Catastrophic bushfires burning across Victoria have begun to affect national mobility networks, forcing airlines, rail operators and road authorities to activate emergency plans. By Sunday 11 January, more than 30 fires had razed over 350,000 ha, destroyed 300 structures and cut power to thousands of homes. Smoke reduced visibility at Melbourne (MEL) and Avalon (AVV) airports, prompting Airservices Australia to impose single-runway operations and causing rolling delays.
Qantas responded with a commercial waiver (authority 448217) covering tickets issued on or before 9 January for travel to or from Melbourne and Avalon between 9–10 January. Affected passengers can rebook within seven days, convert fares to credit, or obtain Classic Reward refunds without change fees. Jetstar has mirrored the policy for its own services. While international arrivals are still operating, corporate travel managers are urged to build buffer time into connections, especially for onward Asia-Pacific flights.
If disrupted itineraries mean travellers suddenly need to extend Australian visas, arrange transit permits for rerouted flights or secure documents for alternative destinations, VisaHQ can help. The online platform handles fast Australian visa processing as well as paperwork for 200+ other countries, providing status tracking and expert support without the hassle of embassy visits—see https://www.visahq.com/australia/ for details.
![Victoria Bushfires Disrupt Flights, Rail and Roads; Qantas Issues Fee-Free Rebooking Waiver]()
On the ground, the Hume Freeway reopened late Saturday, but sections of the Murray Valley and Goulburn Highways remain closed. V/Line suspended services on the Bendigo, Echuca and Swan Hill lines; limited coach replacements are running, and Albury-Melbourne trains will restart only after track inspections are cleared. Freight forwarders have been advised to reroute via Adelaide or Sydney to avoid bottlenecks at the Victorian border.
Air-quality indices in metropolitan Melbourne briefly entered the ‘very poor’ band, triggering occupational-health alerts for outdoor workers. Employers with field staff or fly-in-fly-out rosters are reviewing duty-of-care protocols, including N95 mask distribution and temporary remote-work arrangements. The federal government has announced emergency grants for affected residents and livestock producers, but industry groups say infrastructure repairs could take weeks.
Mobility managers should monitor VicEmergency updates, verify flight status 24 hours before departure and remind travellers that travel-insurance claims may require written confirmation of fire-related cancellations. With heat-wave conditions forecast to return mid-week, further transport disruption is likely until the fires are contained.
Qantas responded with a commercial waiver (authority 448217) covering tickets issued on or before 9 January for travel to or from Melbourne and Avalon between 9–10 January. Affected passengers can rebook within seven days, convert fares to credit, or obtain Classic Reward refunds without change fees. Jetstar has mirrored the policy for its own services. While international arrivals are still operating, corporate travel managers are urged to build buffer time into connections, especially for onward Asia-Pacific flights.
If disrupted itineraries mean travellers suddenly need to extend Australian visas, arrange transit permits for rerouted flights or secure documents for alternative destinations, VisaHQ can help. The online platform handles fast Australian visa processing as well as paperwork for 200+ other countries, providing status tracking and expert support without the hassle of embassy visits—see https://www.visahq.com/australia/ for details.
On the ground, the Hume Freeway reopened late Saturday, but sections of the Murray Valley and Goulburn Highways remain closed. V/Line suspended services on the Bendigo, Echuca and Swan Hill lines; limited coach replacements are running, and Albury-Melbourne trains will restart only after track inspections are cleared. Freight forwarders have been advised to reroute via Adelaide or Sydney to avoid bottlenecks at the Victorian border.
Air-quality indices in metropolitan Melbourne briefly entered the ‘very poor’ band, triggering occupational-health alerts for outdoor workers. Employers with field staff or fly-in-fly-out rosters are reviewing duty-of-care protocols, including N95 mask distribution and temporary remote-work arrangements. The federal government has announced emergency grants for affected residents and livestock producers, but industry groups say infrastructure repairs could take weeks.
Mobility managers should monitor VicEmergency updates, verify flight status 24 hours before departure and remind travellers that travel-insurance claims may require written confirmation of fire-related cancellations. With heat-wave conditions forecast to return mid-week, further transport disruption is likely until the fires are contained.
