Qantas, Jetstar offer way home for stranded Air Australia tourists

Air Australia management declared going into voluntary administration late last night Phuket time, which resulted in the immediate grounding of their entire fleet.

Qantas this morning announced the airline was drawing up a plan to assist Australian tourists left stranded. At about midday today Qantas posted the following message on its website:

The following arrangements are available to Air Australia customers holding a valid ticket issued on/before 17 February 2012 who are affected by the grounding of Air Australia.

 

For Air Australia routings that are covered by the Qantas Network, Qantas will offer the same routing for the re-booking. On Air Australia routings that are not covered by the Qantas Network, Qantas will offer alternative routings as summarized in the following table.

 

Yesterday scores of Australian tourists have been left stranded at Phuket International Airport after low-budget carrier Air Australia grounded all flights due to insolvency.

 

The state-run Australian Broadcasting Commission news quoted a source as saying that Air Australia was even unable to buy fuel at Phuket Airport last night for a flight ready to take tourists home.

 

The move left about 4,000 passengers stranded or having purchased tickets they will not be able to use, many of them in Phuket.

 

Phuket Airport Director Prathuang Sornkham on Thursday told the Phuket Gazette, “I was informed around midnight that about 260 Australians were stranded as their flight to Australia would not be not departing.Sales Desk at the airport for assistance.”