For those dreaming of visiting Australian, Sydney, the Great Barrier Reef and other Aussie attractions, this will hopefully be possible by the end of October.
Australia closed its doors to international travelers during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However, Qantas, the country’s flag carrier, has announced that it hopes to resume international flights by end October, 2021. This is due to the fact that the country’s vaccine program is already well underway.
International flights to Australia to resume
While Australia has been closed off to international travelers for some time during the COVID-19 pandemic, this will likely change soon. The country aims to conclude its COVID-19 vaccination program by the end of October this year. Linked with this, Australia’s flagship airline, Qantas, aims to restore international flights at that time, including flights by Jetstar, the company’s lower-priced carrier.
Management at Qantas remains in close consultation with the Australian government. Should the situation change, the dates for resuming international flights will also be changed to suit.
October date ‘sensible’ and ‘conservative’
Qantas CEO, Alan Joyce, said in a statement that the end October date “seems sensible and in some ways conservative.” Joyce said that the “vaccine changes everything.” He added that with the vaccine rollout already underway, the airline is on the right track.
Qantas understandably is being cautious, as in January, the airline started selling tickets to and from Australia from July 1. At that stage, it was hoped that international flights might be able to resume by July 1. However, any traveler who purchased tickets for that time was protected, as Qantas offered customers full refunds. They also offered a free change of date, or travel vouchers, should customers’ plans be disrupted by the extension of border closures.
As noted by Bloomberg, currently, Qantas is aiming to resume 22 of the airline’s 25 overseas routes from October 31, including Los Angeles, London and Johannesburg. Meanwhile, Jetstar will kickstart all its 13 international routes. On top of this, Qantas, that was recently named the safest airline in the world, also plans to increase the volume of its trans-Tasman flights to New Zealand by July this year. It is understood that international travelers will be required to be vaccinated in order to board flights.
Anyone planning trips is advised to note that the official date for the resumption of international travel has yet to be announced. Back in January, Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said, “Decisions about when international travel resumes will be made by the Australian Government.”
“Operations and ticket sales on particular routes are commercial decisions for airlines. International borders will be opened when international arrivals do not pose a risk to Australians,” he added.
Major attractions in Australia
Of Australia’s many modern cities, Sydney tends to stand out, with its iconic harbor-front Sydney Opera House, with its distinctive sail-like design. Meanwhile the sprawling Darling Harbor and smaller Circular Quay ports are full of waterside life and entertainment. Other attractions include the Sydney Harbor Bridge and the Royal Botanic Garden close by. For 360-degree views of the city and its surroundings, visitors head to Sydney Tower’s outdoor platform, the Skywalk.
Meanwhile, Australia’s beaches, including the famous Bondi Beach in a Sydney suburb, attract many visitors each year, when there is no pandemic on the go. Divers love to head to the Great Barrier Reef to spot colorful marine life, while animal lovers visit the iconic wildlife of Australia, including kangaroos and koala bears.
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