Latest news with #QantasDreamliner
The Australian
2 days ago
- Business
- The Australian
NRL commissions more planes than ever before as Vegas interest explodes
In a bid to capitalise on a surge of interest, the NRL has just commissioned a fifth Qantas Dreamliner 787 aeroplane to ferry fans directly to Las Vegas next year. And given the extraordinary interest, there is every chance a sixth plane will be ordered. It is an unprecedented move given just two chartered planes flew to Nevada this year. 'Demand has been so high, it's been unbelievable. The interest in Vegas is growing and growing,' said NRL general manager of US expansion, John Vellis. The first four planes have essentially sold out with a fifth now required and possibly a sixth if interest levels remain at fever-pitch. The 2026 Las Vegas extravaganza will be played on February 28 in America (March 1 in Australia) with games comprising St George Illawarra, Newcastle, Canterbury, North Queensland, Leeds and Hull Kingston Rovers. Four flights will depart from Sydney and another from Brisbane to cater for Cowboys supporters. There are 236 seats on each plane. Economy seats on all four original flights are sold out, with a few remaining in business and premium business. A fifth flight is expected to be sold out, meaning NRL chartered flights alone will carry nearly 1200 fans to Las Vegas. That figure will increase if a sixth plane is required. There will be connecting flights for fans from Townsville to Brisbane and Newcastle to Sydney. Just two NRL flights left Australia in the initial year – one each from Sydney and Brisbane, where Broncos fans boarded. Last year was also two flights, both departing Sydney given Queensland didn't have a side competing. From two to five flights, possibly six, shows the interest in Vegas continues to grow year-in-year. 'The charter flights are going fantastic so we are about to launch another one this week,' said Vellis. 'For the first two years we had two charters. This year we have gone up to four and we are now going to launch a fifth charter. These flights are specifically for our event. 'We have doubled the charters for next year and we are going again (for a fifth plane). 'If tickets go berserk again then we might have to launch another flight. We're not adverse to that at all.' All flights will be themed around each participating NRL club with club legends on board along with classic matches on the in-flight monitors. The flights will leave on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday before the games and fly directly to Las Vegas. Read related topics: Qantas Dean "Bulldog'" Ritchie has covered rugby league at The Daily Telegraph, and now CODE Sports as well, for 33 years. From the Super League war to NRL grand finals, State of Origin clashes and World Cups, Bulldog has written about the biggest issues in the game and broken many of the most important stories. NRL NRL boss Andrew Abdo has called on players to be respectful to referees, as a sneaky tactic has emerged around close-talking players trying to influence the Bunker. NRL As he prepares to take on his former halves partner for the first time, Jarome Luai has opened up on Lachlan Galvin's Wests Tigers exit, insisting he only ever want to help his ex-teammate.
Sydney Morning Herald
13-06-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
Warning over airline change-of-flight fee scam
Turbulence experienced My daughter bought a return ticket from Canada on Air Canada. She required a date change and Googled Air Canada and paid for the amended flight surcharge over the phone. The number on what looked like the official Air Canada website was, in fact, a scammer who charged her $C752 ($A851) for the flight change plus $C290 for the fare difference for the new flight. The scammer took her money, then contacted the airline and attempted to pay for the actual flight change fee ($C500), planning to pocket the difference with my daughter being none the wiser. However, the scammer attempted to pay the fee with a separate stolen credit card. Air Canada detected the fraudulent card and cancelled my daughter's flight ticket without notice. Air Canada refused to reinstate the booking or offer compensation for the cancelled flight. The airline told her to contact the insurance company, offered to her through its website when she paid for her ticket, but the insurer refuses to pay because the airline cancelled the ticket. Air Canada takes no responsibility and keeps directing her back to the insurance company. You have been warned. Karen Mentink, Burradoo, NSW Editor's note: This sounds very similar to the common visa and visa-waiver fee scams operating on the internet. You can read more about those here. Letter of the week: Road warrior Your story on driving in WA (Traveller, May 31) by Jane Reddy, brought back wonderful memories of two outback adventures also taken in motorhome mode. The first, with three young children aboard, was from Darwin to Alice Springs for a fortnight while the second, of three weeks duration, was from Darwin to Perth. Excellent advice was provided by your writer alerting readers to the availability of one-way rentals. We flew from Sydney, with return flights from the end of our fantastic road trips. This permitted us to drive from north to south, allowing the sun to highlight the brilliant landscapes ahead of us, rather than be squinting into the haze for hours on end. Both trips are wonderful, short outback adventures, but best done heading in the right direction. Bruce Pacey, Revesby, NSW Meal deal I also recently experienced the Qantas Dreamliner from Melbourne to Dallas Fort Worth (Traveller Letters, May 31). The person in front of me also reclined their seat fully pretty early in the flight. I, too, was not so keen to inflict the same discomfort on the person behind me. However, after buzzing for the flight attendant I discovered that if it was meal time and I needed my tray table down to eat or drink food, the passenger in front should not recline their seat. The attendant asked the passenger in front to put their seat up and my problem was solved, or at least for the period I was eating and drinking. I, of course, decided that I would consume all meals slowly. It allowed me to get some much-needed relief on a long flight from what would otherwise have been an uncomfortably cramped space. Jenny Richardson, Hughes, ACT
The Age
13-06-2025
- The Age
Warning over airline change-of-flight fee scam
Turbulence experienced My daughter bought a return ticket from Canada on Air Canada. She required a date change and Googled Air Canada and paid for the amended flight surcharge over the phone. The number on what looked like the official Air Canada website was, in fact, a scammer who charged her $C752 ($A851) for the flight change plus $C290 for the fare difference for the new flight. The scammer took her money, then contacted the airline and attempted to pay for the actual flight change fee ($C500), planning to pocket the difference with my daughter being none the wiser. However, the scammer attempted to pay the fee with a separate stolen credit card. Air Canada detected the fraudulent card and cancelled my daughter's flight ticket without notice. Air Canada refused to reinstate the booking or offer compensation for the cancelled flight. The airline told her to contact the insurance company, offered to her through its website when she paid for her ticket, but the insurer refuses to pay because the airline cancelled the ticket. Air Canada takes no responsibility and keeps directing her back to the insurance company. You have been warned. Karen Mentink, Burradoo, NSW Editor's note: This sounds very similar to the common visa and visa-waiver fee scams operating on the internet. You can read more about those here. Letter of the week: Road warrior Your story on driving in WA (Traveller, May 31) by Jane Reddy, brought back wonderful memories of two outback adventures also taken in motorhome mode. The first, with three young children aboard, was from Darwin to Alice Springs for a fortnight while the second, of three weeks duration, was from Darwin to Perth. Excellent advice was provided by your writer alerting readers to the availability of one-way rentals. We flew from Sydney, with return flights from the end of our fantastic road trips. This permitted us to drive from north to south, allowing the sun to highlight the brilliant landscapes ahead of us, rather than be squinting into the haze for hours on end. Both trips are wonderful, short outback adventures, but best done heading in the right direction. Bruce Pacey, Revesby, NSW Meal deal I also recently experienced the Qantas Dreamliner from Melbourne to Dallas Fort Worth (Traveller Letters, May 31). The person in front of me also reclined their seat fully pretty early in the flight. I, too, was not so keen to inflict the same discomfort on the person behind me. However, after buzzing for the flight attendant I discovered that if it was meal time and I needed my tray table down to eat or drink food, the passenger in front should not recline their seat. The attendant asked the passenger in front to put their seat up and my problem was solved, or at least for the period I was eating and drinking. I, of course, decided that I would consume all meals slowly. It allowed me to get some much-needed relief on a long flight from what would otherwise have been an uncomfortably cramped space. Jenny Richardson, Hughes, ACT
The Age
30-05-2025
- The Age
If Qantas is going to use these seats on ultra-long hauls, count me out
Discomfort of strangers I recently flew on a Qantas Dreamliner from Santiago to Sydney. The economy seat was comfortable, with a useful shelf for a tablet or a phone, plenty of storage and good space between the seats. From such a promising start, the flight was one of the most uncomfortable I have ever experienced. For the most part, the person in front of me had their seat fully reclined. This rendered the shelf unusable, the tray table only just usable and the storage inaccessible. While I could have reclined my seat, I didn't want to inflict the same discomfort on the person behind me. I don't wish to enter into the ' recline or not recline ' debate, but If Qantas is going to use the same seats on their planned 22-hour non-stop flights from Sydney to London, I will be flying with someone else. Michael Thomas, Cheltenham, NSW Screen time I'm with Lee Tulloch in facing a long-haul flight in economy (Traveller, May 13). I recently flew Qantas to and from Japan. I always an aisle seat as I get up every two hours to combat the possibility of deep-vein thrombosis. Also, if I get 30 minutes of sleep I consider myself lucky. I got through several seasons of TV shows I had missed. Marie Nash, Balwyn, Vic Letter of the week: Group love The virtue of booking an escorted journey came home to me when on a land/cruise tour from Johannesburg with Cruise Express into Kruger National Park (Traveller, May 10). My wife and I arrived a few days earlier than the main group to explore Johannesburg. It coincided with massive floods in the Kruger region that resulted in many lodges being washed away, including the one where we were meant to stay. When tour director Hardy Schneider and the rest of the group arrived, his team in Sydney were already working on alternative arrangements which included a stay at one of Richard Branson's luxury lodges. I could not imagine what would have happened if we were travelling independently. Roger Summerill, Shell Cove, NSW Got your back
Sydney Morning Herald
30-05-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
If Qantas is going to use these seats on ultra-long hauls, count me out
Discomfort of strangers I recently flew on a Qantas Dreamliner from Santiago to Sydney. The economy seat was comfortable, with a useful shelf for a tablet or a phone, plenty of storage and good space between the seats. From such a promising start, the flight was one of the most uncomfortable I have ever experienced. For the most part, the person in front of me had their seat fully reclined. This rendered the shelf unusable, the tray table only just usable and the storage inaccessible. While I could have reclined my seat, I didn't want to inflict the same discomfort on the person behind me. I don't wish to enter into the ' recline or not recline ' debate, but If Qantas is going to use the same seats on their planned 22-hour non-stop flights from Sydney to London, I will be flying with someone else. Michael Thomas, Cheltenham, NSW Screen time I'm with Lee Tulloch in facing a long-haul flight in economy (Traveller, May 13). I recently flew Qantas to and from Japan. I always an aisle seat as I get up every two hours to combat the possibility of deep-vein thrombosis. Also, if I get 30 minutes of sleep I consider myself lucky. I got through several seasons of TV shows I had missed. Marie Nash, Balwyn, Vic Letter of the week: Group love The virtue of booking an escorted journey came home to me when on a land/cruise tour from Johannesburg with Cruise Express into Kruger National Park (Traveller, May 10). My wife and I arrived a few days earlier than the main group to explore Johannesburg. It coincided with massive floods in the Kruger region that resulted in many lodges being washed away, including the one where we were meant to stay. When tour director Hardy Schneider and the rest of the group arrived, his team in Sydney were already working on alternative arrangements which included a stay at one of Richard Branson's luxury lodges. I could not imagine what would have happened if we were travelling independently. Roger Summerill, Shell Cove, NSW Got your back
