Qantas CEO announces vaccination requirement for passengers on international flights

Qantas, Australia's national airline, will soon mandate that international travelers must show proof of Covid-19 vaccination prior to boarding.

In an interview with Dinogo affiliate Nine News on Monday, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce explained that this new requirement would be crucial once coronavirus vaccines become widely accessible.

Joyce revealed that the airline is considering updating its terms and conditions to require passengers to be vaccinated before they board their flights.

While it's uncertain whether domestic travelers will need vaccination proof, Joyce emphasized that it would be essential for international travelers, both entering and leaving Australia, given the current state of Covid-19.

Qantas is the first airline to announce that Covid-19 vaccinations will be mandatory for travel, but other airlines may soon adopt similar policies.

Joyce mentioned, 'I believe this will become a common trend, as I’ve discussed with airline executives worldwide.'

An AirAsia spokesperson told Dinogo Travel on Tuesday that once a vaccine becomes available, the airline will reconsider the necessity for passengers to be vaccinated for international travel.

Air New Zealand expressed optimism about vaccine developments, stating that while the decision to reopen borders rests with governments, the airline is actively collaborating with authorities.

It remains uncertain whether vaccine requirements for travel will become an international norm, as questions persist about whether governments will mandate such measures and the legal implications of doing so.

The debate intensifies as three major pharmaceutical companies announced significant progress in the battle against Covid-19. AstraZeneca revealed on Monday that its experimental vaccine demonstrated 70% efficacy in large trials, Moderna reported a 94.5% effectiveness rate earlier in November, and Pfizer/BioNTech shared that their vaccine showed 95% efficacy.

The challenge of safely resuming international travel during the pandemic is a critical issue for both airlines and governments, with airlines facing severe losses from the travel decline and countries losing vital tourism revenue.

Vaccination passports and health certificates

Joyce mentioned that Qantas is exploring the possibility of introducing a 'vaccination passport' for travelers, which would confirm the type of vaccine received and whether it meets the entry requirements of the destination country.

This is an idea the airline industry is seriously considering.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), which represents airlines worldwide, stated on Monday that a digital health pass, potentially including vaccination details, is crucial for reopening borders.

The IATA Travel Pass is entering its final development phase, with plans for a cross-border pilot test later this year, aiming for a launch in the first quarter of 2021.

Alexandre de Juniac, IATA's director general and CEO, stated, 'Borders are currently double-locked. Testing is essential to enable international travel without quarantine measures.'

He added, 'The second essential step is the creation of a global infrastructure to securely manage and verify test data linked to traveler identities, in line with border control requirements. IATA Travel Pass will address this need and is set for release in the coming months, particularly to support emerging travel bubbles and health corridors.'

At the virtual G20 leaders’ summit on Saturday, Chinese President Xi Jinping advocated for a global Covid-19 tracking system utilizing QR codes to expedite international travel and business.

The Australian government has signaled that Covid-19 vaccinations may become a requirement for entry into the country. Their newly announced policy indicates that while vaccination will be voluntary, certain circumstances could lead to the introduction of border entry or re-entry conditions tied to proof of vaccination.

Flights resume as border restrictions ease

Australia implemented some of the toughest lockdowns and travel bans globally to prevent the spread of Covid-19, including a mandatory 14-day quarantine for arrivals and state borders being closed to domestic travelers.

On Monday, the border between New South Wales and Victoria, which had been a hotspot for the virus, reopened after a four-month closure. Flights between Sydney and Melbourne, once the busiest domestic route in Australia and the second busiest globally, also resumed after dropping to as few as one per day during the lockdown.

Qantas and Jetstar, which previously operated flights every 15 minutes during peak periods, began 17 daily flights between Sydney and Melbourne on Monday. This reopening of the route is expected to help increase the Qantas Group's overall domestic capacity.

On Tuesday, Qantas announced that both Qantas and Jetstar would operate over 1,200 additional return flights to Queensland from New South Wales and Victoria ahead of the Christmas holiday, following Queensland's decision to lift border restrictions.

Seizing on the surge in travel demand, Qantas introduced a 'flight to nowhere' in September, where passengers enjoy a seven-hour loop across Australia, flying over iconic sites such as the Great Barrier Reef and Uluru. The airline reported that tickets sold out in just 10 minutes.

Despite domestic flights resuming, Qantas' international fleet remains grounded. In August, the airline stated that it is 'unlikely' to restart international services before July 2021, as it continues to suffer significant financial losses due to the ongoing pandemic.