Predictions of when international flights may resume/bans lifted

[Jousams]

Part of me thinks this might bring the issue to a head and be a good thing. Hope CX, JAL et al. follow suit.

 

[dajop]

no prices coming up till 4/3/2022 on SQ site

Which actually is next year. But also not accurate, as SQ seem to be selling business and first fares on the route from 19 January onwards.

This disproves the theory that SQ are canning Australian services next year. They must have sufficient bookings until 19 Jan under current caps, and still are of the view that the caps will be in place until early March, such that they are only selling full business (Z) and First (F) booking between 19 Jan and early March.

Always take what someone in a call centre far away tells you with a grain of salt, merely because they have KPI"s relating to call volume and just want to get you off the phone ASAP when they realise they can't help you.

 

[justinbrett]

A news article explains the situation. They'll definitely fly the route - any airline wanting to make a profit would - it's the lack of a firm opening plan that is preventing presales.

“We don’t need to launch a flight, we just need to turn on the inventory once there is some indication of a model,’’ Arul said.

“All our crew are poised and ready because they’ve been operating for the last 18 months — we don’t need to send crew for refreshers and so on.”

Singapore Airlines fears poor consultation could undermine Aussie border reopening - Airline Ratings

Singapore Airlines is confident it can quickly open up passenger services to Australia but there are fears a failure to consult overseas airlines could result in an unmanageable international reopening. The airline’s regional vice president, Louise Arul, says Singapore is still in the dark about...

www.airlineratings.com

The prospect that major international airlines would turn their back on the massive Australian market just as we open is laughable.

 

[dajop]

A news article explains the situation. They'll definitely fly the route - any airline wanting to make a profit would - it's the lack of a firm opening plan that is preventing presales.

It's SQ's fault really. They are used to and have a mindset of a government that plans well in advance and is decisive. They need to adjust their thinking to accommodate governments (of whatever particular leaning) that do everything on the run and change their minds at a whim, based on their latest marginal electorate polling results.

 

[Pushka]

Which actually is next year. But also not accurate, as SQ seem to be selling business and first fares on the route from 19 January onwards.

This disproves the theory that SQ are canning Australian services next year. They must have sufficient bookings until 19 Jan under current caps, and still are of the view that the caps will be in place until early March, such that they are only selling full business (Z) and First (F) booking between 19 Jan and early March.

Always take what someone in a call centre far away tells you with a grain of salt, merely because they have KPI"s relating to call volume and just want to get you off the phone ASAP when they realise they can't help you.

Agree. I've been tracking May and June on SQ. No such problems for my search.

 

[Pom-DownUnder]

A news article explains the situation. They'll definitely fly the route - any airline wanting to make a profit would - it's the lack of a firm opening plan that is preventing presales.

“We don’t need to launch a flight, we just need to turn on the inventory once there is some indication of a model,’’ Arul said.

“All our crew are poised and ready because they’ve been operating for the last 18 months — we don’t need to send crew for refreshers and so on.”

Singapore Airlines fears poor consultation could undermine Aussie border reopening - Airline Ratings

Singapore Airlines is confident it can quickly open up passenger services to Australia but there are fears a failure to consult overseas airlines could result in an unmanageable international reopening. The airline’s regional vice president, Louise Arul, says Singapore is still in the dark about...

www.airlineratings.com

The prospect that major international airlines would turn their back on the massive Australian market just as we open is laughable.

thats why I think it could be a bluff / political move if they announce if not cancelling then caution

 

[Seat0B]

Unofficial sources state that Emirates and Singapore Airlines have canned their service for the whole of 2022 and Qatar and Etihad are going to cancel as well. Will be out in the media this week.

The airlines have the rest of the world open to trade with. They are not going to bend their ways on the whims of a mad prime minister. Airlines need time to plan and they are sick of the fact that flight caps can be reduced with no notice.

Qantas will hold a monopoly at this rate.

If true, this is devastating news for the Seat family. We were hoping for visit to Seat Son in either Dubai or Singapore in March 2022, would also have been willing to go via Abu Dhabi. But now it looks like this either won't happen or will cost so much we may not be able to run to it.

Bizarrely, and I have done this before, it might end up being cheaper to meet up in the UK than in the region.

 

[justinbrett]

It's SQ's fault really. They are used to and have a mindset of a government that plans well in advance and is decisive. They need to adjust their thinking to accommodate governments (of whatever particular leaning) that do everything on the run and change their minds at a whim, based on their latest marginal electorate polling results.

I know you were making a joke, but in all seriousness, there is a youtube video which explored this concept and basically said for airlines to succeed during covid they've got to roll with the punches and adapt. Qantas gets two mentions.

 

[ethernet]

Perhaps restrictions are artificial and deliberate. Treasury mentioned that Aussies spend more abroad than tourists bring in, and assumptions were wrong. You then have RBA killing the $kangalebapound with low interest rates. There is record pent-up OS travel demand, some Aussies cash positive itching to travel. Home quarantine - another planned failure Sometime before December 1, it can be deemed that everyone had a fair chance to be vaccinated, even the vaccine snobs. Personal accountability - done. There will be plenty of 'must return and self quarantine strictly within one LGA 90% fully vaccinated(there will be plenty by then). I think the true holdup - is who pays for travellers returning - state or Cwth? Another alternative is they want to force Aussies to holiday within Australia first, propping up Qld and others.

Certainly, those with accelerated 3 week vaccinations should be de-prioritized in favor of those who got fully spaced vaccinations. A timid 3rd theory, is they are hanging out to see if a booster dose is necessary , and how soon it is needed, and should it instead to redirected to those who had flash vaccinations.

 

[ethernet]

In late December, call a March Election.? If I can't fly by then, voting will be easy. I will take it out on the antagonist. If Scomo declares a Freedom day by then, he will win in spades, and a chance to kill Labor for good. Airlines are probably waiting to see the election result.

 

[drron]

World airline travel in the Northern Hemisphere is no where near 2019 levels yet so I don't see why SQ would not be flying to Australia next year.Probably just applying a little pressure to firm up the opening date.

 

[N860CR]

World airline travel in the Northern Hemisphere is no where near 2019 levels yet so I don't see why SQ would not be flying to Australia next year.Probably just applying a little pressure to firm up the opening date.

Hopefully it works… I just got bombarded with another four flight cancelation emails . Starting to lose track.

 

[NoName]

I have booking for SQ from/to Aus in December and January, another to Aus in June and an EK from Aus in May. None of these are canceled at time of writing.

 

[N860CR]

If Scomo declares a Freedom day by then, he will win in spades, and a chance to kill Labor for good. Airlines are probably waiting to see the election result.

Not wanting to get politician for fear of upsetting some touchy moderators, but I’d hazard a guess that neither party wants to take a borders policy to the election. It’s a toxic issue. The left is the lockdown party and the right the open up. I wouldn’t want to bet my political survival on that one single topic.

 

[Grimace1]

Well I've booked MEL>AMS with Qatar for 10th of Jan, fingers crossed the travel bans are removed!

 

[hb13]

Unofficial sources state that Emirates and Singapore Airlines have canned their service for the whole of 2022 and Qatar and Etihad are going to cancel as well. Will be out in the media this week.

The airlines have the rest of the world open to trade with. They are not going to bend their ways on the whims of a mad prime minister. Airlines need time to plan and they are sick of the fact that flight caps can be reduced with no notice.

Qantas will hold a monopoly at this rate.

For all of 2022? Not 2021? Is there are a source for this information?

If true, I don't blame these airlines one bit. It's totally justified because things are just getting ridiculous now.

 

[OATEK]

I think there are several things at play with the SQ and related cancellations. March is changeover time for the timetables from Autumn/Winter to Spring/Summer. A quick check of BA shows they have not scheduled direct flights before March 2022 as well.

The other thing at play is the extension of the AU restrictions until 12/21. I expect a lot to change as we hit 80& double jab in the major states around the end of October, which gives plenty of time for airlines to slowly ramp up over the Christmas/New Year period.

 

[antycbr]

I think there are several things at play with the SQ and related cancellations. March is changeover time for the timetables from Autumn/Winter to Spring/Summer. A quick check of BA shows they have not scheduled direct flights before March 2022 as well.

The other thing at play is the extension of the AU restrictions until 12/21. I expect a lot to change as we hit 80& double jab in the major states around the end of October, which gives plenty of time for airlines to slowly ramp up over the Christmas/New Year period.

That’s the main concern of the airlines. The only definite is the extension of the bio security regulations out to 17 December. They can’t just turn schedules on and off at a whim.

Our BARA (non Australian) airlines have put up with a hell of a lot from all tiers of the Australian government and I wouldn’t blame them one bit for colluding (try and stop that ACCC) and sending a shot across the bows of the Government.

 

[coyote25]

People holding cancelled tickets have been told by Emirates staff that there are no plans to take passengers between Dubai and Australia in 2022 at this stage. Singapore Airlines has also done the same this week, cancelling all passenger tickets from late 2021 and advising no passenger rebooking options exist in 2022 at this time.

I don’t think that’s accurate on SIA cancelling all flights to Australia it appears they are cancelling extra flights that they thought might have been possible before the extra cap cuts.

‘Devastating’: Dozens of new flight cancellations leave Australians stranded

With no idea when caps on arrivals will be lifted, Singapore Airlines has been forced to cancel at least one flight a day into Australia over the next three months.

www.smh.com.au

It’s terrible terrible situation that is happening because of uncertainty that shouldn’t even exist but it’s not cancelling all flights, at least not yet.

I have no idea about Qatar or Emirates but the ability to charge whatever they want for freight should keep at least some flights.

It’s time for Fed Government to force the issue, state that no later than x (a date in December) no caps will be applied by Federal Government. That forces State Governments to announce what is happening with quarantine.

The December date should be safely after 80% Doherty Plan target. Let’s move on this now and allow airlines to get logistics on a ramp up (which is unlikely to be 2019 levels).

 

[louie-m]

no prices coming up till 4/3/2022 on SQ site

Look at flights in the other direction. Flights available every single day from tomorrow to the end of the booking window.