Dear Editor – Knowing that Tourism Solomon Islands is hosting a summit on Friday in Honiara to promote domestic travel amidst the coronavirus problems still affecting many countries in the world and the consequential drop in tourist visitors to the Solomon Islands, I came across an article written and posted last week by Andrew Curran in the online publication ‘Simply Flying.’
I thought I might share some of what Mr. Curran wrote.
Quote
Qantas is pushing back its planned resumption of international services until late October 2021. This is four months later than the previously announced restart date of July 1.
That date was widely regarded as overly ambitious. Now, as Qantas unveils its half-yearly financial results, the airline confirmed on Thursday most international flights would remain off the books for another eight months.
Qantas says its October date lines up with the expected timeframe for the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination in Australia.
The airline also notes it is looking at using digital health pass apps to facilitate the resumption of international travel. This follows local competitor Air New Zealand announcing they will trial the IATA Travel Pass in April.
It’s not just the mainline Qantas international fleet looking to get back into the air in October. Low-cost subsidiary Jetstar is also planning to resume international flights then. That news will come as a relief to regular Jetstar destinations highly dependent on tourism. In 2020, Jetstar’s brand new service between Seoul and the Gold Coast ended just weeks after it began.
The Qantas Group says Jetstar will resume flying to all 13 of its regular international destinations from October 31. However, they note frequencies will be adjusted to suit demand.
End of quote
“Andrew Curran is a lead Journalist in Australasia – A Masters level education and appetite for travel combines to make Andrew an incredible aviation brain with decades of insight behind him. Working closely with airlines including Qantas and Virgin Australia, Andrew’s first-hand knowledge of the challenges and opportunities facing Australian airlines adds exciting depth and color to his work and sees him providing commentary to ABC News and more. Based in Melbourne, Australia.”
Quoting what I read in the Bangkok last November international travellers will need to be vaccinated against Covid-19 to fly with Australia’s Qantas, the company has said, the first major airline to suggest that such rules could become common across the industry.
Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said the Australian flag carrier would implement the measure once a coronavirus vaccine was made available to the public.
“We are looking at changing our terms and conditions to say for international travellers that we will ask people to have a vaccination before they can get on the aircraft,” he told Channel Nine.
Frank Short
solomonislandsinfocus
