Qantas had decided to restart international flights from November 14

Monday, October 4, 2021

Qantas has decided to pre-pone the restart of its international flights to November 14. The decision arrived in response to an announcement from the Australian federal government that the country will reopen its border from November.

The move will give long-awaited freedoms to vaccinated citizens and their relatives. Since March 2020, Australia has followed some of the strictest border rules in the world even banning its own people from leaving the country.

The policy has been praised for helping to suppress Covid-19, but it has also separated families. The national carrier will operate three weekly return flights between Sydney and London and three weekly return flights between Sydney and Los Angeles with its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners.

The carrier mentioned that more flights will be added to meet demand, if required.  Fares are now on sale for Australian citizens, permanent residents and their immediate families and some visa holders. Once the federal government announces the exact date that the international borders will reopen next month, the commencement dates for these two routes may need to be updated, the carrier warned.

As previously indicated, all passengers on Qantas’ international flights will be required to be fully vaccinated with a TGA-approved or recognised vaccine (some exemptions for medical reasons and children). They will also be required to return a negative PCR Covid-19 test 72 hours prior to departure. Alan Joyce, Chief Executive, Qantas Group said that the early reopening of Australia’s international borders will mean so much to so many people and it is made possible by the amazing ramp up of the vaccine rollout.

He mentioned that he is aware that Australians cannot wait to travel overseas and be reunited with their loved ones, and literally thousands are waiting to come back home, so the faster restart is fantastic news. He said it would also mean that the airline can get more of its people back to work, sooner. He added that the carrier has welcomed the government’s decision and the work by the New South Wales Government to facilitate the home quarantine approach that makes this feasible and is looking forward to other states and territories getting on board.

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