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Qantas has cancelled international flights until late October except for services to New Zealand.
The decision comes after federal Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham said Australia's border for overseas travel would likely reopen next year.
Qantas signalled flights could resume if travel between Australia and other countries opened up.
READ MORE: Qantas and Jetstar increasing domestic and regional flights for June and July
"With Australia's borders set to remain closed for some time, we have cancelled most international flights until late October," a Qantas spokesperson said in a statement to AAP early on Thursday.
A Qantas jet on the tarmac at Melbourne Airport on December 12, 2019. (Paul Rovere)
"We still have some flights scheduled across the Tasman in the coming months, with the expected travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand.
"Should travel between Australia and other countries open up and demand returns, we can add more flights back into our schedule."
On Wednesday Mr Birmingham encouraged Australians to holiday domestically, with international travel forbidden for the foreseeable future due to the coronavirus threat.
He said the government might eventually look at short-term overseas travel to countries other than New Zealand that have similar success in suppressing coronavirus.
"I do, sadly, think that in terms of open tourist-related travel in or out of Australia, that remains quite some distance off, just because of the practicalities of the volumes that are involved and the need for us to first and foremost keep putting health first," he told the National Press Club.
Asked whether that was more likely to resume next year, he said " I think that is more likely the case".
Australian Trade Minister Simon Birmingham delivers his speech at the National Press Club in Canberra, Wednesday, June 17, 2020. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch) NO ARCHIVING (AAP)
Simon Birmingham
✔@Birmo
https://twitter.com/Birmo/status/1273070855577190400
Tune in at 12:30PM to watch my address to the @PressClubAust -
ℎ . #NPC #Auspol
26
11:51 AM - Jun 17, 2020
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26 people are talking about this
– Reported with AAP
© AAP 2020
https://www.9news.com.au/national/a...onavirus/266ed953-56c1-49b0-a7cd-5f930ea38ba2
The decision comes after federal Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham said Australia's border for overseas travel would likely reopen next year.
Qantas signalled flights could resume if travel between Australia and other countries opened up.
READ MORE: Qantas and Jetstar increasing domestic and regional flights for June and July
"With Australia's borders set to remain closed for some time, we have cancelled most international flights until late October," a Qantas spokesperson said in a statement to AAP early on Thursday.
A Qantas jet on the tarmac at Melbourne Airport on December 12, 2019. (Paul Rovere)
"We still have some flights scheduled across the Tasman in the coming months, with the expected travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand.
"Should travel between Australia and other countries open up and demand returns, we can add more flights back into our schedule."
On Wednesday Mr Birmingham encouraged Australians to holiday domestically, with international travel forbidden for the foreseeable future due to the coronavirus threat.
He said the government might eventually look at short-term overseas travel to countries other than New Zealand that have similar success in suppressing coronavirus.
"I do, sadly, think that in terms of open tourist-related travel in or out of Australia, that remains quite some distance off, just because of the practicalities of the volumes that are involved and the need for us to first and foremost keep putting health first," he told the National Press Club.
Asked whether that was more likely to resume next year, he said " I think that is more likely the case".
Australian Trade Minister Simon Birmingham delivers his speech at the National Press Club in Canberra, Wednesday, June 17, 2020. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch) NO ARCHIVING (AAP)
Simon Birmingham
✔@Birmo
https://twitter.com/Birmo/status/1273070855577190400
ℎ . #NPC #Auspol
26
11:51 AM - Jun 17, 2020
Twitter Ads info and privacy
26 people are talking about this
– Reported with AAP
© AAP 2020
https://www.9news.com.au/national/a...onavirus/266ed953-56c1-49b0-a7cd-5f930ea38ba2
