Qantas announces Regular flight to Delhi from early December
Good news for Australian Indians who have been longing to be united with their families, loved ones and parents by bringing them to Australia. Joined by Qantas chief Alan Joyce and NSW premier Dominic Perrottet, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced that Australians (Citizens and PRs) will be able to bring in their immediate family to Australia from November 1. Your parents will be allowed to come to Australia to visit you.
And to add to the ecstasy, Qantas has announced a new service to Delhi, flying directly into India after a hiatus of 10 years.
Importantly – ‘immediate family’ is not just spouse, partner or children, it will include parents (now allowed) as it is important for Indian Australians. It has been particularly noted by Prime Minister Morrison as he made the announcement at Hangar 96 at Sydney Airport.
“… from the 1st of November if you are Australian residents, citizens and their immediate family, and I can confirm that that immediate family will include the parents of Australian residents and citizens.
“And I know, particularly in our Indian community, that has been a very important issue for them, and I know that will be welcome, and Alan (Joyce) and the team will be flying them here with these wonderful new services going through Darwin”, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.
Priority will be given to Australians – citizens and PRs (including parents allowed) first followed by students and business travelers and then on to tourists.
“We do want to open up as quickly as possible and have as many around the world come and see the best that New South Wales has to offer, particularly though it’s important, as the Prime Minister has said, that we have returning Australians come home first. That’s obviously a clear first priority”, NSW premier Dominic Perrottet said.
If you not based in NSW and want to bring your immediate family back to Australia, Victoria is about to follow NSW in its plans to open up. In addition, the NSW premier has offered to help other states if possible.
Also read: India COVID travel ban to Australia divides locals down under
“..And here in New South Wales, where we can help other states in relation to that, we will”, Mr Perrottet added.
Qantas has been through its darkest period in its 100 years history. One of its 787 plane will fly for the first time on November 1, since March 2020.
Announcing the news of international flights resuming, Qantas chief Alan Joyce said, “… it’s great to welcome all the Qantas staff that are here today to hear what is, for us, probably the biggest and the best news that we have had in two years.”
“… this 20 months is probably the darkest period in Qantas’ 100 year history… In 10 days’ time, one of these 787s will depart Sydney and go to Darwin on its way London. That’s the first time since March of last year that Qantas has operated long haul international regular services.
“And it’s very fitting that in the final days of our 100th birthday that we start to count the kangaroo route again”, Mr Joyce added.
Qantas, after London will recommence its flights to Los Angeles Before COVID, Qantas was the largest international carrier operating in and out of Los Angeles.
Gradually more destinations will be added as vaccination numbers improve and the need for quarantine is minimized and brought under control.
Some experts warn it is not over yet and time to drop the guard.
There is an extreme appetite to fly international, most for people wanting to come home for Christmas. The federal government’s announcement to open the borders from 1st of November coupled with the New South Wales announcement that Australians fully vaccinated do not have to do quarantine in this State, has set the ball rolling. The reaction of Australians has been enormous.
Responding to the demand, Qantas has added 20 flights to London in particular.
“And demand has been massive. In a few hours, a large number of those flights sold out. There’s extremely strong demand for people wanting to get back into Australia for Christmas. We’ve also seen now, of four of the last five weeks that Qantas’s sales are bigger on the international than they have been on domestic. That hasn’t happened since COVID began”, Alan Joyce said.
“And our frequent flyers have reacted unbelievably well to these announcements. Last Tuesday was the biggest day of redemptions in Qantas’s history. Half a billion points were used for people to travel”, Mr Joyce added.
Flight to Delhi – from early December 2021
Announcing the flight to Delhi, Mr Joyce said:
“We’re also, very importantly, announcing that we’re starting a new service from Sydney to Darwin to Delhi. This is the first time in 10 years that Qantas has gone back into the Indian market”.
Qantas has been flying into India over the last few months, on behalf of the Australian government to bring back Australians stuck there. It has done 60 repeat flights. Serving their country, some of have been doing a massive amount of repeat flights and have been continuously in quarantine. They have been separated from their families to allow Australian families to get together, to allow vulnerable Australians to get back to into the country.
According to Mr Joyce, they are also extremely excited to go back to India to bring families and parents allowed to come down under.
“And talking to them earlier, they’re extremely excited that they have the opportunity to fly to Delhi on a regular basis, and that service will start in early December”, Mr Joyce said.