Australian flag carrier Qantas says it has added more than 60 domestic and trans-Tasman flights to meet the huge demand from Taylor Swift concertgoers ahead of the ‘Shake it Off’ singer’s Australian leg of her sellout Eras tour next February.
According to the airline, it will add an extra 11,000 seats across its network to cater for hardcore ‘Swifties’ who are set to descend on Sydney and Melbourne to see their idol perform live.
In a tongue-in-cheek Tweet announcing the extra flights, Qantas said: “An additional 60 flights to and from Sydney and Melbourne have been added for next February after we saw a swift rise in demand.”
Swift is set to perform at the Melbourne Cricket Ground from February 16-18 and at Sydney’s Accor Stadium from February 23-26. The pop idol was originally planning just five shows in Australia, but she quickly added two additional dates following huge demand for tickets.
Qantas said that demand for Taylor Swift concert tickets quickly translated into a spike in demand for flights, with the airline reporting a 1,500% increase in bookings last week.
“Our lowest fares have a reputation for selling out quickly, so our advice for any concertgoers is to book as soon as possible,” a spokesperson for the airline told News.com.au.
The airline announced that 20 of the additional flights would just be between rival cities Sydney and Melbourne, while some single-aisle Boeing 737 flights from New Zealand will be operated by much larger Airbus A330 aircraft so that Kiwi Swift fans aren’t left disappointed.
