Qantas and BA simplify Australia-Europe fares

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22/03/2005

Qantas and BA simplify Australia-Europe fares

Qantas and British Airways have restructured their economy class airfares for travel between Australia and Europe.

The airlines claim the new structure is more simple and flexible than the current model.

The new structure, to be introduced on April 26, will offer three fare types.

It is similar to the fare model introduced on trans-Tasman and domestic services.

Kangaroo route fare types will include Qantas Red e-Deals or British Airways’ Value Deals – the most competitively priced fares; Super Savers – mid-range fares with fewer conditions and a wider range of stopovers; and Flexi Savers – the most flexible fares offering additional stopovers.

A Qantas spokesperson said net fares would not be affected by the changes.

The number of differently-priced seasons would also be reduced from 12 to eight throughout the year.

Qantas executive gm John Borghetti said the changes represented a fundamental shift in the two airlines’ approach to fares for long-haul international travel.

The airlines said the new structure would offer clients a greater range of prices from which to select.

Borghetti said the fares and the rules governing them would be simpler, clearer and more easily understood by both customers and their travel agents.

He claimed there would be greater flexibility for customers when it came to planning travel, and it would be simpler and faster for customers to change their travel plans.

Qantas said the structure would eventually be introduced across the rest of its network.

BA's premium economy World Traveller Plus fares would also be available in the new structure.

BA area gm Jenny Lourey said that for the first time Qantas and BA customers could also stop over in Australian cities during their journey.

22 March 2005

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