Qantas puts flights back on agenda

TRAVEL agents hard hit by the pandemic are “holding back tears of excitement” after Qantas announced the early return of a string of overseas flights.

Australians will be allowed to fly from Sydney to Delhi before Christmas and to Singapore, Bangkok, Phuket, Johannesburg and Fiji over summer after Qantas and Jetstar announced the early return of some routes on Friday.

It comes as the national carrier prepares to restart international flights between Sydney and London and Los Angeles from November 1.

Camden travel agent Alison Hoogenboom, 44, said the return of international travel would not only keep her business afloat but help her to put food on the table for her two children.

“We’re holding back tears of excitement,” she said.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday joined Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce at the Qantas Jet Base and confirmed a quarantine-free travel bubble between Australia and Singapore could be established within a week.

Campbelltown travel agent Janine Pendleton, 38, said most people did not realise agents didn’t get paid until someone actually travelled overseas.

Mr Joyce said around 11,000 Australian-based staff would return to work in early December.