Coronavirus restrictions: When will domestic flights resume in Australia?

It’s been months since domestic flights were grounded due to the coronavirus pandemic. Now the curve has flattened, when can we return to the skies?

Escaping the confines of our homes and neighbourhoods is exactly what we all need right now.

And while we know domestic travel will be the first kind of travel to be given the green light, it’s unclear when exactly that will happen.

The Federal Government’s three-stage plan for restarting the country recommends local and regional recovery as a first step, with the interstate travel to be rolled out in stages two and three.

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But the return of domestic holidays – and domestic flights – will depend on the speed at which states and territories adopt the federal recommendations, as well as the resumption of domestic operations by our airlines.

Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory have locked down their borders and restricted access to non-essential visitors from interstate.

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Australians are keen to return to the skies.

Federal Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham has urged them to open borders to domestic holiday-makers during the lucrative winter holiday period, or risk losing tens of billions in tourism dollars.

However, Queensland has flagged its borders with southern states will stay shut until at least September, while Western Australia and South Australia have indicated borders will remain closed over winter.

When border restrictions eventually lift and non-essential travel resumes, airlines will have more of an opportunity to reinstate domestic operations.

Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce has indicated flight suspensions will be in place domestically until the end of June.

Virgin Australia has gone into administration but has vowed to return. Picture: David Clark Photography

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Qantas is currently operating flights between Australian capital cities and 36 regional destinations as part of a limited domestic network. The operations are about 5 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, but the airline expects to see demand pick up as travel restrictions ease.

Jetstar is currently operating 88 flights domestically.

Virgin Australia, which has gone into administration, is operating a domestic schedule of more than 70 flights a week between major cities and regional destinations.

It has vowed to return to the skies when it emerges from the administration process, along with its fully grounded subsidiary Tigerair, but the exact future of both airlines is unknown as its administrators continue the hunt for buyers.