Early check-in and vegan meals – how flying with Qantas is changing
Flying with Qantas when international travel returns on Monday? Expect vegan meal options and get to the airport four hours early.
International travellers flying with Qantas will be able to check-in for their flight four hours early and have the option of a vegan meal on board, when borders reopen from Monday.
Qantas has shared more details of what passengers can expect as international travel restarts, 20-months after borders slammed shut due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Although much of the process will be familiar to travellers, Qantas will offer what it calls a “digital hand-holding solution” to minimise any challenges.
This will involve emails or texts sent seven days, four days and one day before travel with customised checklists, reminders and links to relevant information.
In coming weeks the International Air Transport Association digital travel pass will be ready for passengers to upload vaccination certificates and negative Covid test results.
Until then, early check-in will allow airline staff more time to check passengers have the required information and vaccination status to board the aircraft.
Once on board, passengers will see some changes including to the in-flight menu, with a vegan option to be available across all cabins.
Qantas chief customer officer Steph Tully said the vegan offering was being made in response to the growing popularity of plant-based meals.
Dishes would include potato and celeriac gratin with roast fennel, peas, mushrooms and onion sauce; and ratatouille pasta bake with herb crumb, cauliflower and green beans.
A new cocktail to mark the return of international travel – the Qantas Sky Spritz – would be available in flight and in lounges.
Fly Well kits containing a face mask, hand sanitiser and antibacterial wipes would continue to be available with masks a government requirement in airports and on board aeroplanes.
Other changes to in-flight services include fully compostable paper wrappings on amenity kits, sustainably-sourced bamboo combined swizzles and stirrers and new compostable cups on all international flights.
Ms Tully said the reopening of Australian borders and Qantas’s first long-haul international flights in 20 months would be “a very special day” for the airline.
“Some things haven’t changed including our world class premium service,” said Ms Tully.
“Our customers can expect a mix of new initiatives and a return of many favourites, all designed to make them feel right at home again the minute they step in to one of our lounges or on board our aircraft.”
The Qantas update came as the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade finally moved to change the “do not travel” advice that’s kept most Australians at home for the past 20-months.
As long as the advisory existed, Australians were unable to get travel insurance when leaving the country, a requirement of entry to some overseas nations.
Country-specific travel advice has now been reinstated for 177 countries, but no destination will be lower than “exercise a high degree of caution”.
Foreign Minister Marise Payne said that was because all travellers needed to be aware of the risks and take care regardless of where they were going, while Covid-19 remained a global health risk.
“Border settings and quarantine requirements in other countries continue to change,” said Senator Payne.
“Australians will also need to consider the requirements of airlines, transit and destination countries, as well as return arrangements to Australia in making decisions on when and where to travel abroad. Many of these requirements are subject to change at short notice given Covid-19 situations.”
She acknowledged it had been a “difficult 18-months for Australians overseas trying to return, and for Australians with family and friends overseas”.
“The changes announced today are a vital next step in re-uniting Australian families and safely reopening Australia to the world,” Senator Payne said.
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Originally published as Early check-in and vegan meals – how flying with Qantas is changing
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