Australia will open its border to its citizens for international travel in November, though the ability for foreign visitors to enter remains farther down the road, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Friday.
Australia's border largely has been closed since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, with only a limited number of Australians allowed to travel abroad and then be subject to a 14-day hotel quarantine at their own expense upon their return. Nearly 80 percent of Australians have received at least the first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, according to Morrison, and "large parts of the country" will move to "Phase C" of Australia's reopening plan, which includes allowing international travel for fully vaccinated Australians.
Under the plan, Australians will be able to travel and return to a seven-day home quarantine rather than a hotel quarantine. The country also is working toward quarantine-free travel to certain destinations, such as New Zealand, according to Morrison.
In response to the news, Qantas announced plans to restart international service on Nov. 14, a month earlier than it had previously planned. The carrier plans to start with three weekly flights each between Sydney and both London and Los Angeles. Those routes have been the most frequently searched on Qantas' website in recent weeks, and the carrier will add more if demand is greater. The start date might be tweaked once Australia announces an exact opening date.
"We'd already sold out some of our international flights for December and seen strong demand on flights to and from London and Los Angeles, so we're confident there will be a lot of interest in these earlier services," Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said in a statement. "Beyond the initial rush, the ongoing demand for international flights will hinge largely on what the quarantine requirements are. The shift to seven-day home quarantine for fully vaccinated Australians with a negative test is a great step towards reducing this closer to what is becoming standard in many countries overseas, which is a test and release program."
Citing a government source, Reuters reported the discussions are underway to also allow foreign visitors into Australia, but it is not yet possible to attach a timeline to that return.