Warning for Australians to book international Christmas travel now with no relief in sight on sky-high airfares

Australian travelers have spent significantly more on jetsetting overseas than four years ago, and despite calls for change, there is little respite on the way.

Just two years ago, travelers looking to get round-trip flights to Europe for the summer season could do so for as little as $1,400 each.

Now anyone would have the chance to reserve a seat for less than $3,000.

According to Flight Center chief executive Graham Turner, those who feel like abandoning the country and traveling abroad will have to continue to dig deep into their pockets to do so.

“If you want to travel at Christmas you should book now, otherwise you will definitely have to pay a pretty high deal,” Mr Turner said.

“Families just don’t travel much anymore because you get fares of up to $4,000 in economy class to Europe, and you have a family of four, that’s a lot of money for everyone, especially for those on low incomes.”

Europe remains the most expensive travel destination for Australian travelers, with tickets between 40 and 90% more expensive depending on the country.

Sun-starved office workers looking to escape to Greece face the highest price, up a staggering 90 percent on 2019 prices.

The situation is no fairer for Sydneysiders returning to Hong Kong, with economy class travelers facing a whopping $853 ticket for a one-way flight.

“Tickets are generally not as bad for other, closer routes. Fiji was only about 15 percent more expensive, and Japan and Bali were between 20 and 30 percent more expensive,” the Flight Center founder said.

“But at the moment it is generally capacity that is the problem on long-haul routes to Europe, the UK and North America.”

Europe remains the most expensive travel destination for Australian travelers, with tickets between 40 and 90% more expensive depending on the country.

For domestic travelers, average ticket prices increased by 10 percent over the same period, a rise that is expected to evolve as demand increases during school holidays and those most forgo flying will be hardest hit.

“The lowest income people are the ones who are really affected by these high airfares, especially domestically, but even internationally, when a family of four is trying to fly to visit a friend, to visit relatives in India or Europe,” Mr Turner said.

Covid-19 and high inflation have put pressure on the Australian travel sector; However, experts continue to identify a major problem lingering behind rising airfares.

On the first day of a Senate inquiry into aviation, which began this week, a former Qantas economist revealed ticket prices could fall by as much as 10 to 15 percent if more airlines were allowed to fly into the country.

“At the moment it is generally capacity that is the problem on long-haul routes to Europe, the UK and North America,” said Graham Turner of Flight Centre.

It came amid growing anger over the government’s decision to block Middle East airline Qatar Airways from adding 28 more flights to Australia in July.

According to Mr Turner, who has run his travel agency empire since the 1980s, the effects of strict air service agreements have long weighed on Australia’s aviation industry.

“This has been a problem for a long time. America has an open skies policy with around a hundred countries. We have nine, so our market is one of the most restricted airline markets in the world,” he said.

“We need more open skies and then the market decides. More airlines will fly to Australia and prices will fall.

Relaxed airline deals, also known as “open skies,” are agreements that do not limit the routes that airlines can fly.

Australia has open skies agreements with the United States, the United Kingdom, China, India, Singapore, New Zealand and Japan.

The federal government has long been accused of maintaining its strictly strict aviation rules to protect the interests of local airline giants like Qantas and Virgin Australia.

Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA) president Dean Long, who appeared at the inquiry, blasted the “outdated” big brother who he said had not changed since 1944.

Mr Turner said the Government had found itself stuck with Qatar Airways and had no choice but to change its route.

“I think the public is so concerned about high airline ticket prices that they are starting to realize that they will have no choice but to let other carriers in,” he said. he declares.

“We might end up with a greater variety and more flights in the medium to long term, which might be a glimmer of hope, but that won’t be the case if the government continues to reject their applications.”

A final report into the Senate inquiry into bilateral air services agreements with Australia will be delivered in October, with former Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce and Qatar Airways appearing. The real surprise of the holidays will remain whether the government decides to act and abandon its old methods of opening the skies.