While lockdowns are beginning to ease around Australia, and we’re returning to some resemblance of life as we used to know it – the possibility of travel, especially international travel, has been one restriction that hasn’t eased.
Alexandre de Juniac, chief executive of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), revealed on ABC News Breakfast on May 14, that normal travel would likely not resume until 2023. While the Tourism Minister said, “it won’t be anytime soon”.
Now we have a more solid idea: CEO of Qantas, Alan Joyce, has said that the airline’s international flights will likely not resume until July 2021.
“We’re keeping ourselves ready,” he said. “We can always activate the 787s and the A330s if the market opens up earlier but for the purpose of this plan we are working on international operations not starting in any real size…until July next year.”
Qantas had already cancelled all international flights, except for services to New Zealand, until late October. This week, the company also announced it was grounding 100 aircraft in the US’s Mojave Desert and had let go 6000 staff, including cabin crew and ground staff. It’s also parking its A380s for “at least three years”.
While international travel may be off the cards, Scott Morrison and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern are reportedly working on a ‘trans-Tasman travel bubble’ between the two countries.
A joint statement read: “Once we have established effective travel arrangements across the Tasman, we will also explore opportunities to expand the concept to members of our broader Pacific family, enabling travel between Australia, New Zealand and Pacific island countries.”
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