Arabic version: جماهير كروز تواجه ارتفاعاً حاداً في أسعار الطيران إلى نصف نهائي بريزبن

According to ABC News, Adelaide Crows supporters seeking to attend Saturday night’s knockout AFL semifinal against Brisbane at The Gabba are confronting sharply higher airfares, with some saying the trip has become unaffordable. The Crows earned the away final after defeating the Western Bulldogs at Adelaide Oval on Saturday, while tickets for the Brisbane match went on sale Monday.

Return flights from Adelaide to Brisbane that had previously cost less than $100 were quoted at more than $1,000 for some travellers. By midday Monday, the cheapest one-way fares to Brisbane across major carriers were above $500. A Virgin Australia Lite fare, without checked baggage and travelling via Sydney, was listed at $578.11, while a Jetstar Starter fare was $504. Single flights back to Adelaide were also above $500, including a direct Jetstar service starting at $643.

Supporter Judy Bray said fares had been about $500 each before member tickets went on sale, but nearly doubled just before sales began. Janice Regan, president of the Eyre Peninsula supporter group, said her travel options meant leaving Adelaide earlier and returning the following Wednesday to secure cheaper flights. She said Friday or Saturday return flights were about $1,200, with accommodation costs adding to the decision.

Crows forward Darcy Fogarty praised the club’s travelling supporters and said the team wanted to give them a reason to cheer. Virgin Australia said it would monitor demand through the AFL finals series and add flights where possible to help keep fares affordable. Qantas said it had added an Adelaide-to-Brisbane flight on Friday and a return service on Sunday after a surge in demand, while urging fans to book early because the cheapest seats sell fastest.