Qantas, the Australian flag carrier which has shut down its international operations until next summer, has now added that it won’t be flying to the U.S. again at least until the very end of next year.
The move is widely taken as an indicator of the airline’s belief that the U.S. is far from getting its coronavirus levels under control, with rates overall still significantly higher than Europe or Asia and with some areas only reaching their peak now. Qantas was one of the first airlines to drop foreign routes and Australia one of the first countries to ban foreign visitors.
When it does restart overseas flying, with flights to New Zealand first, the airline will look a lot different than it has; it has retired all its 747s and mothballed its A380s, noting that they might remain grounded for several years. Instead, Qantas will be flying its long-distance routes with 787s. It has also postponed deliveries of more 787-9s. No new word on its Project Sunrise plans to fly to the U.S. and London from eastern Australian cities; that is likely also postponed significantly.
