Airlines up ante to woo flyers as international borders reopen

FROM new in-flight menus to fully flexible fares, airlines are pulling out all stops to woo passengers back on to international flights when Australian borders fully reopen on February 21.

New loyalty benefits and more modern aircraft are on offer, along with easy-to-use airline apps designed to help travellers navigate the global minefield of Covid rules and regulations.

The measures are aimed at rebuilding confidence in travel after passengers on overseas flights in and out of Australia fell as low as 42,115 in August 2021 – a mere 1 per cent of pre-Covid figures.

Although travel experts nominated fare flexibility as the most important feature airlines could offer customers, carriers have gone well beyond complimentary rebookings and fee-free ticket changes.

In a true pandemic partnership, British Airways has teamed up with Dettol to help restore confidence in travel and devised a new menu featuring Sunday roast with Yorkshire pudding, plus a variety of plant-based meals.

United Airlines has added Bondi Beach craft beer to its trans-pacific flights to give passengers a “taste of Australia” and Qantas is also going down the vegan route, with meat and dairy-free options in every cabin.

Emirates is counting on the popularity of its A380s to attract travellers, putting the superjumbos on double daily services out of Sydney from March 1.

Etihad includes Covid insurance in every fare sold up until March 31 to cover any medical or quarantine expenses, while Delta is boasting “unmatched travel flexibility” with passengers able to use travel credits to book flights through to the end of 2023.

Webjet chief executive David Galt said the way Australians were planning their holidays had changed due to “additional considerations compared to pre-pandemic trips”.

“We know that flexibility is at the forefront and is a much higher priority for customers wanting that extra piece of mind when booking,” said Mr Galt.

“We also recommend travellers familiarise themselves with an airline’s terms and conditions to make sure they are up-to-date with current policies.”

Although most airlines currently offered no-fee changes to bookings, the window for that perk was closing for some.