Bargain of the week

Or should that be "Bargain of the Year"? From this morning, British Airways and Qantas are selling flights to Australia at an absurdly low fare, given all the stopover possibilities.

The deal is on offer for travelling out in April May or June, and returning by the end of July. To Brisbane, Cairns, Melbourne or Sydney, you pay pounds 699 plus tax - a fairly typical low-season fare for quality airlines. But in an act of spectacular generosity, the two airlines are offering stopovers in Africa or north east Asia.

The choice on the outbound leg is between Bangkok or Singapore, but on the way back you get to chose from Osaka, Peking, Seoul or Tokyo in Asia; in Africa, the Zimbabwean capital Harare or Johannesburg in South Africa. You can book through any agent, or either airline; the fastest response yesterday was from Qantas on 0345 747767. Bookings must be made by 8 April.