Qantas aims for July restart of Johannesburg flights

Qantas Airlines operated daily flights between Sydney and Johannesburg until March 2020. However, in accordance with Australian government directives, the airline had to halt all of its international flights for almost a year. 

Qantas is preparing to take to the skies once again and is securing permits to resume operations on its international routes. Johannesburg is one of these routes. 

REOPENING INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS

After all scheduled international flights to and from Australia have been banned for almost one year,  Qantas is eager to resume operations outside its borders once again. 

The airline began accepting reservations for its international flight schedules in January. Qantas hopes to restart its international route network from July.

“It is our expectation that international travel will begin to restart from July 2021,”  an airline  spokesperson said, as quoted by Executive Traveller.

QANTAS RENEWS PERMIT TO OPERATE SA ROUTE

The airline expects to resume flights to South Africa in July. It has applied for the renewal of a permit to operate flights to South Africa from Australia’s International Air Services Commission (IASC). This is the organisation which regulates capacity on airline routes.

The airline currently has the right to operate seven flights a week between Australia and South Africa. According to Executive Traveller, Qantas has applied to have the agreement extended for a further five years.

The airline was “committed to recommencing and growing both the South Africa and Japan routes at the earliest opportunity when restrictions ease and scheduled services become operationally and commercially viable”.

QANTAS EYES PERTH ROUTE

Flights between Perth and Johannesburg were operated exclusively by South African Airways before South Africa’s national carrier was grounded in March 2020. The route was a profitable one for SAA, given high volumes of traffic between Perth and Johannesburg. Perth is home to a large community of South African expats.  

SAA has been in business rescue for more than a year and there is no confirmed date for its restart. Qantas is therefore looking at starting up flights between Perth and Johannesburg in addition to its Sydney to Johannesburg route.