Qantas, Jetstar set to ramp up domestic flights

Qantas and Jetstar are beginning to put some meat back onto the bones of their current skeleton schedule as travel restrictions ease, scaling up from a current 5% of pre-coronavirus capacity to 15 per cent by the end of June – about 300 return flights per week – to 40% by the end of July.

However, both airlines remain eager to see the borders of Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, the Northern Territory and Tasmania swing open again – especially as the July school holidays draw near.

“We know there is a lot of pent up demand for air travel and we are already seeing a big increase in customers booking and planning flights in the weeks and months ahead,” notes Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce.

“We are gradually adding flights in June as demand levels increase (and) we can quickly ramp up flying in time for the July school holidays if border restrictions have eased more by then."

The combined schedules will fatten up the Sydney-Melbourne corridor – usually one of the world's busiest domestic airline routes – along with increased intra-state flights within New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia.

Flights will resume on eight routes which have been suspended, while the coronavirus-delayed launch of  Qantas flights from Sydney to Byron Bay /Ballina is back on the cards.

More flights to more destinations as the Qantas/Jetstar network bounces back.

However, passengers can expect a different travel experience, with cabin crew handing out masks and sanitising wipes, while lounges will impose a capacity limit due to social distancing and will replace buffets with prepared meals and snacks.

"We’ll be sending out information before their flight so they know exactly what to expect and have some extra peace of mind," Joyce said. “Importantly, the Australian Government’s medical experts have said the risk of contracting Coronavirus on an aircraft is low."

Read more: What to expect when flying domestically during the coronavirus era

Qantas and Jetstar will also allow travellers to change the date of their domestic flight once, without paying a change fee, for bookings made before 30 June 2020 on travel between 12 June and 31 October 2020.

Using your Qantas Points to book a Classic Flight Reward seat on any Qantas or Jetstar flight will allow a change of date or cancelling the booking free of charge until 31 October 2020.

Also read: How to earn Qantas status credits on Jetstar flights

Here's the complete Qantas and Jetstar schedule through to the end of June. 

David Flynn

David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.