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Getting Around Australia
Virgin Australia
Virgin Australia is the ten year old domestic airways arm of Virgin Group Australia, a partially owned affiliate of Sir Richard Branson’s international Virgin group of companies. Initiated as a budget carrier at the time Qantas’ only significant domestic competitor went into receivership in 2001, Virgin Australia has evolved into the second major domestic air carrier. Today the airline exceeds 30 per cent domestic market share, operating a network of 78 Boeing 737, Airbus A-330, Embraer E-170 and E-190 and ATR-72 aircraft to 32 Australian airports.
Within the past two years, a new CEO at Virgin Group (formerly head of operations at Qantas) has signalled the intention to increase the range and appeal of premium guest services, competing more directly with Qantas for the corporate and high-yield tourism market. It is anticipated that this will mean a gradual introduction of separate cabins for premium seating, expanded lounge programs, and larger aircraft into the fleet.
Virgin Australia offers a packaged set of three or more destinations on their Australian domestic network to non-residents booking from outside Australia or New Zealand for $79 to $179 per flight. There is no requirement that the guests arrive in Australia on Virgin Australia’s partner international carrier V-Australia, implying flexibility in the unlinking of the domestic flights from the international. This offer is accessed via a special website www.virginblueairpass.com
Virgin Australia service standards are good by international expectations, with perky, attentive no-frills in-flight services, a good website for self-booking and arguably the best check-in counter staff in Australia. Seats are pre-assigned 24 hours before flight time, and food and beverage and in-flight entertainment is on a pay-per-use basis, except for premium economy where these are included in the fare. For more information see www.virginaustralia.com.au
Qantas Airlines
Qantas is also the dominant domestic carrier with over 50 percent of seat capacity of the industry and operating about 5600 domestic flights weekly. Qantas is positioned as the premium full-service carrier in Australia. More »
Virgin Australia
Virgin Australia has evolved into the second major domestic air carrier., with more than 30 percent domestic market share, operating a network of 78 Boeing 737, Airbus A-380, Embraer E-170 and E-190 and ATR-72 aircraft to 32 Australian airports. More »
Jetstar
Jetstar is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Qantas Group, and is the leading budget airline in Australia. The airline offers generally reliable point-to-point flights to a network of 20 domestic airports. More »
Tiger Airways
Tiger Airways is a Singaporean-owned, low-fare, low-cost airline, serving the Australian domestic market since 2007... More »
Regional Express (REX)
Regional Express (REX) Airlines serves the southeastern crescent of Australia from Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne around to Adelaide, Kangaroo Island and smaller airports.
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Skywest
Skywest Airlines serves primarily Western Australia connecting an array of smaller airports into Perth including Darwin, Exmouth and Broome.
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Air North
Air North serves the Northern Territory from Darwin and the northwestern quadrant of Australia to Kununurra, Broome, both embarkation points for True North, and beyond.
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Hinterland Air
Hinterland Air Transfers based in Cairns, offer a limited set of scheduled services to Lizard Island. These are generally arranged in conjunction with an accommodation booking. More »
Major Domestic Air Carriers
Australia is a large continent, approximately the same size as the continental United States, and travel throughout the country is generally via one of four major domestic air carriers - Qantas, Virgin Blue, Jetstar and Tiger Airways.
Regional Carriers
Australia is home to a number of regional carriers, whose networks serve many of the more remotely located lodges of the members of Luxury Lodges of Australia. Generally these carriers are operating twin-engine fixed wing aircraft seating from nine to about 30 travelers on scheduled services from major capitol airports outward to more remote locations.
Great Train Journeys
Getting around Australia may also include travel by rail, including several of the world’s great train journeys. Two of the most well known are the east-west cross country Indian Pacific and the north-south Ghan lines, offering private cabins with compact ensuite bathrooms and inventive Australian cuisine in a modern dining car. For more information see www.greatsouthernrail.com.
Self-Drive
Other modes of Australian travel include self-drive, with international and domestic car rental agencies offering pick-up and drop-off points at all major airports and many capital city locations. A valid driver’s license, credit card and advance booking are the necessary prerequisites. All travel in Australia is on the left side of the road and rental cars will all have the driver on the right of the vehicle.
Well known tourism routes in Australia include the Great Ocean Road along a 250km stretch of wild Southern Ocean terrain for a segment of the route between Melbourne and Adelaide, with a convenient intermediate stop at Lake House in Daylesford. The drive across the Nullarbor Plain between Adelaide and Perth is often promoted for adventurous drivers, as it includes the longest section of straight highway in the world; however, guest services along this isolated route are decidedly not luxury scale.
Shorter drives, such as the route through the Blue Mountains between Sydney and Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa, along the eastern Tasmanian coast from Hobart to Saffire Resort, or through the Adelaide Hills on the way to The Louise Barossa Valley and further north to The Flinders Ranges and Arkaba Station are all easily accessible tourist drives that are natural components of visiting these Luxury Lodges properties.