Qantas cannot rule out coronavirus crisis leading to NT flight cuts
QANTAS says it cannot rule out the coronavirus crisis impacting domestic services to the Territory
Business
Don't miss out on the headlines from Business. Followed categories will be added to My News.
QANTAS says it cannot rule out the deadly coronavirus impacting domestic services to the Territory.
The airline has been forced to make further drastic flight cuts, reducing capacity by almost a quarter for the next six months due to fears over COVID-19.
Qantas is altering routes to London and parking 10 of its 12 A380 aircraft because of weak demand.
It will reduce capacity of its international network by a quarter, and domestic routes by five per cent for the next six months.
MORE STORIES
Darwin silk under investigation for foul-mouthed tirade
Deckchair Cinema starts petition against nearby development
First NT coronavirus pandemic clinic opens at RDH
Qantas Group said rather than exit routes altogether, the airline would use smaller aircraft and reduce the frequency of flights to maintain overall connectivity.
A spokesman told the NT News that the impact of the coronavirus was continuously unfolding and an impact on Territory services could not be ruled out.
“The focus is mainly on international services and domestically on the eastern seaboard where there are higher frequencies,” the spokesman said.
“ It will come down to demand for travel and passenger loads.”
The spokesman said the airline was doing its best to minimise the impacts of coronavirus on services as best it can.
Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said the airline is grounding around 38 aircraft in total.
“We expect lower demand to continue for the next several months, so rather than taking a piecemeal approach we’re cutting capacity out to mid-September,” he said.
Amazing NT News subscription offer: Only $1 for first 28 days
“This improves our ability to reduce costs as well as giving more certainty to the market, customers and our people
“We retain the flexibility to cut further or to put capacity back in as this situation develops.”
Olivia Wirth’s Myer revival hinges on it all coming together
The former Qantas executive has moved at lightning speed in her first 100 days in charge of the retailer. This is where she wants to take it.
‘Did not fall’: CCTV tells different story in Darwin man’s workplace injury
Police have reviewed CCTV footage of a workplace injury that left a man with no feeling in his legs – alleging there was more to the incident than first meets the eye.