Qantas CEO Alan Joyce calls for stop to ‘Covid tests at every turn’

Qantas CEO Alan Joyce hopes Covid tests ‘at every turn’ will stop for vaccinated travellers who have earned their freedom.

Qantas chairman Richard Goyder overseeing the airline’s AGM in Perth on November 5, 2021. Picture: Supplied

Qantas CEO Alan Joyce says fully vaccinated travellers have earned the right to travel freely and easily and should not be subject to Covid tests “at every turn”.

The remarks, made during the airline giant’s AGM on Friday, followed the reopening of Australia’s international border on Monday to fully-vaccinated citizens, permanent residents and their families.

Despite being allowed to return to Australia without the need to quarantine, the overseas arrivals must still submit to a Covid test in the first 24-hours and again after 7 days.

Queensland’s quarantine-free border reopening to New South Wales and Victoria on December 17, also comes with the condition anyone arriving from those states has a pre-departure Covid test. And Western Australia plans to insist on pre- and post-flight Covid tests when the state finally reopens in late January, at considerable cost to travellers.

Mr Joyce said such conditions were frustrating for vaccinated travellers who would “reasonably expect to move freely and easily”.

“Hopefully these conditions, particularly PCR testing at every turn, is dispensed with as Australia becomes more confident living with Covid,” Mr Joyce said.

“Surely that’s something we’ve all earned.”

Despite those potential deterrents to travel, Qantas was seeing high levels of demand and confidence and introduced new routes.

In the past two weeks, Qantas had taken close to half a million domestic bookings, compared to about 20,000 in two weeks in August.

“Bookings to South Australia have increased more than six-fold since the SA Premier confirmed their reopening plan,” Mr Joyce said.

“Bookings to Brisbane, Gold Coast and Cairns are up tenfold in the past two weeks.”

Qantas CEO Alan Joyce addressing the airline’s AGM in Sydney on November 5, 2021. Picture: Supplied

Demand for seats on London-Sydney services were also “extremely strong” and new flights from Sydney to Delhi had been some of the airline’s fastest-selling.

Mr Joyce said big fluctuations in airfares reflected the patchy demand for international travel with flights coming into the country heavily booked but those going out “relatively empty”.

“There’s some very attractive airfares out there. You’re looking at about $2000 return for LA,” he said.

“Over peak periods airfares always get higher but Qantas isn’t aiming to make profits out of this time. We’re just aiming to generate cash and get capacity back in the air.”

He confirmed a Qantas A380 would return to Australia as soon as next week to help crews prepare for the April restart date for the superjumbos.

By the end of 2022, six A380s were expected to be back in service for Qantas, flying Sydney to LA and London, which would free up Boeing 787s to do other routes.

Along with chairman Richard Goyder, Mr Joyce fielded a wide range of questions from shareholders, relating to everything from carbon emissions to face masks.

It was expected the federal government’s mask mandate for people at airports and on aircraft would remain in place for “some time”, and Mr Goyder reiterated the airline’s commitment to net zero emissions by 2050.

In response to a question about whether Qantas would consider flying to airports other than Heathrow in the UK, Mr Joyce pointed out partner Emirates operated to Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow and Dublin.

He also provided instructions to a shareholder on how to upload their Covid vaccination certificate to the Qantas app in order to be rewarded with frequent flyer points or status credits.

Resolutions were passed in favour of the re-election of non-executive directors Belinda Hutchinson, Antony Tyler and Todd Sampson.

Shareholders also supported Mr Joyce’s participation in a long-term incentive plan, which would see him pocket 861,000 shares worth $2.17m for 2021.

Mr Goyder indicated Mr Joyce was expected to stay on as CEO until late-2023 “and possibly beyond”.

“The board is comfortable that we are well placed for renewal, when that time comes, particularly with the talent and experience we have on our group management committee,” said Mr Goyder.

Originally published as Qantas CEO Alan Joyce calls for stop to ‘Covid tests at every turn’