New offer due to Corona: Qantas sells “flight to nowhere” in minutes

Australian airline Qantas seeks new business models in the Corona crisis. Starting next month, a seven-hour sightseeing flight over Australia will be offered, taking off and landing in Sydney, the company said.

With a Boeing 787, which is normally used for long-haul international flights, he passes at low altitudes over Uluru, the Great Barrier Reef and Sydney Harbor. A ticket costs between 787 and 3,787 Australian dollars (the equivalent of between 520 and 2,500 francs).

As a Qantas spokeswoman told the “Reuters” news agency release, the flight sold out in 10 minutes. “If there is demand, we will definitely consider more of these tourist flights,” the spokeswoman said..

In Australia, the borders are closed to foreign tourists until at least December. A strict entry regime has been in place in Australia since March. Only Australian citizens, residents or family members can cross the border. Upon arrival, travelers must undergo a 14-day quarantine. Australians are not recommended to travel abroad.

Crisis-related drop of 97.5 percent

The “flights to nowhere” are intended to drive demand in the Asia-Pacific region.. Taiwanese airline EVA Airways and Japan’s ANA also offer comparable regional tourist flights to secure employment and keep their pilots’ licenses up to date.

the Airlines are among the big losers from the Corona crisis: According to the Asia Pacific Airlines Association, entry restrictions, quarantine measures, and shifting risk areas have led to a 97.5 percent drop in sales. international travel in the region.

Decrease in the number of cases after a new block

The country managed for the first time to control the pandemic bcome, when the number of cases rose again rapidly at the end of June. The peak was reached in early August with 700 new infections across the country. The Melbourne region in the southeastern state of Victoria in particular became a crown hotspot, thus becoming one in early July. lock again we went. The Australian government imposed a night curfew. The neighboring states of New South Wales and South Australiaa closed its border with Victoria.

Meanwhile, however, the number of cases in the state has dropped dramatically again. Latest reported authorities 28 Laboratory confirmed infections. Given the positive developments, Victoria expects the restrictions to be relaxed at the end of the month., the number of cases should not increase again.