News Forum - Qantas to resume flights from Sydney to Bangkok and Phuket early 2022

[Thaiger]

Qantas Airways is gearing up to resume flights from Sydney to Bangkok and Phuket from early next year, with the Aussie airline keen to get the ball rolling as international travel restrictions are gradually being lifted. Sydney is set to see the resumption of regular routes in January, more than two months ahead of schedule, as both the federal and state governments have moved to pave the way for the reopening of international borders. The New South Wales government has confirmed that quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated arrivals will be removed from November 1. While ahead of schedule, it will […]

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[Jason]

Sounds big....but after the nullifying effect of a Covid pandemic, it isn't to hard to make a seemingly "Huge leap".I can see the headlines "QANTAS increases flights to Thailand by 120%"....but when the baseline is zero... QANTAS has retracted it's international operations to next to zero (apart from repatriation flights of Australian citizens...capped by state governments in Australia). It's reputation has been tarnished by sluggishness to refund customers for cancelled flights (In my own experience from November 2019 to August 2021). QANTAS had a domestic market to fall back on, but with lockdowns and state borders open, then closed, then open again, it's is surviving....just. By contrast, QATAR Airways, flew throughout the pandemic (yes it is backed by wealthy oil magnates), but QANTAS laid off thousands of staff. Sad, considering it is the safest airline in the world. 

It's a sore point as to whether I will fly QANTAS to Thailand early next year. Maybe if it's the only one available. The current CEO is the only CEO to ground the airline worldwide a few years ago, for the first time in it's long history over a baggage handler dispute. He needs to move on. This airline began in my home state, in the town of Longreach. The name of the airline is an acronym. Queensland And Northern Territory Aerial Service.  It flew in all sorts of adverse conditions...all through World War 2 and every conflict since. 

[Jason]

It lost it's soul and only the staff (not a CEO) can bring that soul back.

[KaptainRob]

10 minutes ago, Jason said:

It lost it's soul and only the staff (not a CEO) can bring that soul back.

If any former cabin crew remain I hope it's not the Union-protected-age-pensioners of old.

[Cathat]

Sound fairly promising,will be interesting to see if they are out to gouge passengers or charge reasonable fares and try to build the market back up slowly.