Done it

[liz]

Booked a flight to Melbourne for GF weekend, that is.

Decided to put my credit card where my heart is!

[desredandwhite]

IF we make it, I'll join one of the potential road trips brewing here

But what I've done is make sure I have options around that time.. I took Fri 26th off work, plus the whole week after

I need a holiday anyway....

[Reggi]

Re: Done it

Originally posted by lizz
Booked a flight to Melbourne for GF weekend, that is.

Decided to put my credit card where my heart is!

Hrrmmm - this is interesting

[Bron]

Re: Done it

Originally posted by lizz
Booked a flight to Melbourne for GF weekend, that is.

Decided to put my credit card where my heart is!

Good one! that's the sort of belief we need. I'm amazed you got a flight! Will you be down for the parade? Remember, we need to assemble in force so that our boys can hear us cheer them on!

AARRRGGGHHHH I am so excited! This time in 2 weeks, it'll all be over bar the party!

GO SWANS!!!

[Craig]

Re: Re: Done it

Originally posted by Bron
Good one! that's the sort of belief we need. I'm amazed you got a flight!
GO SWANS!!!

I don't understand what's so hard about getting a flight now??? I have just been on the virgin blue website and there are heaps of flights with availability.

I can hardly see a demand for Melburne flights until they make the GF. As all tickets are non refundable it would take a very game person to book now.

[liz]

Re: Re: Re: Done it

Originally posted by Craig
I don't understand what's so hard about getting a flight now??? I have just been on the virgin blue website and there are heaps of flights with availability.

I can hardly see a demand for Melburne flights until they make the GF. As all tickets are non refundable it would take a very game person to book now.

Its true there are heaps of flights available, though I suspect they'll start to disappear quickly come late Saturday night - and even between now and then the prices are likely to rise.

But the tickets are NOT non-refundable (at least not on Qantas). That might have changed my mind. With the cheapest ticket option you can reschedule your flight any time before the day of travel. So you may not be able to get a refund but you can push it back to any time within the next year, and I have no doubt I'd be able to use it next season some time. You have to pay a $27 admin fee to do so, but that's not a huge cost. I've actually paid slightly more for mine (to get the flights I wanted) and have no admin fee to pay if I need to reschedule. Except that I won't need to, of course.

Things actually went awry after I made my initial post when Qantas rang to tell me my credit card isn't very well at the moment! Guess its taken a pounding from last week's trip to Adelaide, not to mention me buying lots of tickets for friends for next weeks game and sticking them all on my card. But they were very helpful and are willing to hold the flights for me until early next week so I can sort it all out.

Unless anyone thinks they'll have no need to travel to Melbourne in the next 12 months, its definitely worth booking flights now, IMO.

[Bron]

Corporates normally take the seats out friday afternoon ... function friday night, GF breakfast, GF, dinner and come home sunday. Also the normal friday afternoon business travel binge. When we went down a couple of years ago, we had booked through Ansett, they went bust and we had to drive. We're going to drive this year too. IT was quite convenient having a car and we're staying with friends.

[Craig]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Done it

Originally posted by lizz
Its true there are heaps of flights available, though I suspect they'll start to disappear quickly come late Saturday night - and even between now and then the prices are likely to rise.

But the tickets are NOT non-refundable (at least not on Qantas). That might have changed my mind. With the cheapest ticket option you can reschedule your flight any time before the day of travel. So you may not be able to get a refund but you can push it back to any time within the next year, and I have no doubt I'd be able to use it next season some time. You have to pay a $27 admin fee to do so, but that's not a huge cost. I've actually paid slightly more for mine (to get the flights I wanted) and have no admin fee to pay if I need to reschedule. Except that I won't need to, of course.

Things actually went awry after I made my initial post when Qantas rang to tell me my credit card isn't very well at the moment! Guess its taken a pounding from last week's trip to Adelaide, not to mention me buying lots of tickets for friends for next weeks game and sticking them all on my card. But they were very helpful and are willing to hold the flights for me until early next week so I can sort it all out.

Unless anyone thinks they'll have no need to travel to Melbourne in the next 12 months, its definitely worth booking flights now, IMO.

Thanks that clears it up and makes a lot of sense. Qantas seems the way to go as Virgin don't offer refunds or changes.

[Glenn]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Done it

Originally posted by Craig
Thanks that clears it up and makes a lot of sense. Qantas seems the way to go as Virgin don't offer refunds or changes.

Think you will find Virgin do offer refunds etc, but only on there more expensive fares (as with Qantas) and not on the cheaper fares

[Bas]

The only person on this website who will definately see the Swans if they make the GF is Bron (with her redbacks membership).

Everyone else has to buy a ticket first. There's only about 8,000 GF tickets available if that and 22,000 members in Sydney, you'd imagine at least 50% would want to go and that means people will miss out.

As a person can buy up to 8 tickets each (with membership cards)
I'm surprised that no one hasn't suggested a queing strategy just in case the Swans win next week.

Tickets will probably go on sale Monday morning as they will be selling the Collingwood tickets (sadly) on Sunday.

If you book and pay for a flight, you'd have 12 months to use it anyway.

[liz]

Originally posted by Bas
The only person on this website who will definately see the Swans if they make the GF is Bron (with her redbacks membership).

Me too!

[Reggi]

Originally posted by Bas
The only person on this website who will definately see the Swans if they make the GF is Bron (with her redbacks membership).

All us AFL members with Sydney Swans club support are guaranteed a seat as well

[Bas]

Congratulations Liz.

If the Swans make the GF just make sure you buy your GF T-shirts BEFORE the game because if they lose, all the selling booths just dump the losing team clothing and you won't be able to buy it on the day.

When I went to the GF in 2001, I was going to but a bombers t-shirt for a friend and though I'd do it after the game. Not a bombers t-shirt in sight after the full time siren!!

Reggi, I have Club Support too but still a Restricted member though. In my 7th year and not too long to wait now. Have to line up this year though!

[Reggi]

Bas I thought restricted members with club support were guaranteed a seat?

I have a full membership so no problems for me I guess.

Nice to know really - I pretty much get a GF seat every year as a full member anyway only GF I have missed since 95 is 98 & 99 when I was overseas.

Membership has its privelages.

Full AFL membership took me 3-4 years but have been a member about a decade.

You would expect with 8,000 tickets that many Sydney supporters will get seats.

[Steve]

Unfortunately not for restricted members (I'm still waiting )
--------------------------------------
from afl.com.au:
Week four - Grand Final
AFL Full Members with club support packages of the 2 competing clubs - Sunday September 21st at 9am

All other AFL Full Members (regardless of club support) - Tuesday September 23rd at 9am

IF available, Preliminary Final and Grand Final tickets may be released to Silver AFL Members on the Thursday prior to each weekend of matches.