Hannah Dowling

It comes despite rivals Qantas and Virgin beefing up their flight schedules and announcing major sales ahead of the anticipated easing border restrictions in the coming months.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has warned that consumers could soon face higher airfares if airports increase the fees imposed on airlines, to recuperate lost profits during the pandemic.

Passengers booked on the flight have said Argentina’s strict border controls have made it nearly impossible to get to Buenos Aires from other parts of the continent, despite the Australian Government promising to assist.

Both Qantas and Virgin are set to begin regular services between Australia and Bali from Sunday 27 March, as the government nears its official announcement for the return of overseas travel.

The global airline industry has again warned that Australia is underprepared for the restart of international travel, and risks being a non-commercially viable market for airlines if the issues hindering the industry remain unresolved.

Qantas has mistakenly sent its frequent flyers a text suggesting customers had until just the end of this year to book and board a flight, despite ongoing lockdowns and border closures, in order to retain their current status.