Qantas is considering adding extra flights to Melbourne and Sydney for the weekend after a surge in demand from footy fans seeking to attend the Collingwood’s clash with the Swans on Saturday sent ticket prices skyrocketing.
Victorian supporters wanting to see the preliminary final at the SCG could be on the hook for upwards of $1000 in flights. One-way Melbourne-to-Sydney fares were selling for between $700 and $900 on Monday morning.
Qantas appeared to have sold out of seats by 11am Monday for flights before the preliminary final on Saturday, although seats using points were still showing as available.
The Magpie army celebrate.Credit:Getty Images
The price of tickets from Brisbane to Melbourne also went through the roof ahead of the Lions taking on Geelong at the MCG on Friday. Queenslanders wanting to attend the game could pay up to $922 to fly into Melbourne on Qantas. Those choosing to travel with Virgin faced fares between $510 and $760.
The games coincide with the start of the Victorian school holidays, which often leads to a surge in pricing as families travel interstate and overseas. But on Monday morning comparable flights on the other weekends of the school holidays were not even half the cost of Saturday’s fares.
Collingwood supporter Lisa Gray said she had already planned to be in Sydney for the holidays and the possibility of seeing the Pies play Sydney was “the cream on the cake” – providing she could get tickets.
“It’s a long shot that we will get them, but we have our fingers crossed for seats at the SCG and a win. Feel like we might need a little bit of luck for both,” she said.
Tickets to both preliminary finals were going on sale on Monday through Ticketek, first to club members at 10am, then to AFL members at noon, and later to the general public at 3pm.
A Qantas spokesman said Lions and Collingwood fans had rushed to book flights to Melbourne and Sydney ahead of their respective games at the weekend, and the cheapest fares always sold out first.
“Both Qantas and Jetstar are reviewing their schedules to see if we can add more capacity over the weekend,” he said.
Collingwood ruckman Mason Cox was among those criticising the “absurd” prices online.
“Between cancelled flights, delays and absurd prices for flights to Sydney now airline companies doing no favours for getting the trust of the public back,” Cox wrote on Twitter.
Virgin was contacted for comment.
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