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Thread: Crazy High Airfares To Australia ?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
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    Thumbs down Crazy High Airfares To Australia ?

    I've been thinking of going to the Seychelles forever. But the cost is way up there and by the time you add in the airfare you'll be averaging between $12,000- $15,000+ extras.

    So, it's still at the top of my bucket list but I thought "Where else can I go and chase GT's in warm salty water?" Well, after looking at a lot of videos and YouTubes I found a neat place at the top of Australia called Claremont Isles. Flats, coral reefs with deep holes, even some offshore stuff all aboard nice skiffs with large bow rails, and living aboard a mother-ship. Looks really good and prices were $5,000 -$7000 cheaper than the Seychelles.

    Now, comes the killer - AIRFARE! Flying from LAX to Cairns seems to start about $9000. and up if going business class. There were several carriers going in at $13000- $16,000 and one was almost $20,000 I couldn't believe those prices. And checked several carriers and they all seemed about the same----- CRAZY HIGH.

    Why? Does anyone have a good reason why these flights are so HIGH? $$$$$$
    Tony
    TONY BUZOLICH
    Feather River Fly
    Yuba City, CA.
    (530) 790-7180

  2. #2
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    Nov 2012
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    San Rafael
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    Not sure but imagine it's due to covid and reduced number of flights generally

    When broader travel comes back prices will been up significantly especially given business travel (main revenue driver) will be down hugely and will stay down as businesses have cut travel budgets / video meetings.

  3. #3
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    Airline survival mode comes at a price for those booking air travel. Bend over.

  4. #4
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    Sebastian, FL, USA, Earth
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    I watched something about air travel recently and they said the airlines run on a pretty thin margin of profit but high volume makes up

    for it, normally. Monetary exchange rates can affect things too. I think the high end fishing lodges depend on the fact that they have

    little competition and there are hopefully enough multi-millionaires to keep them going?


    The fly fishing travel agencies and fly fishing lodges have been hit pretty hard during COVID.


    Thing could change in the new year......
    Bill Kiene (Boca Grande)

    567 Barber Street
    Sebastian, Florida 32958

    Fly Fishing Travel Consultant
    Certified FFF Casting Instructor

    Email: billkiene63@gmail.com
    Cell: 530/753-5267
    Web: www.billkiene.com

    Contact me for any reason........
    ______________________________________

  5. #5
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    Mar 2005
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    Tejas !!
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    wow for that kind of cost there is no way I can justify a trip like that.

  6. #6
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    Sep 2011
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    Byron Bay,Australia
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    The Seychelles has always been and will continue to be an expensive dream trip due to it's remoteness,and it's reputation is only enhanced due to the current pandemic.Besides,as I understand it you can't travel internationally anyway (including Australia)
    so even the popular destinations like Kiritimati won't be catering to anyone until the islands population are innoculated..I think for the foreseeable future you'd best concentrate your GT location efforts closer to home

  7. #7
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    That’s called, keep the Covid out prices! Discouraging people to come would be my bet.

  8. #8
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    I made the trip to Claremont Isle last Oct. One person in our group hooked a big GT from the shore. He had hooked up on a medium size queenie and this brute came and ate the whole thing and got the hook stuck in the corner of the mouth. I took him a long time to land it on a 10wt rod. I hooked into something big but never saw what it was, only the arbor. The down part of the trip was WINDY, every day and night and I mean 25 to 30 knot winds. You had to find some shelter bays to fish in. We fished with the Far North Sport Fishing Group. We spent two days in Hawaii, then flew to Melbourne for one night then on to Cairns. From there we flew a puddle jumper to some small airport and there we met the mothership. At that time, airfare was pretty cheap.
    Jay Murakoshi

    Commercial Fly Tier

    Travel Coordinator

    Web site: http://www.fliesunlimited.com/

    Email us at: jaysflies@me.com

    Call us at (831) 809-4221

  9. #9
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    Jay,

    That's the same group I've been looking at. Without having the air miles accrued you've got I've got to find a better deal.

    Mark, You hit that right on.

    Anyone have any suggestions for warm saltwater places to go?

    Thanks ahead, Tony
    TONY BUZOLICH
    Feather River Fly
    Yuba City, CA.
    (530) 790-7180

  10. #10
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    Business class to AU and NZ is always very expensive. I have never seen LAX-SYD under $5000 round trip. The demand is always there. It's a long flight and everyone is thinking the same thing, what can I do to make it more comfortable...

    Now, premium economy can be cheaper (think sub$3000 and maybe even sub$2000) and is often perfectly comfortable especially if you can route via BNE, which is about an hour shorter flight than to SYD/MEL. Virgin Australia has very comfortable premium economy seats in a 2/3/2 configuration on its 777s.

    I have flown to NZ three times, the first time was many years ago on United miles, routing SMF-LAX-NRT-AKL outbound and AKL-HNL (stop/open jaw) KOA-SFO-SMF return. Those good loopholes have been closed. The second time was also on UA miles routing SMF-LAX-MEL-CHC outbound and CHC-AKL-LAX-SMF return. Both tickets were fully in business class.

    Last time I went I bought a cheap (sub-800) coach ticket on VA LAX-BNE-CHC round trip and successfully upgraded the outbound with cash to premium economy on the "one up" system for about $400 a seat. On the way back our bid for upgrade on the return failed but we were able to buy into an extra legroom coach seat for about $150.

    Another way to get to AU or Seychelles more cheaply is to break up the trip. It's often feasible to fly to China, Japan, Bangkok, HK, or Singapore for (fairly) cheap in business class (think $3000-4000) then buy a separate ticket from there onward. Watch the airline you choose, some of the Chinese airlines will give you a cheap ticket but the seat and the service justify the pricing. This is not without its risks and causes some extra logistical headaches but it can help save a couple thousand. If you do this I would try to go through Singapore as its the best airport to transit and the easiest logistically.

    In terms of other places to go...lots of wonderful saltwater fishing domestically if you seek it out...middle Keys in FL, Charleston SC (Ghost Waters charters), etc...Mexico...Guatemala billfish...I caught a bunch of roosters on a half day off the beach in Costa Rica a few years ago...
    Last edited by PV_Premier; 02-07-2021 at 09:02 AM.

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