Qantas has every right to fly only vaccinated passengers overseas
JUST like people have a choice to vaccinate or not, Qantas can choose to only fly passengers who have had the jab, writes DENISE CAHILL.
Opinion
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GET the COVID-19 vaccine or don’t fly Qantas, it’s as simple as that.
Just like people have a choice to vaccinate or not, Qantas can choose to only fly passengers who have had the jab.
It’s no different to childcare centres not accepting children who haven’t been vaccinated.
Research shows that immunising against killer diseases saves lives.
There are also proven theories that our bodies are incredible machines that, treated right, can fight off ailments without intervention.
But we live in a country where people can decide what they put in their bodies and corporations have the power keep you off their airlines.
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Immunisation checks are not new for international travellers.
World Health Organisation-issued yellow immunisation booklets list updated vaccinations and are checked at airport customs when passengers arrive back in Australia from countries such as Kenya.
An outdated yellow fever immunisation wouldn’t stop you from getting back into the country, but that disease didn’t bring the world to a halt.
Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce controversially announced on Tuesday that proof of COVID-19 vaccination would be a non-negotiable condition of international air travel.
Mr Joyce has repeatedly warned that international air travel won’t resume until there’s a vaccine available for staff and travellers.
However, on Monday night, he went a step further, telling A Current Affair host Tracy Grimshaw that as soon as a vaccine becomes available it will be a condition of travel.
“For international travellers, we will ask people to have a vaccination before they get on the aircraft,’’ he said.
“Certainly, for international visitors coming out and people leaving the country, we think that’s a necessity.
“I think that’s going to be a common thing talking to my colleagues in other airlines around the globe.”
Qantas was trending on Twitter during the week with the “no jab, no fly” policy dominating the social media platform.
Janine Perrett was among the supporters of the concept, tweeting: “Very happy if all those mad anti-vaxxers want to boycott Qantas over Joyce comments. Anyone else who has a problem please fly another airline – it’s your choice as it is mine to be safe.”
Josh Face tweeted: “#qantas asking people to get a vaccination before getting on an international flight will encourage me to fly Qantas when we are allowed to fly again.”
However, Senator Pauline Hanson was among those opposed to the concept.
She said Qantas requiring passengers to have a COVID-19 vaccine was “unacceptable”.
“I have no intention of accepting an unproven vaccine into my body,” she said.
Avi Yemini, via Twitter, was also against the move.
“I’m no anti-vaxxer, but forced vaccination, especially of such a new drug, is NOT okay,” he wrote.
As was Gemma Tognini: “Qantas could have gone with any number of options. Rapid testing. Proof of negative test on flying but it’s attempting to force a medical decision on customers. I’m not anti-vax. I’m vaccinated. I am also vehemently anti-corporate bullying under the guise of ‘health’.”
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If Qantas successfully bans people who haven’t been vaccinated against COVID-19 from flights it will certainly cause a stir, but no doubt eventually become part of our “new normal”.
Denise Cahill is the Head of News at the NT News
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