Qantas fast-tracks flights to London, Los Angeles from November 1
Flights from Sydney to Fiji, Vancouver and Singapore may also be brought forward from December 18.
By David Flynn, October 15 2021
Qantas will bring forward the restart of international flights from Sydney to London and Los Angeles following today's announcement that New South Wales will abandon hotel and home quarantine for all fully-vaccinated travellers from November 1.
The airline's flagship Sydney-Los Angeles and Sydney-London flights – which were previously scheduled to take off from November 14 – will now be brought ahead to Monday November 1.
The airline says there'll be up to five return flights a week from Sydney to London, and up to four return flights a week from Sydney to Los Angeles, with more flights to be added based on demand.
With those flights now on sale, Qantas says "passengers who have already booked to travel to and from Los Angeles or London and want to travel earlier can make a fee-free date change to their flight on the ‘manage my booking’ section of qantas.com (a fare difference may apply)."
As previously reported, both routes will rely on the Qantas Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, and the Sydney-London flight will run via Darwin instead of Singapore until at least April 2022.
The airline says these initial flights will be "limited to Australian citizens, permanent residents and their immediate families and parents in line with Australian Government requirements."
Other Sydney flights could also restart earlier
Flights from Sydney to several other destinations – including Singapore, Fiji and Vancouver – which were slated for December 18 may also be moved up to November, the airline says.
"Bringing forward the reopening of Australia to the world and removing quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated travellers entering New South Wales is a massive step towards life as we knew it" said Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce, who added that "removing quarantine for the fully vaccinated is a sensible approach and brings New South Wales into line with many other global cities."
"In just a little over two weeks, Australians around the world can fly into Sydney and people from around Australia can leave on trips they've been waiting almost two years to take. We hope other states will do the same once they reach the 80 per cent target."
Passengers on all international Qantas flights will need to be fully vaccinated, although the airline says it will make "exemptions for medical reasons and children."
Qantas will use the Travel Pass app to certify vaccination records and the results of pre-departure PCR tests, and is also offering travel insurance with 'Covid-19 cover'.
Read more: Qantas now offers Covid-19 travel insurance for international flights
03 Jun 2021
Total posts 9
About time, am out of here on 1 November finally able to reunite with family 😊😊😊
Let us home the other states are not far behind
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
03 Oct 2018
Total posts 6
I've downloaded the IATA Travel Pass app. Australia is yet to be listed in the "Vaccination Certificate" section of the app. as of 15 October 2021.
Jetstar Airways - Qantas Frequent Flyer
24 Aug 2018
Total posts 112
With the greatest respect for Qantas management, I have to draw attention to the fee- free change of dates with the kicker: a fare difference may apply. Having made a number of date changes for 2019 and 2020 flights with my family group, as well as others for my wife and me, the new journeys ( now also changed to 2022) are in total more than $ 500 to date. Lord only knows what they will cost once I invoke my collective credits and cash held by my national carrier, some time hopefully in 2022.
18 Oct 2021
Total posts 1
It' great that Aus is opening up... But, I am disappointed that migrant workers and students are given precedent over family.
As a mature couple (i'm 58) my wife and I have been double jabbed and by the time our booked flights arrive (late December) we will have had our booster jabs too. So how are we more of a risk to the Australian people than those in the 'priority' groups?
We are so longing to see our daughter who has PR in Aus, and we appreciate that Aus can make the rules, but the rationale seems very unfair.
05 Mar 2015
Total posts 422
Migrant workers and students are not getting any "priority" over Australian citizens, residents and their family.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
21 Jan 2018
Total posts 4
The part that irks me as a Qantas LTG and Platinum FF is that if it's good enough for Qantas to "borrow" nearly $14K from us for the last 15 months after our flights to the US were cancelled in July last year, it should be good enough for us to be able to take the same routing in April next year for the same cost instead of the nearly $24K they are quoting now. It's all one way with these guys.
13 May 2020
Total posts 827
maybe stop flying Qantas ? Much better & cheaper airlines with better business class.
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