Alan Joyce, CEO of Qantas, has suggested that Australia may soon establish travel bubbles with the United Kingdom and the United States, citing their successful vaccination campaigns. Speaking at the Future of Travel Forum on Monday, Joyce noted that while infection rates remain relatively high in both countries, deaths have dropped dramatically due to effective vaccine rollouts.
In the US, daily deaths have fallen from 4,000 in early February to around 131, while the UK has seen a reduction from 1,300 per day in January to just six. Both nations still record thousands of new cases daily, but the vaccination of vulnerable populations has significantly reduced mortality. Joyce described vaccines as 'our passport to get international travel going again'.
Joyce identified the Pacific Islands, including Fiji and Vanuatu, as the next likely bubble destinations, with the USA, UK, Singapore, Taiwan, and Japan also in the pipeline. Qantas is preparing to reintroduce flights to the Pacific, following Prime Minister Scott Morrison's confirmation of talks to expand the travel bubble beyond New Zealand.
Flight crews from Pacific Islands to Australia are already exempt from quarantine if they and all passengers test negative for COVID-19. The island nations have largely avoided the pandemic but have suffered economically due to the lack of tourism. An expanded bubble could boost local businesses and provide Australians with a much-needed holiday after borders closed in March 2020.
Joyce expressed optimism about long-haul travel, stating that discussions with the UK and US are ongoing despite their case numbers. He said, 'A few months ago, I thought maybe Singapore, Taiwan and Japan would be first cabs off the list but with the great progress in the US and the UK, you may see those markets opening up before the rest.' Qantas is planning to be ready for long-haul international flights by the end of the calendar year.
