With Tropical Cyclone Alfred gaining strength, airlines operating in Queensland and New South Wales are introducing fee-free booking changes and travel credits to assist affected passengers. The storm has led to New South Wales\u2019 first cyclone watch in over three decades, signalling a rare and potentially significant weather event. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Jonathon How<\/a>, the southern flank of the cyclone will likely experience the most severe impacts, affecting major coastal cities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qantas<\/a> passengers with flights booked to or from Ballina, Brisbane, Bundaberg, Hervey Bay, Gold Coast, and Maroochydore between March 4 and March 9, 2025, can access fee-free changes or travel credits. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jetstar is offering similar options to travelers flying from Sunshine Coast (Maroochydore), Hervey Bay, Brisbane, Gold Coast (Coolangatta), and Ballina Byron Bay between March 4 and March 6. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Passengers can reschedule their flights up to seven days before or up to 14 days after the original date. For those who prefer not to travel, Jetstar is providing a voucher equivalent to the value of their unused flights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The airline<\/a> emphasized that it is closely monitoring the cyclone\u2019s progression and will contact customers directly if their flights are impacted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Virgin Australia is allowing customers with flights to or from Ballina, Brisbane, Bundaberg, Gold Coast, and Sunshine Coast between March 4<\/strong> and March 8 to adjust their travel plans without penalties. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Passengers can move their flight to another date within 14 days of the original booking, subject to availability. Alternatively, those who choose to cancel can request a travel credit<\/strong> through the airline\u2019s Guest Contact Centre<\/strong> or their travel agent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A Virgin Australia spokesperson stated, <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cWe understand people may no longer wish to fly to or from areas which may be impacted by Tropical Cyclone Alfred, so we are making it easier for guests to change their travel plans.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Airservices Australia: Industry Coordination and Contingency Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Airservices Australia, the agency responsible for air traffic control, is collaborating with industry stakeholders to ensure passenger and staff safety while minimizing disruptions. While airspace is not typically closed due to weather, airlines may cancel or reroute flights in severe conditions, and airports may temporarily suspend operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The agency has put in place contingency measures, including backup power supplies and emergency operational assets<\/strong>, to maintain essential aviation services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Airservices Australia, there is potential for airborne and ground delays if staff or facilities become unavailable due to weather impacts. The agency has assured that emergency services will receive continued support throughout the cyclone\u2019s duration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Authorities and airlines continue to advise travelers to monitor flight updates closely and make proactive changes if necessary. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some airlines, such as Jetstar, are recommending that passengers bring forward their flights before the evening of March 6 to reduce the risk of disruptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli has urged residents to take Tropical Cyclone Alfred seriously, as forecasts indicate uncommon and severe conditions for southeastern Queensland. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
With landfall expected late Thursday, travelers should remain vigilant, stay informed through airline alerts and weather updates, and adjust their plans accordingly.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Airlines are adjusting their policies as Tropical Cyclone Alfred approaches, offering passengers flexible rebooking options. Severe weather is expected to disrupt travel across Queensland and New South Wales.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":102099,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-102098","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-weather","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-33","no-featured-image-padding"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102098","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=102098"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102098\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":102103,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102098\/revisions\/102103"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/102099"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=102098"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=102098"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=102098"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}