Qantas announces it will restart overseas flights on November 1

Australia’s biggest airline has announced a major change to the carrier’s overseas travel plan, following the shock announcement around NSW borders.

Qantas will resume flights overseas in just weeks — following the NSW government’s shock announcement that both hotel and home quarantine will be scrapped for vaccinated travellers.

The decision, announced by NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet, means that from November 1 — vaccinated NSW residents flying in from overseas countries will no longer have to enter any form of quarantine.

Overseas flights will start next month. Picture: Peter PARKS / AFP.

“Those people returning to Australia … and those who want to come back, who want to visit Australia and come to Sydney, hotel quarantine will be a thing of the past,” he explained.

“Hotel quarantine, home quarantine is a thing of the past. We are opening Sydney and New South Wales to the world, and that date will come in on November 1st. This is a significant day for our state”.

In response, Qantas has made the decision to move forward their first flights from November 14 to the first day of the month to coincide with the international border reopening.

The airline will operate up to five return flights a week from Sydney to London and up to four return flights a week from Sydney to Los Angeles. Flights to London will operate via Darwin until at least April 2022.

“Bringing forward the reopening of Australia to the world and removing quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated travellers entering New South Wales is a massive step towards life as we knew it,” the airline’s CEO Alan Joyce said.

“In just a little over two weeks, Australians around the world can fly into Sydney and people from around Australia can leave on trips they’ve been waiting almost two years to take. We hope other states will do the same once they reach the 80 per cent target.”

Qantas CEO Alan Joyce will reopen international travel in line with the NSW government announcement. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Bianca De Marchi

The airline first flagged their overseas network plan in August, revealing flights overseas would start in December this year. The prediction was based on when Australia’s international borders would most likely reopen again following the federal government’s budget.

The airline has since started selling tickets for a number of overseas routes, including Singapore, Los Angeles and London.

“Removing quarantine for the fully vaccinated is a sensible approach and brings New South Wales into line with many other global cities,” Mr Joyce said.

Flights to other destinations including Singapore, Fiji and Vancouver are still scheduled to commence from 18 December 2021 with other destinations to restart in the new year

Qantas earlier this month the will move the flagship direct route from Australia to London from Perth to via Darwin instead, given Western Australia’s borders still have no date on reopening to the entire country.

The national carrier has reached an agreement with the Northern Territory Government and Darwin Airport to temporarily reroute its flights from Melbourne and Sydney through Darwin instead of Perth, however the airline said it will watch how it performs and is “open-minded” about what it could lead to down the track.

Virgin Australia, who have not announced a restart to overseas travel, said they welcomed the removal of quarantine measures.

“We welcome the arrangements foreshadowed by the NSW Government to end quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated travellers,” a spokesperson said.

“It’s fantastic news for travellers, the aviation industry, and the thousands of businesses and communities in the state who rely on open borders and the economic injection that tourism provides.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison shut down Perrottet’s plans to reopen to tourists on November 1. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images.

Mr Perrottet’s announcement that the welcome mat would be rolled out to anyone and everyone who had been fully vaccinated - including tourists - was shut down by Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday, who insisted Australian residents, skilled migrants and international students would take priority first.

“We are not opening up to everyone coming back to Australia at the moment. I want to be clear about that,” Mr Morrison said.

“It is for the Commonwealth and Federal Government to decide when the border opens and shut at an international level and we will do that.

“In the first instance it will be for Australian residents and their families. We will see how that goes.”