Australia: Pop singer Taylor Swift’s concerts led Melbourne airport to experience its busiest day since before the pandemic, with one-way domestic prices surging above $1,500.
The singing sensation Taylor Swift has already touched down for the Australian leg of her sold-out Eras Tour, but the journey begins for thousands of interstate fans who made the trek to Melbourne for her Friday night concert.
Melbourne Airport representative has said that, a record number of 117,000 passengers passed through the terminals. There were also a record number of 775 scheduled take-offs and landings. “Airlines such as Qantas and Virgin Australia have added extra flights from key domestic destinations, and there are also extra flights operating from New Zealand to allow people to get to the concerts this weekend,” the spokesperson stated.
“February is typically the quietest month for travel, so to be breaking records today is extraordinary,” he added to the statement. Social media users have been reporting an “electric” atmosphere on domestic flights to Melbourne. A video of flight attendants dancing to “Shake it Off” has gone viral, and an entire flight from Perth burst into an impromptu rendition of “Cruel Summer.”
Qantas added 60 extra flights in June of last year to meet the increased demand for concerts. This included 24 more flights between Sydney and Melbourne. In early February, another four return flights were added to the schedule, which connect Melbourne to Auckland, Brisbane and Perth.
Those fortunate enough to snag a last-minute ticket to Swift’s Friday concert will face expensive last-minute one-way flight costs exceeding $1,000 to arrive in Melbourne on time. As of Friday morning, Jetstar’s website had only a few flights available from Sydney to Melbourne, with one-way prices ranging from $317 to $1,048. Virgin faced similar difficulties, offering just six flights from Sydney to the MCG, with a one-way economy cost of $551 to $859 for superfans.
According to a spokesperson from Melbourne Airport, there has been a significant increase in the number of arriving passengers. To keep up with the demand, airport staff have been collaborating with ground transport operators. Skybus has provided an additional six buses on Friday to assist with transfers to the city. Furthermore, customer service staff have been positioned around the terminals to assist arriving passengers.
This comes amid controversy over Swift’s heavy emitter status due to her regular use of private jets, according to reports. However, on Thursday evening, more than 6,000 fans eagerly watched her flight, with the registration number VJT993, travel from Honolulu to Melbourne. This flight has now become the most tracked aeroplane in the world. Despite her heavy emissions, Swift has claimed that she has purchased double the required amount of carbon credits to offset her travel for the Eras Tour.
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