Qantas confirm Perth-London, Perth-Rome direct flights in snub to NT

A major announcement by national carrier Qantas has spelled the end of direct flights from the Top End to the UK. FIND OUT WHEN IT ENDS. 

Qantas will buy 10 million litres of sustainable aviation fuel for use on flights from London, to reduce carbon emissions. Picture: Supplied

UPDATED DEC 15: NATIONAL carrier Qantas has announced it will recommence flights directly from Perth to London and Rome, spelling the end for the Top End's own flights to the UK capital. 

Under a deal between the airline and the NT government announced in October, Qantas would fly directly from Darwin to London until at least March or April.

The deal was seen as a snub of the West Australian government's strict Covid-19 border policies. 

There had been hopes the UK flights would continue beyond March, however in a major announcement on Tuesday evening, Qantas indicated it would resume Perth-London flights from April. 

A spokeswoman for the airline confirmed to the NT News that flights would again operate via Perth, effectively spelling the end of the 'temporary arrangement' for Darwin. 

UPDATED DEC 10: TWO airlines with direct flights to Territory destinations are yet to add extra services from December 20 onward, despite the abolition of home quarantine.

The NT News understands neither Qantas nor Jetstar have added extra flights to their schedules following Chief Minister Michael Gunner’s announcement on Thursday.

Instead both the national carrier and its discount subsidiary were expected to stay in a holding pattern for at least the next few days while they sought to gauge demand from passengers.

It is understood restrictions were still considered somewhat limiting by the airlines for would-be tourists.

Both Qantas and Jetstar declined to give on-the-record responses.

Virgin Australia, which also operates flights in and out of did not respond to comment.

The airlines have been quick to cancel flights to the Territory during previous Covid outbreaks interstate.

Jetstar and Qantas reinstated flights for December after further details of the Territory’s border reopening plans were published last month.

In late October, the carrier announced it had suspended flights between Darwin and Melbourne.

“Due to restrictions for travel between the Northern Territory and Victoria remain in place until 18 January 2022, our services between Darwin and Melbourne are suspended until that date,” a Jetstar spokesman at the time said.

On Thursday, Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker warned authorities were anticipating between 2000 and 3000 arrivals into the Territory every day in coming months.

Mr Chalker said NT Police would be gearing up to deal with the influx.

OCTOBER: PLANNING on travelling south for Christmas?

That may have changed after Jetstar cancelled a myriad of flights to Melbourne in December.

Customers who had already booked their flights received emails saying their direct flights had been cancelled and a credit had been put into their account.

The email cited “the evolving coronavirus (COVID-19) situation” despite Darwin having no active cases and the Victorian government announcing interstate travel would be quarantine free from November 24.

However, a Jetstar spokesman said the airline wanted its planes in the air and had been forced to cancel flights because the NT wasn’t allowing those travelling from Victoria in until January 18.

“Due to restrictions for travel between the Northern Territory and Victoria remain in place until 18 January 2022, our services between Darwin and Melbourne are suspended until that date,” he said.

“Customers with bookings to fly between the NT and Victoria between now and 18 January have been notified and offered the option to change their travel date, receive a credit voucher or opt for a refund.

“If there are any further changes to our schedule we’ll contact customers directly with a range of alternative options.”

Chief Minister Michael Gunner said did not comment on the flight cancellations but said he would “continue doing things the Territory way”.

“We won’t be rolling out the red carpet to COVID and we will keep taking the advice of our health professionals as we move through the next steps to safely open our borders,” he said.

“We have led the nation and the world right through this pandemic, both in terms of our health response and our economic response. No lives have been lost, and we have enjoyed freedoms the rest of the world and the country could only have dreamed of.

“We have outlined our roadmap to no quarantine, and we will get there safely. I thank every Territorian who has rolled up their sleeves and gotten vaccinated. The vaccine is the best health measure possible for the Territory to be as safe as possible from COVID.”

Follow @PhillippaButt

Originally published as Qantas confirm Perth-London, Perth-Rome direct flights in snub to NT