Maverick Travel Australia

04/07/2022

What you should be asking your travel agent to do:

With flights increasingly delayed and cancelled, the Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA) boss Dean Long has this advice.

“When booking flights and accommodation, talk to your travel professional to understand how you can build in flexibility and ensure you have the right travel insurance in place,” Long said.

He is also calling for Aussie travellers to respect their travel agents at what can be a frustrating time.

“The heartbreak of holidays and travel plans going off the rails as a result of flight cancellations is right now a regular occurrence.

“It’s often a costly experience as well, as typically high cancellation fees on hotel accommodation apply by the time an airline cancels your flight.”

When airlines cancel one sector of a booking, travellers are typically left with no flights at all given demand has already absorbed available flights. If there are seats available, they’re certainly not at the same price.

“Our members are dealing with regular calls from desperate clients and we understand the frustration, but we also ask everyone to please remember that where we are able to find replacement fares, those fares are typically at double and triple the original cost due to the very limited availability and price increases,” Long explained.

“We ask Australian travellers to please remember that in the current environment, the only remedy many airlines are offering is a refund which doesn’t help the traveller at all in terms of getting to their destination and that if we can actually find a replacement flight for you, you are almost invariably going to have to pay more than you did originally.”

“Australia’s travel professionals are doing everything they can to help Australians keep travelling despite these challenges, and all they’re asking for is your understanding, respect and support as they do their very best to find solutions.”

"So before you let fly out of frustration, take a deep breath and remember we’re working for you to get you to where you want to go.”

10/05/2022

Emirates Premium Economy will be deployed on high-traffic A380 routes to London Heathrow, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Sydney and Christchurch. This new cabin class will be open for sale on 1 June, for flights from 1 August. Will share more details as they become available

15/02/2022

Important information for any overseas travellers: The new Digital Passenger Declaration (DPD) is replacing the existing Australian Travel Declaration (ATD) for all international arrivals. Effective for all arrivals after 18Feb, was released 10am this morning. For full details:

Digital Passenger Declaration The Digital Passenger Declaration (DPD) has replaced the Australia Travel Declaration.

03/02/2022

We fear this is just the start. Ships relocating away from Australia - who can blame them? Our government here keeps extending the cruise ban with no end in sight, no pathway forward. Australians are flying overseas to cruise because they cannot from their own country. Cruising has been operating safely for over a year now, the protocols they have put in place work. Time to end the ban 🛳️

25/01/2022

Today was National Travel Day of Action. Across the country travel industry owners and staff visited dozens of state and federal MP's offices around the country. I notice in other news they say the travel industry has received over $1billion in support - but we're not Qantas. I was fortunate enough to receive job keeper and the Travel Consumer Support grant however due to bureacracy many did not. $60m of that grant still hasn't been allocated, they rejected and low-balled so many travel agents. Remembering, this wasn't a Travel Agent Support Grant - no one cares about travel agents. Believe me we feel that. The grant was in recognition of us funding and working long hard hours to sort our clients refunds and credits. Most of us aren't even halfway there. Nearly two years on the work is ongoing with still around $4billion outstanding.

So we need more financial support that goes to the travel industry, not just the airlines.

And we need the ban on cruising from Australia to be lifted. Other countries have been cruising for over a year, the protocols having been put in place work. A lot of my retired clients don't have time on their side and they are desperate to live their best lives - they have worked hard all their lives and they deserve that. So we need our decision makers to at least start this conversation and not extend the ban, yet again, beyond 17Feb.

How can you help? If you are anyway involved in travel, or love cruising, or your nanna loves cruising, or you appreciate the hard work your travel agent has been doing for all this time - then please contact your local MP and ask them to support us. Thank you.

05/01/2022

We all want more sustainable tourism and I am a huge supporter of the value based profit model rather than the ‘race to be the cheapest’ the industry fell into prior to the pandemic.

What do you think will happen?

Travellers have experienced progressively cheaper air fares since the 1970s. That era may be over.

22/12/2021

I am around over this holiday period if anyone gets stuck, call the office on 3289 3700. A lot of flights being cancelled this week and I expect this may continue. Otherwise we safe and well and enjoy this time with lots of cheer 🙂🥂🎄⛱

26/11/2021

Hi all

Thought I’d share this valuable news – a company called Histopath opened up in Brisbane International terminal on Tuesday and can facilitate PCR tests, currently required in many cases for International Travel, on site and at the very reasonable cost of $79.
• Results are guaranteed to be returned within 90 minutes.
• They will operate daily from 0600-2300 and are located on Level 4 of the terminal.

29/10/2021

Much excitement here this morning booking Schoolies trip for these lovely year 11 students. For most this is the first time they are booking a holiday so explaining what a non-refundable deposit and the rest of the T&C's is all part of the learning process

22/10/2021

Since the announcement by Qld Premier about our pathway forward from 17December we have had lots of people contact to book their Christmas trips - whether it be to Spain or Italy or Fiji etc. Please note rules for people in Queensland will be different to NSW. Rules around quarantining are dependent upon our vaccination rates so they are "expected" dates. At this stage anyone wanting to go overseas at this time can expect to still have to go into hotel quarantine at their own expense when they return. Personally, I have taken the leap of faith and am booking overseas holidays for Easter onwards. I advise anyone not wanting to quarantine, to wait until dates have been confirmed - not expected. Hope this helps clarify for you - please share.

20/10/2021

Who wants a cheeky pre-christmas cruise? Yes please! APT have relocated their MS Caledonian Sky from the Kimberley region for some all inclusive expedition cruises up and down the Queensland coast including amazing islands - exclusive for Queenslanders only (so no cancelling due to southern states not being able to enter). 9 days from $7,995pp - let's show some support for this amazing Australian company and give yourself an unforgettable experience in the process

07/10/2021

Now what? How will Australia's border re-opening in mid-November work? Karryon Travelling recently gave us this:

Australia's border will reopen in mid-November. But what does travel look like in terms of where you can go, who can travel and when?