Qantas in a flight of fancy: MP says wait

AUSTRALIANS may have to wait until COVID’s “dark winter” is over before jetting overseas, despite Qantas resuming the sale of international flights, the federal health minister says.

Qantas has recommenced bookings across its entire international network from July 1 this year, including on routes to the COVID-ravaged UK and US.

Australia’s international borders remain shut, with Australians banned from leaving the country without an exemption.

But Qantas argued that progress on a vaccine had outpaced expectations, with the EU, UK and the US, among others, well into their rollouts.

Health Minister Greg Hunt welcomed increasing inoculation rates around the world but did not commit to a timetable for international flights.

“I’m not going to make any predictions on specific time frames,” he said, adding it was unclear whether the vaccine would prevent transmission – a factor that would “determine the pace” of reopening.

“What we’re likely to see is a progressive opening up. It won’t be just one day where all of a sudden everything’s open

“Australia’s an island sanctuary. Outside of our borders, it’s a very, very dark winter in so many parts of the world.

“What we’re doing is keeping it safe here, and as we believe it’s safe that people can leave and be able to return, then we’ll open those steps progressively.”

Qantas currently only services international flights to NZ and the first quarantinefree Air New Zealand flight is scheduled to land in Brisbane from Auckland this morning.

Passengers on flight NZ147 will be the first to arrive in Queensland and not quarantine, after the creation of a travel bubble.