Media Releases

Statement To Australian Securities Exchange

Feb 24, 2011

Flight Centre Limited responds to Christchurch earthquake

Flight Centre Limited (FLT) will donate $NZ1million to help those affected by the Christchurch earthquake.

The company has also increased its guaranteed contribution to Queensland’s Disaster Relief Fund to $AUD3million, a 50% increase on its initial $2million pledge.

The donations follow a six-week fundraising campaign that was initiated on January 18, in the aftermath of the south-east Queensland floods.

In announcing the campaign, FLT managing director Graham Turner said the company would donate $10 for every ticket issued by its Australian leisure travel shops between January 18 and February 28.

Today, Mr Turner said FLT had easily surpassed its initial $2million target, which would allow it to provide further financial support to the people of Queensland and Christchurch.

“We have been extremely fortunate in that none of our staff members have been injured, but our people and our customers have been directly affected by these tragic events,” he said.

“While we initially focused on raising funds for those affected by the Queensland floods and cyclones, we believe it is appropriate to now extend our support to New Zealand in light of Tuesday’s earthquake.

“Thanks to our people’s efforts and our customers’ support over the past six weeks, we are now in a position to increase our contribution to the Queensland Premier’s fund by 50% and, at the same time, donate an additional $NZ1million to help those affected by the earthquake.

“In total, we now expect to donate in the order of $AUD4million when our campaign finishes at the end of this month. The final donation is not capped.”

FLT is one of New Zealand’s largest travel agency groups and has about 170 businesses throughout the country.

Seventeen shops in and around Christchurch were affected on Tuesday.

Flight Centre New Zealand will also create a separate fund to help staff members.

Up to 70 shops in south east Queensland were temporarily closed after last month’s floods, while the company’s head office in Brisbane’s Queen Street was lightly staffed for a day.

FLT’s leisure and online travel brands in Australia include:

  • Flight Centre
  • Escape Travel
  • Travel Associates
  • Student Flights
  • Cruiseabout
  • flightcentre.com.au; and
  • quickbeds.com

Cash in Before Price Rise

Feb 3, 2011

AUSTRALIA’S leading travel agency group has urged travellers to cash in on the current array of airfare bargains before this month’s price increases.

Flight Centre Limited managing director Graham Turner said Qantas’s decision to increase overall prices by raising fuel surcharges from February 19 meant travellers had a relatively small window of opportunity to lock in the current deals.

“Australian travellers continue to enjoy a golden era in air travel with increased competition delivering some amazing bargains,” Mr Turner said, ahead of this weekend’s two-day Travel Expo in Melbourne.

“For example, fares to the US remain about half the price of two years ago.

“Today, Flight Centre is advertising return fares from Melbourne to London for just over $1000, which is less than the average weekly wage in Australia now.

“A more typical fare costs in the order of $1600, which is the same or comparable to fares that were available in 1990, despite the significant increase in average wages during the past 20 years.

“In 1990s, a $1600 fare represented between three and weeks’ pay for the average worker, meaning a trip to London is now considerably more affordable.

“Prices do, however, look set to rise in the short-to-medium term, so now is the time to take advantage of the current Qantas specials before the upcoming increases.”

From February 19, Qantas’s fuel surcharges will increase to:

  • $145 each way to the UK and Europe, a $50 increase each way
  • $115 each way to mainland USA, Canada, South America, South Africa and India, a $30 increase each way; and
  • $75 each way to Asia, the Pacific and Honolulu, a $20 increase each way.

Travellers who book and pay for their Qantas fares before February 19 will avoid the price increase.

Flight Centre will release a host of special airfares and travel deals, including offers on Qantas, this weekend in Melbourne at the company’s annual travel expo.

The expo will be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre tomorrow and on Sunday.

Admission is free.