Qantas introduced changes to its upgrade rules as part of a revamp last week, but moving towards the front of the plane still isn't easy and you'll normally need points. Here's what you need to know to score an upgrade on domestic flights.

Dear Lifehacker, I travel regularly and was wondering if you could clear up a question regarding e-ticketing. When away in another state I often want to check in online to ensure I can get the seat I want but can't because I don't have a printer to print the e-ticket on. Can the e-tickets be scanned from a smart phone or iPad by the check-in staff? Thanks, Printless

Virgin Blue is undertaking a major revamp of its lounges in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane from February 4. While the airline is promising "significant improvements", in the short term there'll be alternative facilities and closures to deal with.

Trying to unsubscribe from a mailing list and having your request ignored is always frustrating, so it's good to know that the Spam Act has some real teeth to it. Regulator ACMA has accepted an enforceable undertaking from airline Virgin Blue to improve its systems after numerous complaints from people who have attempted unsuccessfully to leave its mailing list.

Most airlines offer flight updates on their web sites, but those sites aren't always easy to access on a mobile device, especially with the iffy signal found near many airport. A new service from Virgin Blue lets you check flight status by sending an email [email protected] with a query in the subject line.

If you're a Gold or Platinum frequent flyer with Qantas, that's a big reason to not use rival airlines. Virgin Blue has latched onto that thinking, offering free upgrades to its Velocity Gold program for those Qantas members.

In a bid to put its long-running check-in woes behind it, Virgin Blue will be switching off most of its computer systems from 8pm tonight until 5am on Thursday -- meaning no online bookings or check-in, no phone sales, and no kiosk check-ins at airports. If you're flying with Virgin Blue during that time, get yourself to the airport even earlier than usual; if you're planning to fly, either book this afternoon or wait until later in the week.

One of the key factors when rating airline frequent flyer schemes is just how easy it is to actually redeem your points for a flight you want. A ranking of local and international airlines shows which airlines have the best seat availability, but there's a bit more to the issue than it first seems.

Earlier this week, I gave Qantas' mobile check-in option a spin, and found it effectively unusable on my BlackBerry. Why that happened wasn't exactly clear, but a second attempt today to check in hasn't worked any better.

Both Qantas and Virgin Blue have recently begun promoting mobile check-in, which lets you download a boarding pass direct to your smart phone. It's a great idea, but a disappointing reality -- at least if you're flying Qantas and using a BlackBerry.

For anyone who has just arrived at Lifehacker after seeing our editor on the Today show this morning, click here to read the whole story of the Four Airlines experiment. If you missed it, catch the video after the jump.

Yesterday I flew all four domestic airlines -- Jetstar, Qantas, Tiger and Virgin Blue -- in a single day, without any of the delays I (or many readers) expected. I can't recommend it as a way for anyone else to spend their time, but it does provide some useful lessons about air travel in Australia.

Note to Virgin Blue: I don't need a wheelchair, but I would like a towel. The Four Airlines challenge continues.

Australia has four major airlines competing on interstate routes, with offerings from bare-bones budget to full service. But price aside, how do Jetstar, Qantas, Tiger and Virgin Blue really measure up? To find out, this Wednesday I'm going to fly on all four of them in a course of a single day.