Qantas has cancelled most of its international flights, other than some flights to New Zealand, up until late October.
The announcement comes after Australia’s Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham said the Australian border is likely to stay closed to international travellers until next year, according to ABC News.
“With Australia’s borders set to remain closed for some time, we have cancelled most international flights until late October. We still have some flights scheduled across the Tasman in the coming months, with the expected travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand,” the Australian carrier said in a statement sent to Business Traveller Asia-Pacific.
“Should travel between Australia and other countries open up and demand returns, we can add more flights back into our schedule,” said a spokesperson from the airline.
Birmingham told the National Press Club of Australia earlier this week that Australia’s border will likely remain closed until 2021, according to ABC News.
“I do sadly think that in terms of open tourist-related travel in or out of Australia, that remains quite some distance off,” said Birmingham, according to ABC News.
The Qantas Group said earlier this month that it will increase domestic and regional flights for June and July as travel restrictions within Australia begin to ease. The additional services will see capacity increase from five per cent of pre-Coronavirus levels, to 15 per cent by the end of June, said Qantas.
Qantas, Jetstar increase domestic flights as restrictions ease