THERE was still a half to play in the preliminary final between West Coast and Melbourne but the airlines believed the game is over.

With the Eagles leading by 10 goals prices on flights from Perth to Melbourne for next week’s Grand Final spiked.

With four minutes remaining in the second quarter, direct flights from Perth to Melbourne – leaving on Thursday and returning west on Monday – with Tiger Air were selling for $1338.

The AFL’s official airline Virgin Australia was selling flights with the same departure dates for between $1618 and $2378.

To travel to Perth for the weekend after the Grand Final – also from Thursday to Monday – prices start at $603 return.

After a week of negative press with Melbourne fans being similarly gouged, the competing airlines are sure to come under fire again in the lead up to next Saturday.

If you miss out on a Grand Final ticket, on the same dates, for almost the same money, you could jump on an Emirates flight to New York.

While an Etihad flight to Paris is, unbelievely, cheaper than Perth-Melbourne on the same dates.