Can Australians really expect to travel overseas by Christmas?

Can Australians get overseas by Christmas? The bold plan to have the entire nation’s population vaccinated by 80 per cent isn’t the only roadblock keeping Australians grounded

• Major Australian airline Qantas is hopeful some international flights before Christmas
• Fate lies on National Cabinet’s target of 80 per cent of the Australia’s population vaccinated by the end of the year
• Qantas CEO Alan Joyce has flagged quarantine requirements as one of the biggest unknowns for the aviation sector

Home for Christmas?

At the beginning of the pandemic last year, the hope was borders to open by Christmas 2020. Although optimistic, this reality is now likely one year on.

Despite the harsh lockdowns across the country to contain the delta outbreak of covid-19, Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce said Australia’s rapid vaccination rollout would make international holiday travel possible again for the first time in almost two years.

In a media conference, Joyce said he understands the delta variant is difficult to manage but the first step is vaccinating airline crew and the entire Australian population, in line with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s national strategy.

2,000 Qantas frontline staff including cabin crew, pilots and airport workers will have until November 15 to get jabbed, while the 20,0000 remaining workers have until March 31 next year. 

“It’s obviously up to government exactly how and when our international borders re-open, but with Australia on track to meet the 80 per cent trigger agreed by National Cabinet by the end of the year, we need to plan ahead for what is a complex restart process,” Mr Joyce said.

Joyce said international travel may seem a long way off, but the airline will remain optimistic despite the ongoing change of circumstances.

What could stop this?

The writing is on ‘Phase C’ of the federal government’s path to pandemic normality.

Joyce flagged that one of the biggest unknowns hangs around quarantine requirements, that vary from state to state in Australia for domestic travel at the moment.

In a media conference, Joyce mentioned the possibility of home isolation as a viable option once international travel off the ground.

Australians have been banned from travelling overseas for a holiday since March 2020, when the pandemic began.

Joyce said there is good dialogue between Qantas and the federal government, and ongoing discussions will continue.

Qantas is assuming that current domestic border closures will remain in place until early December, and there is no decision yet if domestic passengers must be vaccinated like international passengers.

“It would be shame to visit relatives in London before relatives in Perth”

Joyce said

Where can I travel?

Joyce says Qantas is hopeful travel demand will spike once borders reopen, and has put forward a plan to layout initial routes.

Qantas said the initial routes being planned for high vaccination destinations include Singapore, the United States, Japan, United Kingdom and Canada.

The airline expects the New Zealand travel bubble will resume in some form by mid-December.

Passengers can expect a restart on flights to Hong Kong in February and the rest of the Qantas and Jetstar international network from April next year.

Flights to low vaccination cities like in Asia and South Africa with high Covid-19 case numbers would not restart until at least April 2022 as well.

Those destinations include Bali, Jakarta, Manila, Bangkok, Phuket, Ho Chi Minh City and Johannesburg. 

Qantas has plans to bring back five of its A380 Airbus super jumbos earlier than expected, in 2022

However the hope from Qantas is market recovery by 2024.