Qantas Hols relaunches

EXCLUSIVE

QANTAS has released a range of holiday packages under the Qantas Holidays brand previously operated by Helloworld Travel Limited, with the carrier confirming that it is now running the brand directly in-house.

The updated Qantas Holidays (QH) site features a wide range of Fly & Stay packages which are dynamically put together during the online booking process.

Currently the site only features domestic product, with holiday types classified as Beach Escapes, Family Friendly, Luxury Stays and Romantic Getaways.

The carrier is offering three Qantas Points per dollar for Qantas Holidays bookings, as well as the ability to earn status credits on points on flights.

No booking fees are imposed, and Qantas Points can also be used to book the packages.

The former Qantas Holidays business became part of Jetset Travelworld Group (now Helloworld Travel) in a 2008 merger (TD 21 Feb 2008) which at the time saw QF as the travel group’s biggest shareholder with a 58% stake in the business.

That stake has been successively diluted, although just last year the airline reaffirmed its intention to retain its share in Helloworld and “continue to work closely with them as a key partner”.

However last year Helloworld Travel Executive Director Cinzia Burnes also confirmed the company would not be seeking to renew its licence for the Qantas Holidays brand (TD 21 Jun 2019) when it expired in Mar.

At the time (TD 23 Jun 2019), Qantas advised it was reviewing its options for the brand, noting that it “resonates well with our customers”.

The expiry of the previous pact coincided with the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the carrier relaunching it again as restrictions open up.

A QF spokesperson confirmed the move in house this week, telling TD “the lease has now ended and we are operating Qantas Holidays directly”.

On Mon the new QH website included details of the brand’s long defunct Travel Agent’s Licence, but the site’s terms and conditions have now been updated to note that bookings are being made with a QF subsidiary called Qantas Group Accommodation Pty Ltd.