Australian airline Qantas says it is planning to restart regular international passenger flights to most destinations from 31 October 2021 \u2013 an extension from the previous estimate of July.<\/p>\n
The date change aligns with the expected timeframe for Australia\u2019s Covid-19 vaccine rollout to be effectively complete, the airline said.<\/p>\n
“Capacity will be lower than pre-Covid levels, with frequencies and aircraft type deployed on each route in line with the projected recovery of international flying. International capacity is not expected to fully recover until 2024.<\/p>\n
“The group remains in close consultation with the Federal Government around the reopening of international borders and will keep customers updated if further adjustments are required.<\/p>\n
Qantas said it is assessing the use of digital health pass apps to help support the resumption of Covid-safe international travel. The CommonPass and IATA Travel Pass smartphone apps are being trialled on the airline\u2019s international repatriation flights.<\/p>\n
The airline said it is planning to resume flights to 22 of its 25 pre-Covid international destinations including Los Angeles, London, Singapore and Johannesburg from 31 October 2021.<\/p>\n
Qantas said it won\u2019t initially resume direct flights to New York, Santiago and Osaka, but remains committed to flying to these three destinations.<\/p>\n
“In the meantime, customers will be able to fly to these destinations under codeshare or oneworld arrangements with partner airlines.”<\/p>\n
Health pass<\/strong><\/p>\n At the end of 2020, global airline lobby International Air Transport Association (IATA) said it is working on a mobile app<\/a> <\/strong>that will help travellers demonstrate their coronavirus-free status.<\/p>\n This comes as part of a\u00a0push to introduce so-called Covid passports to speed up the revival of international travel.<\/p>\n The travel pass will display test results together with proof of inoculation, as well as listing national entry rules and details on the nearest labs, said IATA.<\/p>\n The app will also link to an electronic copy of the holder\u2019s passport to prove their identity.<\/p>\n A test program will begin with British Airways parent IAG SA this year before arriving on Apple devices in the first quarter of 2021 and Android from April, IATA said.<\/p>\n Travellers will be able to share their status with border authorities or present a QR code for scanning.<\/p>\n
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