If you’re booking corporate travel over the next month, Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Australia have all announced service cuts and route changes that could affect your travel plans.
Current disruptions
Qantas is cutting 3.6% of domestic flights between 18 May and 30 June, according to travel industry reports. Three regional routes have been suspended: Adelaide-Mount Gambier (indefinitely), Melbourne-Coffs Harbour (until 14 June) and Melbourne-Hamilton Island (until 28 June).
The flagship Perth-London nonstop service (QF9) has been rerouted via Singapore since 4 March, adding approximately three hours to the journey. International routes remain intact but carry increased fuel surcharges on long-haul sectors, with carrier charges of $300-plus per sector depending on route and cabin class.
Jetstar has cut 286 domestic flights (about 2.7% of published domestic capacity) and slashed trans-Tasman frequencies by 12% for the 18 May-30 June window. The airline cited volatile fuel markets and ongoing Middle East airspace diversions as the reason.
Virgin Australia’s Doha services via Qatar Airways are resuming partially. Sydney and Melbourne routes restart on 15 June, but Brisbane and Perth services remain suspended until at least 15 September 2026.
What this means for you
If you’ve booked corporate travel for the month ahead, check flight status regularly.
Airlines are offering flexible rebooking options:
- Qantas and Emirates are allowing free changes for affected flights, with rebooking in the same cabin for new travel by 31 May 2026
- Jetstar is waiving change fees for disrupted services
- Virgin Australia is offering credits or refunds for suspended routes
Middle East airspace issues continue to affect long-haul routes to Europe, resulting in longer journey times and higher costs. If you’re booking European travel, factor in potential diversions and extended flight times.
New routes launching
The aviation industry describes 2026 as one of the most aggressive years of route expansion, despite current disruptions:
- Melbourne to Maldives: Australia’s first direct flight to Malé launched on 18 May via Luxury Escapes. The overnight service from Tullamarine to Velana International Airport eliminates the need for stopovers in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur or Dubai.
- Turkish Airlines Sydney-Istanbul: Daily flights via Kuala Lumpur are now operating, with nonstop services planned for late 2026. This will create one of the longest nonstop routes between Australia and Europe.
- Jetstar expansion: New direct routes from Perth to Manila and Brisbane to Cebu launched earlier this year. Industry sources suggest Jetstar may open Australia’s first low-cost direct route to Sri Lanka in 2026.
- Darwin to Lombok: Indonesian airline TransNusa is planning a new direct route between Darwin and Lombok, expected to launch soon. If confirmed, it will be the only direct passenger service between Australia and the Indonesian island.
- Melbourne (Avalon) to Bali: Jetstar launched direct flights between Melbourne Avalon and Denpasar in March, operating five times per week. This offers a convenient option for travellers from Geelong, the Surf Coast and Bellarine Peninsula.
For EAs managing corporate travel, this means more direct options for popular destinations – but also increased vigilance around schedule changes and service reliability through the middle of the year.
