Latest news with #frequentflyers
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Yahoo
Update on Qantas frequent flyers data hack
Qantas says it has been contacted by a group claiming to be behind the theft of the data of millions of its frequent flyers last week, The airline said in a statement late on Monday that 'a potential cybercriminal has made contact' but it would not disclose if a ransom was being sought. 'As this is a criminal matter, we have engaged the Australian Federal Police and won't be commenting any further on the detail of the contact,' a Qantas spokesman said. Qantas said it was working with cybersecurity experts 'to validate' the authenticity of the communication. 'There is no evidence that any personal data stolen from Qantas has been released but, with the support of specialist cybersecurity experts, we continue to actively monitor,' the airline said. The airline confirmed last Wednesday that a cyber attack occurred in one of its Filipino call centres, and customers' names, dates of birth, emails, and frequent flyer numbers were stolen. Other personal information such as credit card, passport, and financial details were not stored in those centres, Qantas has said. In an update on Friday, the Australian Federal Police said Qantas had been 'highly engaged' with the authorities investigating the breach. More to come
News.com.au
07-07-2025
- News.com.au
Qantas says it has been contacted by a group claiming to have stolen data of its frequent flyers
Qantas says it has been contacted by a group claiming to be behind the theft of the data of millions of its frequent flyers last week, The airline said in a statement late on Monday that 'a potential cybercriminal has made contact' but it would not disclose if a ransom was being sought. 'As this is a criminal matter, we have engaged the Australian Federal Police and won't be commenting any further on the detail of the contact,' a Qantas spokesman said. Qantas said it was working with cybersecurity experts 'to validate' the authenticity of the communication. 'There is no evidence that any personal data stolen from Qantas has been released but, with the support of specialist cybersecurity experts, we continue to actively monitor,' the airline said. The airline confirmed last Wednesday that a cyber attack occurred in one of its Filipino call centres, and customers' names, dates of birth, emails, and frequent flyer numbers were stolen. Other personal information such as credit card, passport, and financial details were not stored in those centres, Qantas has said. In an update on Friday, the Australian Federal Police said Qantas had been 'highly engaged' with the authorities investigating the breach.
Daily Mail
02-07-2025
- Daily Mail
The little-known trick that can get your luggage to arrive first - and it's FREE
It's always a pain to get off the plane and have to wait ages at the carousel for your luggage to arrive. But now a travel expert has revealed a way to get your bag to arrive first - and it doesn't cost a penny. Hadleigh Diamond, the commercial director at SCS Chauffeurs, explained that a lot of his clients use the same trick to get their luggage without a wait. 'Clients regularly tell us that the difference between a good travel day and a stressful one often starts with baggage reclaim,' said Hadleigh. 'If you're standing waiting for 30 minutes while the carousel clunks out someone else's bags, your trip can feel so much longer. But the fragile sticker trick is a game-changer - and it often works.' The travel expert explained: 'We've heard this tip from both airport ground staff and frequent flyers. 'You don't need to lie or explain - just politely ask the check-in agent to add a "fragile" sticker to your suitcase. 'It's not guaranteed, but more often than not, your bag is among the first out. We've seen it work time and time again.' 'Clients regularly tell us that the difference between a good travel day and a stressful one often starts with baggage reclaim,' said Hadleigh Travellers can ask airport staff to put a fragile sticker on their bag when they check-in. As fragile luggage will generally be loaded last, it's likely to be unloaded first. It might not take hours off the wait at the baggage carousel, but it could save holidaymakers a few minutes. Of course, the easiest way to minimise time spent at the airport is to travel with just hand luggage. Holidaymakers may soon avoid the frustration of paying extra fees for carry-on luggage at the boarding gate - thanks to proposed changes in EU airline rules. The EU Parliament transport committee has approved new regulations that would grant all passengers the right to carry a handbag or small suitcase weighing up to 7kg at no extra cost. Under the amendment, passengers would be allowed one cabin bag with dimensions measuring up to 100cm, in addition to a smaller personal item that fits under the seat. This proposal could significantly impact budget airlines such as Ryanair, easyJet, and Wizz Air, which currently charge extra for larger cabin baggage.
The Independent
20-06-2025
- The Independent
When should you arrive at the airport? Our travel team reveal how long they leave (without missing a flight)
Last year, we had gate lice, raw dogging and the check-in chicken – but now the latest travel trend is testing the limits of airport arrival times. 'Airport theory' is a TikTok trend where people attempt to whizz through check-in, bag drop and security with just 15 minutes to spare before boarding their flight. The 'theory' suggests that traditional timeframes to get from the terminal to aircraft doors see travellers waste unnecessary hours hanging around. But does a short dash through the terminal save precious packing time, or is the trend pointlessly risking a missed flight? Here's how far ahead the frequent flyers of our travel team rock up to the terminal, from allowing plenty of time for a Pret to cutting it fine in the security line. Just in time Unless you miss the odd flight, you are spending too long at airports. Obviously, though, missing a flight is annoying and expensive. So I work out the last train that will get me to the airport before the check-in deadline, then take the one before to allow some recovery time. Typically I will reach the airport with 10-15 minutes to spare. But if trains are disrupted, it can be close. Last year going to Kathmandu on Qatar Airways from Gatwick, I reached the check-in desk (physically the furthest possible location from the airport rail station) with three minutes to spare before the one-hour check-in deadline expired. On occasion, I hitchhike to the airport, most recently to Glasgow, but that really does inject uncertainty. – Simon Calder, Travel Correspondent Planned ahead This trend makes my skin prickle. Despite flying relatively frequently for work, I still get stressed about my journey to the airport. I like to allow at least two hours for flights to Europe and three-and-a-half if I'm flying internationally. The process is undoubtedly smoother than it used to be, and I recently flew Ryanair where even checking in my bag was done by a machine, but it's the fear of the unknown that gets to me. Traffic/rail delays/long queues/etc. I plan my journey at least a week in advance and get there early enough to sit smugly with a coffee as I watch the panicky last-minute travellers arriving flustered at the gate. – Emilee Tombs, Assistant Travel Editor As little airport as possible While I don't mind flying, I'm not a fan of airports. As with other forms of public transport, I always seem to be in painfully close proximity to the person conducting an extended phone conversation on loudspeaker with zero consideration for those around them, children sans headphones blasting Bluey from tablets, and passengers of all ages scrolling through social media at volume (yes, I AM fun at parties). Hanging around a crammed departures lounge with irritable, exhausted and anxious fellow passengers, paying £7 for a substandard Pret sandwich and trying and failing to navigate the world's narrowest aisles in Boots with a wheelie in tow is far from a vibe. For this reason, my aim is to spend as little time as possible at the airport without running the risk of actually missing my flight – but I'm reasonably conservative when it comes to timings. For short-haul flights, 90 minutes seems more than reasonable, while for long-haul flights, I'll stretch to two hours at a push. If I'm travelling during a peak time, such as school holidays, I might reluctantly allow myself an additional 30 minutes, but anything more than two and a half hours seems deranged. I haven't missed a flight yet. – Joanna Whitehead, Travel Writer Somewhere in the middle The cavalier attitude I used to display towards airport arrivals has been replaced with something rather more cautious after a couple of near-misses – yet you'll rarely catch me at an airport much more than two hours before my flight departs. Even at the fanciest terminals, I have no desire to spend more time at the airport than is absolutely necessary. If I have lounge access, I may arrive 2 hours and 30 minutes ahead of departure, but I'd still rather be at home than even the nicest parts of Gatwick or Heathrow. Something between 90 minutes and two hours feels about right - enough time to nip into Pret, but not quite enough for a Wetherspoons breakfast. – Annabel Grossman, Global Travel Editor With time for a Wetherspoons If I am truly honest, I am not always a punctual person. However, my airport arrival time may be the exception to my 'running five minutes late' lifestyle. Not because I fear missing a flight, or because my flatmate has again lied to me about what time we actually need to be somewhere, but – as cruisers claim that the holiday starts when they step onboard – I am firmly of the belief that a holiday starts with spending an extortionate amount on a flute of fizz in an airport's Spoons-esque establishment. For this recreational reason, I am loyal to the general guidelines and tend to allow at least two hours to get to the gate, peruse Duty-Free and down a prosecco. – Natalie Wilson, Travel Writer By the book When it comes to airport punctuality, I'm strictly by the book. I know this because my partner's approach of arriving at the last minute leaves me cold with dread. So if the recommended time to check in is three hours before the flight departs, that's when I try to turn up, with perhaps even a cheeky 15-minute buffer thrown in on top of that. And when the gate is shown, I'll head to the gate. My partner? That's her cue to buy a new pair of sunglasses and a couple of coffees. – Ted Thornhill, US Travel Editor There's time to spare As a self-confessed over-organiser whose stress levels skyrocket whenever I am late, I could never take part in the airport theory trend. I tend to arrive at the airport at least three hours before a flight departs. While baggage drop and security never take up copious amounts of time, I always allocate over an hour or so in case of any wild airport queues or chaos fuelled by short staff or system failures. I would rather have hours sampling Duty Free perfume or sitting down for a drink and something to eat than sprinting through the concourse. I apply this to arriving at the gate too; as soon as my gate number is announced on the information screen, I am immediately on my way there. Gate staff sometimes crack on with loading passengers straight away, and being first at the gate can sometimes result in boarding before most, grabbing the all-important cabin bag space in the lockers and relaxing while everyone else gets impatient waiting for others to sit down so they can move up the aisle. – Amelia Neath, Travel Writer Two hours – no more, no less I'm a big fan of arriving two hours early as I fear missing the plane and like time for a pre-flight pint. That timing is probably pretty standard, but I also do that for long haul where I think the recommendation is three, so I guess I'm a bit brave. The thought of arriving 15 minutes before strikes fear into my bones! – Marc Shoffman, cruise writer Most airports recommend allowing two to three hours to check in and get through security before your scheduled flight time. In the UK, London Gatwick says: 'Generally we recommend you arrive at least two hours before your flight to allow plenty of time.' The Crawley aviation hub advises that check-in opens 'around three hours' before the departure of long-haul flights. Heathrow, the UK's busiest airport, says: 'We recommend getting to the airport three hours before your flight if you're travelling internationally, or two hours if you're travelling domestically or to Europe.' Airlines tend to echo the two-hour guidance, with Ryanair passengers told to 'arrive at the check-in or bag drop desk at least 2 hours before they are due to fly'. Simon Calder's top tips To reduce the amount of time you need to allow: eliminate all the uncertainties you can, then build in a bit of padding. Choose public transport to the airport, ideally on rails rather than road, which runs to a published schedule. No luggage to check in. You don't need it, you won't have to allow extra time for an indeterminate wait at bag drop, and by taking carry-on only you also eliminate the risk that your case will go off on its own little holiday. Check-in online, print out your boarding pass (or save it to your smartphone) and you can head straight for the joy of the security queue.
Malay Mail
17-06-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
KLIA turnaround now visible but plenty of runway for improvements — Lokman Abdul Salam
JUNE 17 — Kuala Lumpur International Airport's (KLIA) long-awaited Aerotrain is finally nearing its return to service. According to news reports, Transport Minister Anthony Loke also recently hinted that the system is likely to be operational soon. As a frequent flyer who uses KLIA, including on several occasions in May, this news felt like a milestone, and a timely moment to take stock of the progress made and where more can still be done. The changes are easy to see. The airport now looks fresher, with bright new decor and a lively mix of international brands and local favourites. Signage is clearer and more user friendly, even for first-time visitors. Self-service kiosks and biometric gates have started reducing queues, and flight information screens are now more reliable. Behind the scenes, vital infrastructure work is underway. Besides the resumption of the Aerotrain service, baggage handling upgrades to reduce delays are said to be also in the works. Sustainability efforts such as energy-saving lighting and greener water systems are also taking shape. Recently, I also noticed that there are now mobile paramedics in the airport. This will certainly boost response time during emergencies. All these are positive steps, but frequent flyers and Malaysians still hope for more. We need faster immigration clearance, more rest areas and lounges for all travellers, and better pricing in shops and restaurants. Improved integration with public transport, such as the ERL and shuttle buses, would also make travel smoother. Just as important is the human touch. Friendly and multilingual staff can truly help KLIA stand out from the crowd. Bringing KLIA to the next level will require strong coordination across all parties involved, from airport operators to government agencies and investors. The recently formed Gateway Development Alliance, which brings together Khazanah Nasional and EPF as key stakeholders, offers an opportunity to drive long-term improvements with a clear national interest in mind. With the right leadership and continued focus, KLIA can aspire to be more than just an airport. It can become a national symbol of excellence, hospitality, and ambition. KLIA has laid a solid foundation. With continued focus and collaboration, it can grow into a source of pride for Malaysia and a world-class gateway for visitors. * This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
