Qantas and Jetstar to Offer Over 1,200 Extra Return Flights From NSW and Victoria Sunshine State

Just in time for Christmas, Qantas and Jetstar will increase flights into the Sunshine State from New South Wales and Victoria with over 1,200 extra return flights. The added service follows the decision by the Queensland Government to reopen borders.

Qantas and Jetstar Increase Service to the Sunshine State for Christmas - Courtesy Jetstar

Today (November 24, 2020) Qantas announced that in conjunction with Jetstar they will increase flights from New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria to the Sunshine State in time for Christmas with over 1,200 extra return flights. The increase in capacity follows the decision by the Queensland Government to reopen their borders. Starting December 1, 2020, the carriers will operate more than 250 weekly return flights across seven routes from Sydney, up from only 36 weekly return flights currently. The easing of border restrictions will see the resumption of over 10 routes providing more options for business and leisure travelers. In Tuesday’s announcement, Qantas Group’s CEO, Alan Joyce, said,

“This is news that many families have been waiting so long to hear. On behalf of tourism operators across all three states, we thank the Queensland Government and Premier Palaszczuk. New South Wales and Victoria have done such a great job getting the virus under control that it makes complete sense to open the borders to Sydney and Melbourne. Based on the demand we’re seeing already, Queenslanders can expect to welcome a lot more visitors in the next few months. We can’t wait to see a repeat of the heartwarming scenes in Melbourne and Sydney this week with families reuniting after months apart, this time in Queensland. Australia as a whole needs certainty about state borders staying open, particularly when the testing and tracing framework is now so well established. We renew our calls for a consistent set of rules that apply nationwide.”

Qantas and Jetstar to Operate Over 1,200 Flights From NSW and Victoria to the Sunshine State for Christmas - Courtesy Qantas

With the added flights, the Qantas Group’s schedule will return to approximately 60 percent of the pre-pandemic level. Additionally, by early December Qantas Frequent Flyers will have access to 35 domestic and regional lounges around the airline’s network.

Source(s): Qantas, Jetstar