Qantas axes most overseas flights until October due to Covid-19
Qantas has seen domestic passenger numbers double to 64,000 this week, compared to last week's 32,000
Australian flag carrier Qantas Airways has cancelled all international flights until late October except for those to New Zealand.
The news comes as the Australian government said its border would remain closed into next year to slow the spread of the coronavirus, reports the BBC.
The airline and subsidiary Jetstar are now boosting domestic flights as travel restrictions within Australia ease.
Qantas has seen domestic passenger numbers double to 64,000 this week, compared to last week's 32,000.
The nation's tourism minister has also encouraged Australians to take their holidays within the country this year.
"With Australia's borders set to remain closed for some time, we have cancelled most international flights until late October," the airline said in a statement.
"We still have some flights scheduled across the Tasman in the coming months, with the expected travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand," the statement continued, referring to the Tasman Sea between the two countries.The airline pointed to comments from Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham for its announcement on Thursday.
Birmingham said on Wednesday that the decision to shut the country's border was one of the main reasons Australia had been successful in fighting the spread of Covid-19 and it would not be reopened any time soon for general travel.
"I do sadly think that in terms of open tourist-related travel in or out of Australia, that remains quite some distance off," he told the National Press Club.
When asked whether that would mean the border would remain closed until next year, Birmingham said, "I think that is more likely the case".
