Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti warns Virgin, Qantas not to hike Perth-Melbourne fares if Freo plays Grand Final
Rita Saffioti has warned Australia’s two major domestic airlines not to slug Fremantle supporters “ridiculous prices” to travel to Melbourne if the Dockers make this year’s AFL Grand Final, saying it would be “complete travesty” if they did.
The WA deputy premier and Freo tragic this week called on Qantas and Virgin to “do the right thing” if the WA side made it to the Grand Final at the MCG.
Ms Saffioti said there was still a long way to go before this year’s grand finalists were realised but understood that should the Dockers make the grand final, thousands of WA supporters would want to make the trek east.
“Flagmantle is well and truly alive,” she told The Sunday Times.
“While we’re not taking anything for granted, or, as the players say, we’re taking it one week at a time, it’s hard not to get excited at the prospects of playing in September again.
“With this in mind, I’m calling on the likes of Qantas and Virgin to do the right thing by us West Aussies and not price gouge us out of the market.
“It would be a complete travesty if we made it to the last Saturday in September, only to be slugged ridiculous prices to travel across the country to support our beloved team. “
Fremantle last played in a grand final in 2013, when they were beaten by Hawthorn. Since then, West Coast lost a grand final to the Hawks in 2015 and won against Collingwood in 2018.
Each time, WA supporters have had to pay exorbitant prices to fly to Melbourne, with airlines putting on extra flights to cope with increased demand but bumping up prices.
In 2015, when the Eagles were up against the Hawks, one-way fares were as high as $1100. In 2018, Virgin and Qantas added extra flights, but the cheapest tickets cost WA footy fans about $1000 return.
Luke Chittock, from Amity Travel, said this week a return airfare from Perth to Melbourne was now about $1000, but he expected that price to more than double if the Dockers made the grand final.
“If any Dockers supporter is seriously thinking of going to the grand final, they should book now because fares will get more expensive as we edge closer to the grand final,” he said.
“If airlines put on extra flights, they will invariably be at the higher price.
“That is what has happened in previous years. Extra flights are unlikely to be released until the week of the Grand Final.”
Virgin and Qantas this week refused to say if Perth-Melbourne fares would be jacked up on grand final week. Both told The Sunday Times they would consider additional flights closer to the Grand Final, depending on demand.
“We have already published three additional return flights for the weekend (of the grand final) to help West Australian fans get to the game and these are selling now,” a Qantas spokesperson said.
“That’s two return services prior to the game and one return service after the game.
“We will monitor demand and loads and assess the need for further additional capacity as we approach game day.”
Ms Saffioti’s call to the majors comes after a calming of notoriously prickly relations between the WA Government and the national carrier. The pair recently announced Qantas would move its terminal at Perth Airport following years of stalled negotiations.
Smaller rival Rex Airlines — which recently launched Perth-Melbourne flights — confirmed it would also consider extra flights during Grand Final week.
“Accommodating extra flights between Perth and Melbourne to meet additional demand will be considered by Rex subject to aircraft and crew availability,” Rex chair John Sharp said. “Nevertheless, thanks to Rex, West Australian travellers and sports fans now have the cheapest fares to Melbourne in more than a decade.
“It is shaping up to be one of the tightest AFL finals races in almost 30 years but no matter which team makes it to the MCG, Rex will offer fans the fairest fares, as it has always done.”
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