Brisbane air fares raised for Expo.

Press, 1 December 1987, Page 2

Brisbane air fares raised for Expo.

LES BLOXHAM

travel editor

Brisbane’s hotels are not alone in cashing in on next year’s World Expo: they have been joined by Qantas and Air New Zealand. Travel agents were advised over the weekend that the airline’s offpeak fares to Brisbane in June and July have been withdrawn and replaced with the higher shoulderseason rates. Instead of paying $656 for a ticket from Christchurch to Brisbane and back, travellers will instead pay $743, an increase of $B7. . .•••;• : Tickets already issued at the lower rate will not be subject to the increase. Not so fortunate will be those intending travellers holding bookings, but no tickets. They will have to pay the extra $87.,

An irate reader complained to "The Press" yesterday that he had been quoted the lower fare by a travel agent a month ago. He secured a booking and paid a deposit for an Air New Zealand flight in July. He considered the agent should stick by his quote. Most agents, however, cover themselves against the possibility of fare increases. Airlines also expect tickets to be paid for and issued within 14 days of bookings being confirmed. In the past, airlines have been generous, in, allowing refunds when new fare have undercut rates on tickets already issued. At least they are not applying this policy in reverse and demanding extra money from ticket-holders. Brisbane is the only Australian city affected

by the withdrawal of the off-peak fares. They will still be available to other cities. The return off-peak fare between Christchurch and Sydney, for instance, will cost only $568. But anyone thinking of using this in conjunction with a cheap domestic fare between Sydney and Brisbane in a bid to beat the system should forget it: the total cost will be about $55 above the direct Christchurch-Bris-bane rate. An Air New Zealand public affairs spokesman said last evening that he would be unable to comment on the fare Increase until later today. The World Expo Will be open from April to October. Travel agents report that hotels in the Brisbane area have applied , dramatic increases to their tariffs for this period.