iscover
Qantas is set to send international passengers a checklist of reminders before leaving home, ahead of its resumption of commercial flying on Monday.
The airline said it also “revamped” its digital travel guide to be tailored for the customer’s destination.
Flight QF1 will depart from Sydney at 6:30pm en route to London, via a short layover in Darwin. It follows the removal of the ban restricting Australians from leaving the country, and NSW’s announcement it will remove all forms of quarantine for fully vaccinated travellers.
“The safe reopening of Australia’s borders and our first international flights will be a very special day for the entire Qantas team,” said Qantas Group chief customer officer Stephanie Tully.
“We have redesigned our digital booking experience with world-first technology to help our customers easily navigate the post COVID-19 world of international travel.”
Based on the customer’s specific destination government requirements, passengers will receive regular texts from Qantas with updated information.
“Pre-departure: Emails/SMSs to customers seven days, four days and one day ahead of departure with customised checklists, reminders and links to relevant information,” Qantas said.
The IATA Travel Pass will also be integrated into the digital platform, allowing customers to upload vaccination documents and testing proof before flying.
In early October, Qantas announced it would bring forward its planned restart date for international flights to 1 November.
The move will see the airline’s major international restart brought forward by two weeks, after Qantas previously announced it would begin international flights to 14 November.
From 1 November, Qantas will operate up to five return flights a week from Sydney to London, via Darwin, and up to four return flights a week from Sydney to Los Angeles with its Boeing 787 Dreamliners. Flights to London will operate via Darwin until at least April 2022.
These flights will be limited to Australian citizens, permanent residents and their immediate families and parents in line with current Australian government requirements, Qantas said.
The carrier announced a week ago it would also bring forward its planned return to flights from Australia to Singapore, Fiji, Johannesburg, Phuket and Bangkok, as well as introducing a new direct route between Sydney and Delhi.
From November onwards, Qantas said it will be rolling out its new menu across international flights, including broader plant-based options due to demand.
In response to increasing pressure for sustainability, the airline has introduced fully compostable paper wrappings, bamboo stirrers and compostable cups into its inflight services.
The flag carrier said it will use Darwin International Airport’s Catalina Lounge as a temporary international transit hub for eligible customers travelling through Darwin to London.
