times

International: 90 - 120 minutes before scheduled departure timeDomestic: 45 - 60 minutes before scheduled departure time

Online Check-In

Online check-in is available for staff travellers. Go to www.qantas.com (or download the Qantas app) and Manage Booking to check-in online.

NOTE:  You can check-in online within two hours of flight departure for all Trans-Tasman and Australian domestic flights. For all other international destinations you can check-in online within four hours of flight departure. If you check-in for your flight earlier than the recommended times you’ll be checked-in to standby. 

Checking in at the Airport

Sydney Australia

• T1 - Sydney International Terminal. Qantas flights QF1-QF399. Check-in at Economy check-in desks.
• T2 - Jetstar Sydney Domestic Airport. Jetstar domestic flights operate from this terminal.
• T3 - Qantas Sydney Domestic Airport.  Qantas Domestic flights QF400-QF1599 and QantasLInk flights 1600 and above operate from this terminal. Check-in at the Check-In Kiosk and follow the prompts on screen.

 Other Australian airports

• Self Check-In Kiosks are the fast and easy way to check-in at the airport for domestic flights.
• Where Self Check-In Kiosks are not available go to the Economy class check-in counters.

International Airports

• Self Check-In Kiosks to be used where available. (Not available in all ports). Otherwise, Economy Class check-in desks.

Through check-in

Through check-in is not available to staff travellers with standby (space available/subload/ID) tickets. When planning your journey, make sure that you leave yourself enough time to land and check-in again at any intermediate point.

When travelling on Qantas services rebate passengers must maintain a high standard of dress and grooming. Generally speaking you need to be neat, clean and conservative.

Failure to comply with the following minimum standards - which apply when you board and disembark - may result in you being refused boarding or an upgrade, with the final decision on this at the discretion of the local airport management.

• Economy Class
• Business Class

Special meals

Special meals are not available to any rebate passenger, whether on duty or personal travel. If you have specific dietary needs or preferences which mean that you are unable or unwilling to eat or drink any of the items you are likely to be served on board, you must take your own provisions.

Seat requests

Seat requests are not permitted under any circumstances, whether on travelling on duty or personal travel. If the flight is "open", the check-in agent may ask if you want an aisle or a window seat, but this will depend on the commercial load of the flight.

Even if you are assigned a specific seat at check-in, you may be moved, even when onboard the aircraft, if it is needed to accommodate commercial requirements.

Children under 16 years cannot travel on any kind of staff travel rebate ticket unless accompanied by an adult travelling on the same type of rebate ticket.

• NOT applicable

Back up tickets recommended

• Qantas strongly recommends all employees and their eligible nominees to have comprehensive insurance. We cannot offer any free-of-charge special arrangements if you sustain an injury or contract an illness during your stay away from home, or if you lose money or documents or personal possessions etc.

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Exploring the World of Knowledge and Understanding

The Insider’s Guide to Qantas Staff Travel: Tips and Tricks

By knbbs-sharer.

Are you a Qantas staff member looking to make the most of your travel perks? While Qantas offers a range of benefits for its employees, including discounted flights and access to staff lounges, there are a few insider tips and tricks that can help you maximize these offers and make your travel even more rewarding. In this article, we’ll explore some of the best ways to make the most of Qantas staff travel.

1. Know Your Travel Classes

Qantas offers a range of travel classes, including economy, premium economy, business, and first class. As a staff member, you are entitled to discounts on all of these travel classes, with the biggest discounts typically available for economy and premium economy. However, it’s important to note that availability can vary depending on the route and time of year, so it’s worth checking the Qantas staff travel website regularly to see what discounts are currently available.

2. Plan Ahead

One of the best ways to make the most of your Qantas staff travel benefits is to plan ahead. This means booking your flights well in advance, especially if you are looking to travel during peak periods such as school holidays or major events. By planning ahead, you’ll have more options when it comes to flights and travel classes, and you’ll also be able to take advantage of any special promotions or discounts that may be available.

3. Use Your Staff Lounge Access

As a Qantas staff member, you also have access to Qantas staff lounges around the world. These lounges offer a range of amenities, including complimentary food and drinks, comfortable seating, and free Wi-Fi. To make the most of your staff lounge access, be sure to check the opening hours and location of your nearest lounge before you travel, and try to arrive early to avoid any crowds.

4. Take Advantage of Partner Airlines

In addition to Qantas flights, you can also use your staff travel benefits to book flights on partner airlines such as Emirates and American Airlines. This can be a great way to expand your travel options and explore new destinations, while still enjoying discounted fares and other benefits. Just be sure to check the terms and conditions of your staff travel benefits to see which partner airlines are included.

5. Keep Your Details Up to Date

Finally, it’s important to keep your Qantas staff travel details up to date. This includes updating your personal information, such as your contact details and employment status, as well as ensuring that your travel booking details are accurate. By keeping your details up to date, you can ensure that you are always able to take advantage of your staff travel benefits when you need them.

In Conclusion

Qantas staff travel offers a range of benefits, from discounted fares to access to staff lounges. By knowing your travel classes, planning ahead, using your staff lounge access, taking advantage of partner airlines, and keeping your details up to date, you can make the most of these benefits and enjoy rewarding travel experiences around the world. So why not start planning your next trip today?

(Note: Do you have knowledge or insights to share? Unlock new opportunities and expand your reach by joining our authors team. Click Registration to join us and share your expertise with our readers.)

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Hi, I'm Happy Sharer and I love sharing interesting and useful knowledge with others. I have a passion for learning and enjoy explaining complex concepts in a simple way.

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Can Qantas bounce back from 'perfect storm' as delays, staff disputes, COVID and jet fuel price hit hard?

For 30 years Tom has piloted Qantas planes all over the world and as one of the airline's most senior captains, it's been a dream career.

After being stood down at the peak of Australia's COVID lockout, Tom was thrilled when the call came to head back to the cockpit.

But it became quickly apparent that things were not the same.

The support staff and almost seamless flow of updates that pilots like Tom had come to expect was missing, he says.

"There is no one to talk to and when you go to work you are basically on your own. It's like we're running a virtual airline," says Tom, a pseudonym. "In my three decades with Qantas I've never seen anything like it."

Earlier this year Tom piloted an international flight out of Australia with a hunch take-off might be delayed. The queue to pass through security was long.

When he got to the aircraft, he learned drinking water was yet to be delivered and the load sheet had not been finalised – a document that explains how much weight the plane is carrying and how it's distributed. So far, so normal.

Time passed. The passengers boarded and Tom – believing the load sheet must be moments away – hit the plane's intercom: "We're just waiting on a final bit of paper-work and we will be on our way," he said.

Tom and his co-pilot waited. And waited. They tried calling what Tom calls the "nerve centre" – a Qantas employee contactable on a radio frequency whose job is to update pilots on any queries. No answer.

Then unexpectedly, the engineers called. "We're opening the cargo doors. Another 15 containers have just turned up and none of the bags have been loaded," Tom was told.

Next, the water delivery team admitted that in fact they had run out of potable water, and could not estimate when it would arrive.

By now – with passengers buckled up and ready for take-off – Tom was looking at a lengthy delay with no one to explain how such fundamental requirements like loading water and baggage had gone wrong.

"It feels like a rudderless ship at the moment," he says. "Keeping to departure times has always been sacred in the airline industry. In the past we would be kept informed – you will be 10 minutes late, 15 minutes late. Now you must pursue the information yourself and they may, or may not, know the answer."

The tussle for priority as the Qantas brand suffers

Post-COVID aviation has been a turbulent experience for Qantas employees – facing lay-offs, industrial disputes and understaffing. Things have been difficult for passengers, too, with the latest figures showing travel disruptions worsening from one-in-13 flights cancelled during May , to one-in-12 in June .

Overall the performance of Australian airlines was at its worst since records began last month, but unfortunately Qantas was one of the lowest performers with only 58.4 per cent of flights departing on time and 59.1 arriving on schedule.The best performer, Rex Airlines, had 82.7 per cent of flights depart on time, and 80 per cent on-time arrivals.

Meanwhile, Qantas management is juggling crippling jet fuel prices, a tight labour market and COVID illness stalking those staff who do make it on shift.

Yet many observers are demanding Qantas define its priorities.

The airline faces three key interrelated responsibilities:

• The business bottom line and protecting board members and shareholders;
• The rights of customers and employees;
• And the preservation of the airline’s precious brand and safety record.

Experts are questioning at what point the tussle between these demands may start to implode.

It's not the first time Qantas's business struggles have been laid bare and questions raised over its management and business model.

Yet the airline has always bounced back.

Is this time different?

How two WWI vets built a global brand

Qantas has built a phenomenal brand since 1920 when two World War I veterans dreamed up an air service that could connect remote Queensland and the Northern Territory, founding the Queensland and Northern Territory Air Service in the process.

In the subsequent years Qantas has become synonymous with Australia and connected us to the world.

But it's not just pilots like Tom who expect a lot from Qantas: Most Aussies hold the national carrier in high esteem, too.

Many Australians have felt a twinge of pride at that scene from the movie Rain Man when Dustin Hoffman's character insists to Tom Cruise that the pair can't fly unless they fly Qantas because "Qantas never crashed"; or teared up on the way home after a trip overseas when I Still Call Australia Home belts out as kangaroos in silhouette, or synchronised dancers, are filmed on our wide brown land.

As flights are cancelled or delayed at an unprecedented rate; baggage goes missing and calls for help are placed in a (very long) queue, social media has been alight with posts from unhappy customers, some declaring they will never fly Qantas again and others calling for CEO Alan Joyce to be sacked.

Management is battling staff over wages and conditions

In parallel, Qantas management is by all accounts at war with swathes of its staff.

Many employees are feeling bruised. Pandemic lay-offs have been swapped for operational glitches as business ramps up with an often unstable workforce and industrial relations tensions play out among key staff including baggage handlers, engineers and pilots.

Up to 9,000 staff were laid off during the pandemic with some of those positions, such as baggage handlers, hired back as outsourced labour.

Last month the airline lost an appeal against a decision in the Federal Court that found the outsourcing of 2,000 ground crew was illegal . The case is headed to the High Court for another legal round.

And now, tension is building with Qantas aircraft engineers – who underpin that Hollywood-famous safety record that is also so precious to the bottom line – with imminent plans to strike over unmet demands for improved wages and conditions.

All this comes not long after tensions with pilots over how they would be paid to fly ultra-long-haul planes as part of the so-called Project Sunrise taking passengers non-stop from Australia to Europe, or New York.

Qantas management has also faced tough negotiations with pilots over new short-haul domestic aircraft due to be delivered from 2024 as part of Project Winton. The pilots' union claims its members were threatened with outsourcing if they did not agree to the deal.

The kicker is that against this background of unhappy customers and staff, Qantas has pocketed $2 billion in taxpayer-funded COVID payments and signed off giant EOFY performance bonuses to executives worth around $1 million each, to be paid in stocks in August next year following a period of cutbacks to executive pay. Up to 17,000 other Qantas staff will also be eligible for share rights worth just $5,500, paid out only to those who agree to wage and employment conditions. 

As engineers argue for a 12 per cent wage rise split across four years, it is a scenario the Transport Workers Union has described as a " sickening betrayal ".

'We're getting close to the tipping point'

Greg Bamber, a professor at Monash University and co-author of a book on how airlines can improve performance by engaging their employees, is blunt when assessing Qantas’s current problems.

"It's a debacle. Some would say we're getting close to the tipping point," he believes. "On the one hand Qantas advertises itself as being a full-service airline that gives premier service to its loyal and long-term frequent flyers. On the other, Qantas is giving priority to a different set of stakeholders – trying to maximise profits and prioritise the interests of shareholders and executives at the expense of its staff and its customers."

Qantas has been through its share of difficulties in the past – the 2011 industrial disputes that led to the grounding of the fleet and 2014's shock $2.8 billion loss, then the worst in its history – are notable examples.

Through it all CEO Alan Joyce has been hailed as a tough but talented leader, "probably one of Australia's best", says market strategist Henry Jennings.

"He was always tough on the unions and tough on the workforce and getting costs down but the market liked that and he did seem to be fair as well as tough," says Jennings.

How much of these current troubles could – or should – the airline have foreseen and avoided?

For Tony Webber, an aviation sector analyst and former chief economist at Qantas, the airline’s woes stop with Joyce, no matter the cause.

"I think he's like the coach of a football team. The ultimate responsibility for the performance lies with the coach and he's the type of person who will make hard decisions," Webber says, noting the 2011 grounding of the fleet.

The perfect storm – COVID, fuel prices and a tight labour market

There's no question that the aviation industry has suffered through the COVID pandemic with its entire business model abruptly shut down without warning or negotiation.

And now, just as restrictions on air travel have loosened and people are keen to fly again, a new raft of troubles has landed creating a complex business environment for an industry that works on tight margins even in the best of times.

"Airlines are struggling around the world and the aviation industry is in chaos. This is more of a perfect storm than [previous difficulties that have faced Qantas] because we've got things happening at the same time," says Bamber, noting the war in Ukraine which is pushing up fuel prices and forcing route changes which in turn increase fuel burn.

Jet fuel prices are notoriously unstable, but to give an indication of the price dilemma facing Qantas consider that in January 2020, just before COVID was set to shock the industry, jet fuel was trading at $2.59 a gallon before bottoming out at $0.96 in April when the reality of the pandemic's impact on air travel set in.

The latest figures from June this year saw aviation fuel at $5.86 per gallon.

When contacted for this article, a Qantas spokesperson was quick to double down on this theme, distancing Qantas from specific responsibility and pointing out that the airline's troubles are not unique: The post-COVID operating environment "has really hit us, and when I say 'us' I mean global aviation", the spokesperson said.

But Qantas did not answer specific questions about the experience of pilot Tom or the impact of executive bonuses on a workforce struggling with morale. 

In London, Heathrow airport has capped the numbers of international flights it will handle in order to juggle its own service delivery problems. But this decision means more disruption and delays for Qantas passengers .

Andrew David, the chief executive officer of Qantas domestic and international, is the public face of these business woes.

In an interview with Perth radio station 6PR David admitted the airline is "not delivering the kind of performance that we were delivering pre-COVID", adding "unfortunately, we don't have a magic wand that we can instantly address [the impact of COVID]."

It was hardly a reassuring message for stranded passengers.

In an opinion piece published on the Qantas website this month, David lay blame on the complexity of restarting a major airline after a long grounding, alongside the current surge in COVID cases impacting the labour force.

"We are working hard to proactively manage this challenge," he wrote, pointing out efforts to employ 1000 new staff, boost stand-by rostering, use bigger aircraft and increase support staff at airports and call centres. "As a result of making some very difficult decisions, we've been able to weather the storm," he says, arguing the most recent statistics show bag loss is now only slightly more common than pre-COVID and call wait times have fallen to "minutes".

However social media posts from Qantas customers continue to tell a different story, with complaints about service and wait times ongoing.

What about the brand?

The risk, of course, is whether the Qantas brand will be damaged by the time that storm passes.

Hamish McLean, a crisis communication expert from Griffith University, argues Qantas's image will take a hit in the eyes of customers unless the company "owns the problem", notwithstanding the fact that many of the variables are global and out of Qantas's direct control.

"A fundamental part of protecting your brand is that people want to see that you're saying "yes, this is our problem"," he says. "It might be due to factors globally. But really, it comes down to the organisation and how they are managing the problem."

It is this sense of being left in the lurch — not knowing — that has repeatedly been mentioned by passengers stranded at airports without updates, as well as pilots like Tom waiting for authority to take off.

"It's a massive challenge," McLean says. "Brands and reputations are built up over many, many decades. But they can be lost in a month of chaos."

McLean emphasises the need for Qantas to show it can be relied upon. "It must be embedded in everything they do because that's what the public expects of the Qantas brand," he says.

Bamber wonders if Qantas is placing too much faith in its power in the market. Qantas holds a dominant position in Australia, he says.

Unlike, say, Europe where travellers have a wider choice of airlines and can also travel on high-speed rail or motorways if air travel isn't delivering, Qantas "is a giant in the Australian market".

"It uses its power and strength in relation to its customers, its workforce and some of its other stakeholders," Bamber says.

Bamber also criticises the way the previous Australian government handed out COVID payments to big businesses like Qantas without requiring anything in return. He points to the US where pandemic payments were not to be used for executive bonuses or share buy-back schemes. Other countries took an equity stake in airlines in return for pandemic support.

"After receiving COVID payments Qantas responded by outsourcing jobs and by paying generous benefits to its senior executives. That was not a good look," Bamber argues.

So, what has all this done to the Qantas share price?

Our connection with the quality of the Qantas brand, and the fact that when most people fly it is an important occasion – travelling for work, to visit family and friends, or a long-planned holiday for example – means many of us have an emotional relationship with the airline, demanding something almost unquantifiable from the interaction.

Yet the share market is "a pretty unsentimental beast", says market strategist Jennings, pointing out that Qantas's share price remains volatile . On Friday, Qantas shares closed at $4.51. Over the past 52 weeks shares have traded from a high of $5.97 to a low of $4.20.

Jennings argues that while CEO Joyce has been successful in "keeping Qantas alive during a very difficult period", his purchase of a new $19 million home, and Qantas's largest-ever order for new planes , hitting the news "at the same time passengers are tearing their hair out … is certainly not a good look".

Yet he believes the most significant force driving that share price fall is the price of oil.

"One of the things Qantas can't control right now is the oil price exposure it has going forward," he says, explaining that strategies to offset that price risk are harder and harder to manage. "Some of those prices get passed on as we've seen with Sydney-to-Melbourne flights costing $900."

Rewind to last year as COVID vaccines became widely available, people began booking flights and travel was back on. Travel stocks and airlines like Qantas were "the easy trade", Jennings says.

The latest market update from the end of June "pointed out what we all knew," he says.

Qantas faced problems setting pricing for flights in the face of higher costs, as well as problems with public sentiment because of the bad image it is projecting as a result of operational issues.

"It's hard to shake that off," Jennings says.

But he maintains the oil price is the key to improving the share price.

If it falls into a more typical range "Qantas shares will be back up to five bucks without question and all the sentiment around image would dissipate because that headwind that they're facing would vanish," Jennings believes.

Does anyone want to work in aviation any more?

But the problem of reviving staffing levels may not be so easily fixed, aviation analyst Webber says, and COVID illness is not the only reason.

Employees are less willing to take on an airline career and “COVID sent many over the edge”. Of the thousands laid off during the pandemic, many are just not willing to return to the sector, he believes.

Even the coveted piloting roles are less attractive to some, Webber says, citing a friend who swapped flying planes for driving trucks during the pandemic and never looked back.

“The airline industry is very, very competitive with very thin margins. Aviation is deeply affected by wars, terrorism, ash clouds from a volcanic eruption, earthquakes, viruses and volatile jet fuel prices. So many things which seem to occur fairly regularly and can ruin the business,” he says. “This affects the security of employment, particularly back-office labour, and people are just sick of it.”

Just like the pilot who became a truckie, many Qantas employees easily find work in other sectors: "They have always had mobile skill sets," Webber says. "Someone working in treasury risk management can go and work for an investment bank. Someone working in yield and revenue management can work for a hotel."

But this dilemma didn't just begin with COVID. Webber points out that cuts to non-operational labour gained speed after 2014's monster loss as management looked for cost savings. The scale of the staffing problems being experienced now have built up over time and been supercharged by COVID when Qantas was quick to stand-down staff and outsource jobs, but slow to re-recruit and train replacements.

The two questions consumers want answered: Will ticket prices or safety be affected?

Aside from the capacity problems plaguing Qantas and emerging as delays, cancellations, lost baggage and telephone wait times, the issue of ticket prices is a looming problem for travellers that Webber believes will not go away quickly, particularly on high-demand routes where Qantas is the dominant carrier.

The Qantas business model has used its domestic routes to compensate for slim margins in the international portion of the business, Webber says, pointing out that pre-COVID fares were probably lower than they were a decade or two ago.

But leaps in jet fuel costs means going forward, domestic profits will be harder to maintain.

"You've got to take capacity out of the market," he says, noting CEO Joyce's announcement of a reduction in flight numbers on high-frequency routes of at least 10 per cent between now and March next year. "It means fewer flights with empty seats and every seat will cost more."

Some customers are likely to respond by withdrawing from international travel altogether and instead holiday at home or use a cheaper airline.

"We call it trading down," Webber says.

Some have raised concern that cutbacks, new and less-experienced staff, outsourced jobs and COVID illness creating operational pressures, will impact Qantas's precious safety record.

The good news is that the answer is it almost certainly will not.

Thursday's mayday call from a Qantas plane running low on fuel on a Brisbane-to-Perth flight might raise concern but Webber argues the airline's safety record will never knowingly be compromised.

"They realise that if they have a safety incident then that could completely destroy their business," he says.

Pilot Tom agrees, explaining Qantas's layers and layers of safety protocols means that if one fails the next one is designed to catch the problem before it becomes catastrophic.

Unfortunately for passengers, ongoing cancellations may be one method used to shore up safety, Webber believes.

"If they have a shortage of operational labour to run those flights — if cabin crew or pilots are sick for example — they will just cancel them," he believes.

He is confident Qantas will continue to attract "the best pilots in the world". Qantas's renowned training program and strategies to select the most suitable pilot trainees remains strong.

"I know that there's still a lot of good smart kids in the system that are willing to become pilots and they all want to work for Qantas," says Webber who teaches in the UNSW aviation program and sees some of those aspiring pilots up close.

Perhaps the core question remaining is if COVID had never happened would Qantas be attracting criticism for its failings right now?

"I'd say no," says Webber. "Even if the war in Ukraine had happened, that just impacts the oil price. It wouldn't have disrupted operations, the ability to service aircraft or perform ground handling activities and engineering activities. None of that would have been affected."

Yet Webber believes Qantas is wrong to focus on this loophole when it comes to explaining to customers why their flights are cancelled or they are stranded in foreign airports.

"Qantas has to respond to these things. That's within their control," he says. "They have to find a solution. They have to manage those problems. They have to show leadership. The way they respond to these things is what we must call into question."

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Qantas Braces for Crowd Rush With Staff Bonuses, Schedule Cuts

Edward Russell

June 24th, 2022

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The Covid-19 pandemic air travel recovery may have a hex on it. Flying is in disarray in Europe and the U.S. amid staffing shortages and industrial action , and Australia appears the next domino to fall with the country’s largest airline, Qantas Airways, warning of the months ahead.

Qantas will boost ground staff numbers by 15 percent in July compared to levels during the Easter peak in preparation for crowds, it said on June 24. In addition, the airline is offering non-management staff a one-time A$5,000 ($3,456) bonus after a two-year wage freeze. The one-time payment are forecast to cost Qantas A$87 million.

The move that could ameliorate any staff misgivings come as Australia braces for a busy July. The Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney airports — the country’s three busiest — have both warned flyers of crowds, and advised them to travel with patience. The latter said on June 21 that it expects more passengers to pass through its terminals than in April during the Easter holidays. “We won’t sugar-coat the fact that the terminals will be busy during the school holidays, and there will be queues,” Sydney Airport CEO Geoff Culbert said.

The situation is similar to what airports, and airlines, are seeing in both Europe and the U.S.: a tight labor market has made staffing back up from pandemic lows, especially for entry-level positions, difficult at best. Artificial caps on flights have been implemented at Amsterdam Schiphol and London’s Gatwick and Heathrow airports to manage crowds, while crowds and chaos has been documented at other airports in both Europe and the U.S.

“My number one, two, and three problems right now are workforce, workforce, and workforce,” City of Phoenix Director of Aviation Services Chad Makovsky, who manages Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, said in May .

Qantas, like its peers in Europe and the U.S., is also cutting flights in what it hopes will help ease airport crowds. The airline will reduce its domestic Australia capacity by another 5 points, for a total of 15 percent off plan, in July and August. Capacity will be reduced a further 15 percent in September, and then by 10 percent in October though March 2023. The airline says the cuts will also help it recoup high oil prices.

Qantas will fly 99 percent of its 2019 domestic capacity in the September quarter, 106 percent in the December quarter, and 110 percent in the March 2023 quarter. Its fiscal year ends in June.

The carrier’s international recovery remains unchanged. In fact, Qantas will add new thrice-weekly service between Perth and Johannesburg with an Airbus A330 on November 1. The new route will complement its existing nonstop between Sydney and Johannesburg, and takes advantage of changes in the market during the pandemic. South African Airways flew the Johannesburg-Perth route until 2020, according to Cirium schedules, but, after a difficult pandemic restructuring , has yet to resume any of its long-haul flying.

Virgin Australia, Qantas’ largest competitor, also retrenched during the pandemic. This included exiting long-haul international routes to Asia and the U.S.

Since Australia lifted travel restrictions last year, Qantas has added new international destinations , including Delhi and Rome. It has also moved forward with long-planned Project Sunrise nonstops between Sydney and both London and New York. Qantas plans to fly 70 percent of 2019 international capacity by September, and 90 percent by next June.

Separately, Gareth Evans, CEO of Qantas Group subsidiary Jetstar Airways, will leave the airline at the end of December. Evans has been CEO of Jetstar since 2017, and with the group for 23 years. Qantas has not named a replacement.

Qantas maintained its outlook of a loss in the fiscal year ending June 30, and a profit for the coming year that ends in June 2023.

Photo credit:  Melbourne Airport

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An airline is giving staff a bonus worth more than $7,000 after posting a bumper profit

• Australia's Qantas Airways posted an annual profit of $1.7 billion on Thursday.
• Employees are being rewarded with a share of a bonus pot worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
• CEO Alan Joyce hailed the "substantial turnaround" to better its pre-pandemic performance.

Qantas Airways is giving about 21,000 workers a share of a bonus pot worth hundreds of millions of dollars after posting its first annual profit since 2019.

The Australian airline, which also owns Jetstar, posted a pre-tax profit of about $1.6 billion – an impressive recovery after reporting an even larger loss the previous year.

The post-pandemic recovery reflected surging demand for air travel, higher fares, cheaper fuel and a reduction in other costs.

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"Flight delays and cancellations have largely returned to pre-COVID levels and we've shifted from heavy losses to a strong profit and pipeline of investment worth billions of dollars," CEO Alan Joyce said in a statement Thursday .

He said Qantas staff had "done a superb job under very difficult circumstances."

In 2021 about 21,000 staff were given shares in Qantas that can now be cashed in and are worth about $3,850.

They're also getting a cash payment worth about $3,200 as new workplace agreements are finalised, and a travel credit worth about $320. That totals almost $7,400.

The workplace agreements are largely related to orders for 24 planes from Airbus and Boeing due to start being delivered in 2027.

Qantas is not the only company to share out its wealth among employees. In May Singapore Airlines gave its staff a bonus equivalent to eight months' salary after posting healthy profits.

Joyce rejected calls for the airline to repay pandemic-era government subsidies worth about $1.7 billion following its return to financial health.

He told ABC TV's "7.30 Report" that the best approach was making higher profits and start to pay corporation tax again, which he expected to happen from 2025.

Watch: Airline salaries compared to stock buybacks show why so many people are angry at the bailout

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Travel Insurance For Singapore: The Complete Guide

Updated: Apr 2, 2024, 4:42pm

Table of Contents

Singapore travel insurance, what does travel insurance for singapore cover, can i tailor my travel insurance for singapore, what does travel insurance for singapore exclude, how much does travel insurance for singapore cost, how can i compare travel insurance for singapore, frequently asked questions (faqs).

Singapore has long been a holiday favourite for Australians, either as a stop-over city on the way to Europe or the Middle East or as base for exploring Asia. According to the latest figures from data portal, Statista, 566,000 Australians visited the country in 2022.

If you’re also planning to visit, travel insurance for Singapore can safeguard your trip against a number of potential mishaps, such as falling ill while away, losing your luggage and belongings or even needing to cancel the trip before it’s even begun. Singapore is a safe country, but the cost of medical care is high.  Find out more about how travel insurance for Singapore works below.

There are three main types of travel insurance policy for Singapore. These are:

• Single trip: for a one-off trip in the space of 12 months to Singapore
• Annual multi-trip : for more than one trip in the space of 12 months to Singapore or various destinations. This type of cover can work out more cost-effective than buying multiple single trip policies but not always so it’s best to compare both types of cover.
• Long-stay/backpacker : for an extended stay in Singapore, of typically 60 or 90 days, or 12 or 18 months. Cover for 24 months may be available, from certain providers.

When applying for travel insurance online, you’ll first be asked to enter your holiday destination. Depending on the insurer, you’ll need to click on Singapore, Asia or Worldwide travel excluding the US and nearby destinations such as Mexico, the Caribbean, Canada and Greenland. The latter option excludes a part of the world where medical costs are the highest, which in turn, bumps up the cost of cover. If you’re also planning to travel to the US, for example, there are separate worldwide policies that include it as a destination.

Insurers usually offer at least two or more types of travel insurance policy from basic or comprehensive cover and anything in between. Comprehensive policies offer the highest cover levels and widest range of benefits.

A key component of all travel insurance policies is emergency medical cover. You’ll find a comprehensive policy for Singapore will often offer an unlimited amount.

The standard of medical facilities and care in Singapore is similar to, or higher than in Australia, and the cost often much higher, so medical cover can prove a vital resource should you fall ill, or get injured, while away.

Note that in the case of an emergency, you’ll likely need to pay up-front first, and then reclaim the costs from your insurer, or confirm payment from your insurer with a hospital before it will provide treatment.

As standard, travel insurance for Singapore can also cover repatriation and emergency rescue, in severe medical cases, the loss or theft of your baggage and belongings and trip cancellation if you can no longer travel for reasons such as falling ill, suffering a bereavement or losing your job.

They will also likely include an array of other forms of protection, providing the most at comprehensive level. This includes cover for lost or stolen money, passports and documentation, missed departures, online fraud, and travel delay. The types of cover on offer, and cover limits, will vary between providers. You can find exactly what a policy includes in its product disclosure statement (PDS), which is usually found on an insurer’s website.

There are a number of ways you can ensure your policy fits your needs. Many insurers offer optional add-ons that you can purchase if you need specialised cover. These include insurance for gadgets (such as a smartphone or laptop), a cruise and playing golf.

If you’re thinking of participating in more high-octane activities, check your policy’s PDS. Many cover around 100 or so sports automatically. Cover for what an insurer classes as high-risk activities, such as skydiving, bungee jumping, outdoor rock climbing, and activities requiring a set of wheels, such as quad biking, may require purchasing an additional ‘sports pack’ for your policy.

While reading through a policy’s PDS, it’s crucial to also take note of any limitations of cover. These can differ between policies, but generally you can expect most insures to refuse claims relating to a pre-existing condition. This is a medical condition you had before taking out the policy. The insurer may not cover such conditions, or may refuse your claim if you did not declare your condition on applying for the policy.

An insurer is also unlikely to accept claims for an injury caused by taking part in a sport or activity where you did not wear the appropriate safety gear, such as a helmet, knee pads or a harness. Claims resulting from disorderly behaviour or being under the influence of drink or drugs will also likely be rejected.

It’s best to regularly check government advice for your destination, which it publishes on its Smartraveller website. This includes warnings about natural disasters, terrorism threats and pandemics. Visiting Singapore, or a part of the country, if the government puts it on its “do not travel” list, could invalidate your policy.

The amount you’ll need to pay for your travel insurance policy will depend on a range of factors. An insurer will consider your holiday destination, associated costs when travelling there and the length of time you’ll be travelling.

The price of a policy can rise for mature travellers and those with pre-existing conditions, as insurers view these travellers as more likely to claim on their policy.

To provide an idea of how much travel insurance for Singapore can cost, we ran quotes on the sites of the insurers we’ve rated the top five for travel insurance.

We used the profile of a family of four, aged 42, 40, 14 and 12, spending 13 to 26 May in the country, and assumed they have no pre-existing conditions, (although these providers do offer cover for pre-existing conditions should you need it).

We found basic cover ranged from around $106 to $202, while comprehensive cover started at around $241, with the most expensive policy costing just under $304.

Before choosing a policy, it’s important to shop around. An easy way to do this is to run quotes on the websites of various insurers and compare factors such as the type of cover a policy includes and cover levels against price.

To help you with your search, we’ve conducted some research and found our pick of the best comprehensive travel insurance policies .

Is travel insurance for Singapore worth it?

While travel insurance for Singapore isn’t mandatory, it can be considered a travel essential if you have no other means of covering emergency costs while away.

Emergency medical fees can easily stack up to thousands of dollars alone, and without travel insurance in place, you would have to cover them out of pocket. Travel insurance also can cover a number of eventualities that we often fail to consider, such as an airline, transport company, or accommodation provider going bust.

What is ‘excess’ in insurance?

An excess is a set amount you’ll be expected to pay on each approved claim. It’s usually levied per person on the policy, per event, per claim, but you can check the PDS for the specifics concerning your insurer. You usually can pick from a range of excess amounts, from $50 to $250 on average, when taking out a policy.

The more you choose to pay in excess, the lower your policy premium—the cost of your policy—typically will be, while paying less in excess will raise the cost. An excess is usually deducted from a claim amount, so you won’t need to pay for it out of pocket. However, it’s still crucial that you make sure it’s affordable.

Can I buy a policy while I’m in Singapore?

Some providers won’t cover a holiday if it’s already started. Others may cover you, but apply a waiting period of around 72 hours before you can claim.

The best time to take out travel insurance is as soon as you’ve booked your holiday, as you’ll be immediately covered for trip cancellation. Insurers are highly unlikely to consider claims resulting from something that happened before you took out the policy.

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I have been writing for newspapers, magazines and online publications for over 10 years. My passion is providing, in a way that is easily accessible and digestible to all, the knowledge needed for readers to not only manage their finances, but financially flourish.