Airlines have cancelled some flights ahead of .
Here’s what flights are affected — and what airlines are offering customers.
Qantas
Qantas flights to or from Brisbane will be suspended from mid-afternoon Thursday until this weekend. International flights have been cancelled until midday Saturday, with international flights not running until a day later.
Flights to or from the Gold Coast were suspended from 4pm Wednesday — when Gold Coast Airport closed — until Saturday morning for international travel and Sunday morning for domestic travel.
Lord Howe Island flights have already been suspended for the day. Flights to or from Ballina have also been suspended until Sunday morning.
Flights to or from the Sunshine Coast and Hervey Bay are continuing as scheduled at present. Qantas flights to Coffs Harbour are planned to resume on Friday.
For flights to Ballina, Brisbane and the Gold Coast between 4 and 16 March, Qantas is offering customers a travel credit or a fee-free date change for up to two weeks from the original date subject to availability.
The policy also applies for flights to or from Bundaberg, Coffs Harbour, Hervey Bay, Lord Howe Island and Maroochydore between 4 and 9 March.
It is directing customers to use the online ‘manage booking’ page or to call their customer line.
“Our teams continue to closely monitor the cyclone and we are contacting customers directly with any changes to their flights,” a Qantas Group spokesperson said.
“We have proactively cancelled a number of flights today from south-east Queensland and northern New South Wales.”
The airline said it will update impacted customers via text message.
Virgin Australia
Virgin Australia has reduced its scheduled flights to and from Brisbane Airport until late Thursday afternoon.
The airline has also suspended flights to and from Gold Coast and Ballina through to Friday.
Virgin Australia’s ticket range is a day shorter than Qantas’ policy, with flights from 4 to 8 March going in or out of Ballina, Brisbane, Bundaberg, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast airports included.
Customers are advised to contact Virgin’s guest contact centre or their travel agent to get a travel credit or move their flight fee-free to a date within 14 days, according to Virgin Australia’s website.
The policy is limited to tickets issued on or before 3 March 2025.
“Virgin Australia’s meteorologists are closely monitoring Tropical Cyclone Alfred,” a spokesperson said.
Jetstar
Jetstar flights to or from Brisbane and the Gold Coast have been cancelled until the weekend. The airline has suspended international flights until midday Saturday and domestic flights until Sunday morning.
After cancelling flights on Tuesday and Wednesday, it has also suspended its travel to Ballina until midnight Thursday.
For customers flying to or out of Ballina Byron, Brisbane, Coolangatta, Hervey Bay and Maroochydore airports, Jetstar is offering a voucher or free date change for up to two weeks after their original flight date.
Jetstar’s flexibility policy extends for the longest set of dates of the major airlines, with flights between 4 March and 16 March included.
Customers can access these options through the ‘manage booking portal’ on the Jetstar website or via their travel agent, according to the airline’s website.
It’s advising customers to move their travel plans to before Thursday evening.
Rex
For flights to or from Brisbane Airport between 4 and 8 March, Rex passengers can rebook fee-free for a flight before 30 June or request a travel credit.
Rex has suspended all flights to and from the Brisbane Airport for Thursday and Friday.
Rex has cancelled nine flights scheduled to depart from or arrive at Brisbane Airport on Wednesday and suspended all flights to and from the airport for Thursday and Friday.
Further delays remain possible
While individual flight cancellations vary for each airline Airservices Australia, which coordinates air traffic control, has said there could be flight delays if staff or facilities become unavailable because of the cyclone’s impacts.
“Airservices has put staff contingency plans and emergency operational assets in place, including backup power supplies, to help us provide necessary support to Australia’s aviation sector throughout the coming days.”
