Quantas is Australia’s oldest commercial airline, and a national icon with great international respect. When CEO Alan Joyce says government policies will make vaccines necessary for international travel, this may well happen. Nations will insist on it, he believes. And if they don’t, he thinks his airline should enforce its own policy.
Governments Considering Vaccination As Condition for Entry
Making vaccinations essential for foreign travel will change booking terms and conditions, Quantas CEO Alan Joyce believes. That’s because airlines have to transport passengers to another destination if they don’t meet entry requirements. Moreover, he believes 90% of his customers will embrace the idea, based on a recent opinion survey.
However, World Health Organization director of digital health and innovation, Bernardo Mariano is against Quantas unilaterally making vaccines necessary for international travel. He does not see the decision as a commercial one, he told BBC News. Instead, he wants a unified approach from governments. This makes sense if we want to promote universal airline buy-in.
Australia May Make Vaccines Necessary for International Travel
Australia is the only nation with its own continent. It has unique plants and animals that are vulnerable to invader species. Hence visitors have become accustomed to its ‘do it our way’ approach. Therefore, there’s a possibility Australia may unilaterally adopt its own policies for arriving overseas visitors.
Quantas airline has its back to the wall with Australia virtually closed to foreigners, and interstate crossings periodically stopped. CEO Alan Joyce understands there will be public push back against reopening international travel, but he has an airline to run.
‘We need people to understand they can’t have zero risk with this virus. We manage risk in so many different other ways for other parts of life,’ he points out. Whatever Joyce and his government decides, it’s clear the impact of the virus is not going away soon.
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Preview Image: Commercial Airliners at Mojave
