Shenzhen Airlines launches first direct Melbourne–Shenzhen flights, adding 95,000 seats a year
AFP steps up high-visibility patrols at Australia’s busiest airports as record holiday traffic surges
Boxing Day flight sales signal airline confidence and long-range demand for 2026 travel
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Last call: Jetstar’s ‘Day After Christmas’ sale ends tonight with one-way fares from AU$37
• Jetstar’s Day-After-Christmas Sale ends 27 December, offering AU$37–$46 one-way fares for travel in Jan–Feb 2026. • Discounts create budget relief for domestic business and FIFO travel but extras like baggage and changes cost more. • Strong uptake points to a buoyant 2026 domestic demand outlook, aiding airport and airline capacity planning.
Boxing Day Bonanza: Australian Airlines Slash Fares for 2026 Travel
Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin have launched overlapping Boxing Day sales, offering one million-plus discounted seats from AU$49 to AU$149 on key domestic and short-haul international routes. The deals, which close early next week, give business travellers and SMEs an opportunity to lock in 2026 trips at up to 40 % off peak-season prices.
AFP Warns Young Australians Against ‘Suitcase Courier’ Drug Scams
AFP and ABF officers have intercepted 280 kg of illicit drugs and arrested several under-30 Australians recruited as “suitcase couriers”. Authorities warn that participating in such schemes can lead to life sentences and permanent travel bans, and have stepped-up airport surveillance over the peak holiday season.
Turkey Terror Raids Trigger DFAT Travel Alert for Australians
DFAT has upgraded its Turkey advice to ‘exercise a high degree of caution’ after Christmas-Day raids netted dozens of suspected ISIS militants. The alert advises Australians to steer clear of large crowds and heightens corporate duty-of-care requirements for staff transiting Istanbul.
Monsoon Trough Threatens Holiday Travel in Northern Australia
Up to 300 mm of rain is forecast as a monsoon trough sweeps the NT and north Queensland, prompting BOM flood watches and potential road and flight disruptions during the peak holiday-travel period.