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Consistency is Key on Qantas

As airlines keep introducing fresh aircraft into their fleets, usually the interiors will vary, depending on how new a plane you end up flying. It's a common issue, and it's still the case with Qantas' ultra-long haul product after the introduction of the infamous big bird, the A380.

By the end of the year, this will all be fixed as the rest of the airline's long-haul aircraft come under the knife for the needed update. The Red Roo has started to refurbish the cabins of the older 747s to align the experience customers have when flying 14+ hours over the pacific. So, very soon, you need not worry about what specific aircraft you're booking when booking with Qantas.

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Baggage / Checked Baggage / Airline News / Korean Air / Lufthansa / Swiss Air / Austrian Airlines / Qantas / Virgin Australia / → All Tags

Airlines Actually Increase Checked Bag Limits, Thanks to the 'Piece System'

With all of the drama and outrage about certain airlines decreasing baggage limits, charging for extra baggage, and even (over)charging for carry-on baggage, here is a story that make you feel excited to fly. Yes, Virginia, there is happiness in flying.

Believe it or not, there are airlines that don't nickle and dime their passengers by charging to check a bag in the belly of the plane. And there are even airlines that have chosen to get even more liberal with how much they allow you to stuff in one suitcase. Or even up to three suitcases. We can't be more excited for these new rules.

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Airline Food / Qantas / Business Class Travel / Australia Travel / Amazing Airline Meals / → All Tags

Surprisingly Yummy Airline Food: Qantas Takes Morning Tea to the Next Level

We have all had a terrible meal on a flight before. In fact, we have shown you some of the sadder trays slid in front of us. With this new series of amazing airline meals, we can revel in the airline culinary delights and give kudos to the airlines that got it right.

Recently, we flew Qantas from Brisbane to Sydney and paid to enjoy the cushy seats of business class. Important note: Qantas continues to offer meals or snacks to all passengers depending on departure time, even in economy.

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New Routes / Airlines / Airline News / Monarch Airlines / Air France / KLM / Delta / Qantas / → All Tags

Plenty of New Routes This Week from Monarch, KLM and Air France

Sometimes it’s hard to stay on top of all the new route announcements that come our way, so we’ve complied a little bit of a rundown below. As long as you can afford the fares, this should definitely help add to your passport stamp collection.

· KLM:
We're pretty sure that we heard about this some time ago, but now it’s finally time for the pilots, planes, and flight attendants to start doing their thing. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is brining back some nonstop flights to Dallas-Ft. Worth, and the new flights started up just this week. Business and Economy Class are both options on the Airbus A330s that are going to head back and forth between Dallas and Amsterdam. Flights are back for the summer months—and maybe beyond—with the flights leaving the greater Dallas area on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

· Qantas:
All right this might not be a new route, but it is a chance to ride aboard some new planes on some old routes. The big planes usually have no problem heading down and over to Australia, but now they’re flying more and more domestic routes down under. Qantas is installing the big birds—747s to be specific—between Sydney and Perth, as the carrier tries to meet the demand for business travelers looking for some fancier seats. Melbourne over to Perth is also getting an airplane upgrade, as some of the routes are scheduled to get a seating—and comfort—boost thanks to the addition of some Airbus A330s.

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Airline News / Qantas / Emergency Landings / A380 / Airplane News / Airbus / Airplanes / Accidents / → All Tags

Feel Good News Story of the Week: Qantas' 'Nancy Bird Walton' A380 Comes Home

We all remember back in early November of 2010 when Qantas flight 32 was climbing out of Singapore's Changi Airport and, due to an oil leak, blew an A380 engine. The engine explosion pierced fuel tanks, created a hole in the wing and damaged wiring. Parts of the engine even rained down on a small Indonesian island as the pilot called for an emergency landing back in Singapore.

The resulting blame game was intense, between the engine manufacturer, the maintenance crews and the plane design itself.

Fast forward over 1.5 years later and the plane is still stuck in Singapore undergoing much needed repairs and a full investigation. An airplane, especially a massive A380, grounded for that long costs beaucoup bucks no airline wants to fork over, but no airline wants to risk an accident. We get it.

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Green Travel / Biofuels / Airlines / Airline News / Australia Travel / Qantas / A330 / Airbus / → All Tags

Smell That? Qantas Begins Burning Biofuel on a Regular Route

Earlier this week, we talked about Porter Airline's using alternative fuel to actually fly some passengers around. Well there's some more very exciting news for Mother Earth and the impact of all of these planes criss-crossing the globe. The Aussies down under at Qantas can now add themselves to the growing list of airlines either experimenting with or using a type of biofuel on scheduled passenger service.

The Flying Kangaroo has announced that, starting next week, flights between Sydney and Adelaide will have a smaller carbon footprint. The fuel, a blend of cooking oils, is the same stuff that filled the tanks of Lufthansa's biofuel aircraft. Test flights will be making history in Australia with an Airbus A330.

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Sports Travel / Sports / New Zealand Travel / Air New Zealand / Qantas / Golf / → All Tags

Mile-High Golfing is No Myth.

Looking for something to do when you board a flight and find that the in-flight movie is something like "Dude, Where's My Car?". Air New Zealand has come up with a solution to that awful cinema problem. At first you may think that a new in-flight entertainment system is in the works, but the ingenious Kiwis have come up with more interactive entertainment. On-board golfing!

Passengers flying between Auckland and Queenstown may have the opportunity to test their putting prowess. As part of celebrating a partnership with the first New Zealand PGA tournament, ANZ roll out a turf carpet down the aisle so 4 selected passengers can to try their luck to win some prizes. The grand prize is an all-expense paid trip to the tour championship.

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LCCs / New Airlines / Jetstar / Asian Travel / Airline News / Jetstar Hong Kong / Jetstar Japan / Jetstar Asia / Qantas / China Eastern Airlines / Hong Kong Travel / → All Tags

New Airline Alert: Jetstar Hong Kong Will Happen in 2013

After a challenging time finding the right dance partner to waltz around the floor, Qantas came up empty on their plans to create an all-premium airline based in Kuala Lumpur. On the other hand, they've had a win in Hong Kong. No, not with the creation of an all-business class carrier. but instead to go low-cost again with Jetstar, Qantas' budget off-shoot.

On Monday, on that side of the world, Jetstar partnered with Shanghai-based China Eastern, to create Jetstar Hong Kong. Yes, the bright orange star will be flying happy passengers all around Asia for a fraction of the cost of other airlines.

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RedQ / Qantas / Airline News / Airlines / Asia Travel / Business Class Travel / Malaysia Airlines / Kuala Lumpur Travel / → All Tags

Qantas' RedQ Business Class Airline Just Can't Take Off

We have seen a number of airlines come and go—lately it's more going than coming—but some airlines don't even have the opportunity to take off. Last week, negotiations with potential partners stalled, forcing Qantas to scrap the idea of creating an ultra-premium airline based in Asia.

When we first talked about the airline, a concept named RedQ, the idea was to cater to the quickly growing Asian corporate market by being one the first to have all-business class airplanes hopping around major cities in the region. In its infancy, the new airline was to compete with flights from Singapore, with a proposed hub based in Kuala Lumpur. And then Malaysia Airlines agreed to join the Oneworld alliance.

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In-Flight Magazines / iPad Travel Apps / Qantas / Airline News / iPad / In-Flight WiFi / Technology / A380 / → All Tags

The Australian Way Becomes an iPad App

It is always relaxing to thumb through an in-flight magazine, whether it is for destination guides or to test your mathematical prowess with a good game of sudoku. A huge bummer is when we open a previously loved periodical to find articles ripped out or kids "art" scribbled over exactly what we want to read. Qantas has come to the rescue and guaranteed an unread copy of their in-flight mag, The Australian Way. Kinda...

Our friends down under have launched an iPad app for the entire issue of their monthly glossy. Travelers that prefer to load all their reading material onto a touch screen can do so with the airline's free application. March 2012 marks the inaugural digital issue of the award winning magazine ready for download. From hotels and grooming to music and celeb interviews, readers of the magazine can get their in-flight fix even while not flying the red kangaroo.

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Airline Bankruptcy / Air Australia / LCCs / Airline News / Qantas / Virgin Australia / Hawaiian Airlines / Air Asia X / → All Tags

(Yet Another) Bankrupt Airline Alert: Air Australia Flies No More

The past few weeks have been quite a tumultuous time in the airline industry. Some big players ceased operations, like Spanair and Malev. Well, add another casualty to the list; Air Australia.

It seems like just yesterday we were talking about the re-branding of Air Australia from Strategic Airlines. They shifted from a full service airline to a low-cost carrier, filling the void left by Virgin Australia's switch to full service. The carrier's brightly painted planes zipped around on routes like Oz to Phuket, Bali, and even Honolulu, not to mention a handful of domestic services.

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Airline Fees / Airfares / Airline News / Fuel Prices / Qantas / Australia Travel / → All Tags

Flying Down Under? Prepare to Shell Out Even More Cash

Flights over the Pacific will be tapping your pockets just a bit more. In response to a carbon tax in Australia and carbon trading schemes in Europe, Qantas has announced their fares will creap up in the near future. Do not fret, as there is still time to enjoy some world-class beaches and pet a koala or kangaroo before the change.

The red roo has announced an increase of no more than 24% in fuel surcharges for international and domestic flights. International itineraries increase by flat rate, while the domestic charge depends on the length of the flight. Unfortunately, with the high cost of jet fuel and taxes, Qantas is not alone in airfare hikes.

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