Soaring airfares price Crows fans out of semifinal

For Adelaide Crows fans hoping to follow their team to Brisbane, the price of a flight has become almost as formidable as the knockout semifinal itself.

The Crows will play defending premiers Brisbane at The Gabba on Saturday night after defeating the Western Bulldogs at Adelaide Oval. Tickets for the match went on sale Monday, but supporters soon faced airfares that had surged beyond what many could justify.

Janice Regan, president of the Eyre Peninsula supporter group, said flight prices had “gone through the roof.” Return fares from Adelaide to Brisbane, previously available for less than A$100 in some cases, could now exceed A$1,000. Judy Bray said fares had been around A$500 each before tickets went on sale to members, then almost doubled.

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Flight prices had gone through the roof.

By midday Monday, the cheapest one-way flights to Brisbane cost more than A$500 across major carriers. A Virgin Australia fare with no checked baggage cost A$578.11 via Sydney, while a Jetstar fare cost A$504. Return flights were similarly expensive, with a direct Jetstar flight back to Adelaide starting at A$643 and a Virgin flight via Melbourne priced at A$565.

Regan said a travel agent even told her that flying from Adelaide to Singapore and then Brisbane could be nearly as cheap. She decided to leave Tuesday and return the following Wednesday, rather than travel on Friday or Saturday. Supporters are weighing how long to stay in Brisbane in an effort to reduce the cost of attending the game.

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I’m extremely disappointed. I feel sorry for the club. If other supporters feel the same way, they’re not going to have good representation in the crowd.