SHOCKER: Woman pays $750 for flight to sick daughter

JUST days after a report made hopes of a flight price reduction take a nosedive, a Bundaberg mum has had to pay an exorbitant amount for a one-way ticket home.

Denise Partridge paid $750 to fly one way from Brisbane to Bundaberg to be with her daughter who was in hospital. Picture: Contributed

JUST days after a report made hopes of a flight price reduction take a nosedive, a Bundy mum has had to pay an exorbitant amount for a ticket home.

Denise Partridge was on holiday in Brisbane and was due to fly home with Virgin Australia yesterday.

But her daughter's admission to hospital had her on the first flight possible on Thursday - a 55 minute Qantas flight that cost her $751.

Virgin only flies to Bundy once a day, and Thursday's flight had already left, so Mrs Partridge said she had no choice but to fly Qantas.

"I got word my daughter had an accelerated heart rate and they thought she was having a heart attack," she said.

"I felt I had to get home in case anything happened, but I nearly fell over backwards at the price.

"I didn't find out there was no other flight until 3.30 that afternoon." She said she felt robbed and ripped off.

"They're terrible prices," she said.

"How can one airline charge $158 and another $750?

"I was lucky I could put it on my credit card, but there are people out there who wouldn't be able to do that.

"I don't know why they charge those prices."

Mrs Partridge (pictured) said she felt for people not as lucky.

"I feel for other people who might not be able to afford it, especially if something happened," she said.

A Qantas spokeswoman said they understood it can be frustrating for people who need to travel last minute.

"Like all airlines around the world, the first seats sold on Qantas flights are typically the cheapest while the last few seats are the most expensive," she said.

"Around 80% of Qantas regional customers buy the cheaper fares, while less than two per cent buy the most expensive flexible fares.

"We understand it can be frustrating for those who need to travel at the last minute, but this pricing structure means the majority of people can travel for significantly less.

"For example, flights from Brisbane to Bundaberg this weekend are available for $195 one-way."

Originally published as SHOCKER: Woman pays $750 for flight to sick daughter