WA border renege and resulting flight changes

Hi Everyone,

I have VA business class flights booked for travel in the middle of a trip to Cairns.

Fly from NSW up to Cairns - for 4 days - then original flights were CNS-PER direct - in business class - for a week - then PER-CNS - then 3 more days in CNS then fly back to NSW.

Due to the lower demand for flights and airlines changing routes/planes as a result ( I understand this has always been part and parcel of air travel) - Virgin have scraped the "newly" introduced CNS-PER direct route - so my flights were changed by Virgin to CNS-BNE / BNE- PER and same on the way back.

The issue is I got the direct flights for $399 each way from CNS-PER - but now that route is scrapped - the detour via BNE means its four flights in Business class and the fares are $1200 each way - Again I understand that changing a fare has always had the caveat of paying for a fare difference - but I would guess that if the CNS-PER direct route was still and option - even though it might have gone up - it probably wouldn't be $1200 - maybe it would.

The issue is with the WA govt now saying they will open on Feb 5 but you have to quarantine for 14 days and test etc - I am supposed to arrive on Feb 16-for a week - so this is not and option - but to change any flights into future dates - they are all via BNE - no direct - has anyone had a similar situation? I am guessing my only options are to take a flight credit - or cough up the more than 3 x price I paid for the tickets. The other issue is -I was always going to Cairns - but when the direct Perth flights became available - I extended my leave and decide to go to Perth in the middle of the trip - so even If i do change the flights and pay the difference - I then also have to get more flights to Cairns to be able to catch the changed Perth flights - what a cluster F***.

Sorry for the rant.

Sorry but I must have missed something in your account of the problem but I thought WA is pretty much keeping up the hard border stance except maybe more compassionate travel allowance for returning WA residents or those visiting WA family (sort of), so you must be having some special reason to be even given an approved G2G pass (quarantine or not) coming from NSW via QLD trying to WA

See (wa.gov.au/government/announcements/was-updated-safe-transition-plan-5-february-2022) funny that their picture of Australia had hard lines between other states but a porous (dashed) line separating WA and the rest of Australia!

Given the hard border continuing I wouldn't be surprised if the flights BNE-PER will be canceled or consolidated to another flight; under QF that can trigger the clause to ask for a refund (for almost any fare) but expect to spend hours on the phone. However VA doesn't have that refund clause unless the fare specifically says so, (and at $399 J class CNS-PER I am not sure it is one of them but do look up the T&Cs with the ticket anyway).

It looks like you are hoping to keep the CNS-PER tickets to enjoy the cheap fare but you probably already realised it's false economy in the extra time and cost involved in getting to CNS especially to make this trip. And who knows if VA is even going to continue with this route in the future even if WA reopen (they may get too used to be living separately from the rest of Australia).

Personally I would simply get the credit and use it for a regular VA flight ASAP unless you can get a refund.

Thanks for the reply XWu - unless I missed something - the thing that you missed is until less than 24 hours ago - the plan for WA to open up on Feb 5 - was that -

All domestic arrivals aged 12 and over must be double dose vaccinated unless ineligible or medically exempt.

Testing requirements for domestic arrivals fall under three categories:

• interstate arrivals coming into WA or WA travellers leaving and returning on a trip that is six days or more will require a negative PCR test within 72 hours of departure prior to travelling to WA, and undertake a negative PCR test within 48 hours of arrival;
• interstate arrivals coming into WA for five days or less will require a negative PCR test within 72 hours of departure but are not required to have any tests on arrival into WA; and
• WA travellers who leave then return to WA within five days or less do not need a test before arriving back into the State, but they will require a PCR test within 48 hours of returning.
• 
  

Cancel booking is the only option and maybe wait until 2023

It is now clear that McGowan has no plan whatsoever and takes a lot of pleasure in keeping the state locked up. A promise is no longer a promise. Does he not realise that mental health presentations to doctors and at hospitals are going to increase even more now, I will be one of them after having to cancel booking to see daughter who have seen for over two years…thank you McGowan

You may also be aware that considering WA is pretty much isolated from Australia and the rest of the world for last 2 years the annual influenza and other lung infection disease hospitalisation are far lower than 2019, and yet ambulance ramping and hospital lack of bed occurred multiple times in the same period without COVID-19 hospitalisation.

It meant WA hospitals probably have no capacity whatsoever to withstand a wave of COVID-19. Without being political too much, the McGowan government did have 9 months to improve the situation since re election in March 2021, although I must admit I don’t expect it being an easy or quick fix.

The issue is that whatever the plan they may have to buff up the hospital system and “flatten the curve”, there is simply no slack in the system to work on

No point planning any travel to WA whilst the fascist dictator is in charge. Which could be indefinite given WA is now a one party state.

He obviously wants to avoid the calamity of whats happening on the east coast at the moment, at least until things settle down. Also gives WA more time to build their RAT test supplies and increase their Booster rollout numbers. Looking at his approval rating at the moment, he obviously has strong community support for his position.

Cairns to Perth direct? I didn't realise that was a thing. That must be seriously stretching the legs of a 737 on the West bound sector. BNE to PER is already well over 5 hours, and CNS is a lot further north. Anyhow, if as you say Virgin has rebooked you CNS to PER via BNE instead of direct I don't see how this costs you any money? It's up to Virgin to get you from A to B via any route they want, at no additional cost to you.

Stuart, most west Australian I know see the mental health advantage in not having Covid, as far better than state or self imposed lockdowns which is what we in the east are getting with the ‘let it’ rip policies over here. N95 masks everywhere fruitless searches for RATs etc.

If you’re scared of the virus and don’t believe in vaccination - stay home. Let the rest of us get on with life

KW of course I’m scared of the virus only an idiot wouldn’t be given how sick a ‘mild’ dose on those triple vaccinated can be. Vaccination keeps you out of hospital but does not prevent ‘mild’ illness and long Covid. I get out and about but follow sensible health precautions. It would be dumb not to.

McGowan has a 75% rating at the moment because he’s doing what by far the majority of WA voters want him to do. So who’s the fascist ? Him or you ?

Pretty sure it’s him.

Pretty sure its him. All fascists have 75% or more approval!

The eastern States have a much better policy of allowing their own people to make informed choices. In the last 3 months, I have been able to travel overseas twice to both Europe and Asia, venture into 2 other States from Victoria and have not seen a sniff of Covid. The WA people are so poorly served by a man who cares nothing about their health and only about politics and re-election.