Qantas and Virgin add 24 flights as Dockers surge to AFL grand final

Fremantle Dockers' dramatic preliminary-final comeback at the Sydney Cricket Ground earned the club its second grand-final appearance, sparking a rapid response from Qantas and Virgin Australia. Together they have introduced 24 extra flights on the Perth-Melbourne corridor, with Virgin offering over 30,000 seats for the Grand Final week and Qantas adding 13 additional services and 2,300 seats. The schedule begins Wednesday morning and provides multiple departures each day up to the Saturday showdown, plus return flights for supporters after the match.

A Qantas spokesperson noted the additions complement the 8,000 seats already allocated by Qantas and Jetstar for western fans. Fares for the new one-way routes start at $766, reflecting the surge in demand from fans who booked travel months in advance.