(TAN): Qantas, the national carrier of Australia, has announced to operate flights to repatriate 1,315 Australians currently stuck overseas.
The carrier will operate eight return services: four from New Delhi, three from London and one from Johannesburg.
London and New Delhi flights will operate direct to Darwin. The arrival port for the Johannesburg flight is being worked through and all passengers will have to enter 14-day quarantine. Additional flights to other destinations may be announced in due course.
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The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) will contact Australians who have registered with the department in the United Kingdom, South Africa and India.
All services will be underwritten by the Australian Government and operated by Qantas on a cost recovery basis. They will be flown using Qantas’ 787-9 Dreamliners.
Qantas will take similar on-board safety precautions as its previous repatriation services from international hotspots. All passengers will be Covid-19 tested at least 48 hours prior to departure and must test negative in order to board the aircraft. They must wear masks throughout the flight and will be tested again on arrival in Australia before entering 14-day quarantine.
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As with other international charter flights, crew will have additional protections including personal protective equipment, in-flight service will be scaled back and there will be ‘crew only’ areas at the front and back of the aircraft.
Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said: “As the national carrier, this is something we are proud to do. I’d like to thank not only the crew who are volunteering to operate on these services but the many people behind the scenes who make sure these flights happen, particularly to cities where we don’t typically operate to.”
The one-way economy fares cost USD 2,150 from London, USD 1,750 from Johannesburg and USD 1,500 from New Delhi.
