Qantas plans to resume international flights in the form of repatriation flights under a government plan to bring back approximately 25000 Australians.
Some of the repatriation flights would land at Darwin, which would become a dedicated quarantine hub for arriving passengers.
London and New Delhi are the first destinations for the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, which will land at Darwin’s RAAF Base.Travellers will then be taken to Howard Springs – a former worker’s camp located 25km south of Darwin – to begin their mandatory 14-day stay, reports Executive Traveller.
Passengers will also need to pay for their 14-day quarantine, which at Howard Springs is currently set at $2,500 per person and $5,000 for families of two or more.
Four Qantas flights from New Delhi will depart on 26 October, 9 November, 23 November and 27 November, at one-way economy fares of $1,500 per person.
Three Qantas flights from London will depart on 22 October, 7 November and 11 November, with one-way economy fares pegged at a flat rate of $2,150 per person.
Travel on the legs from Sydney and Perth to London – with departures on 19 October, 4 November and 8 November – will also be available at commercial rates and can be booked through Qantas.
One Qantas flight from Johannesburg to Australia will also operate which will be priced at $1750-the airline says the date of this flight is “to be advised” and its arrival port “is being worked through”.
Qantas says that all passengers must undergo a Covid-19 tested at least 48 hours prior to departure “and must test negative in order to board the aircraft”, as well as wearing a mask throughout the flight.
Qantas said the flights would operate on a “cost recovery” basis using Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners.
“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,” Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said.