Qantas and Air New Zealand to increase capacity as lockdown restrictions ease

Australia’s Qantas Airways and the Auckland based Air New Zealand, on June 4, outlined plans to significantly boost domestic capacity as pandemic related restrictions lessened. Both, Australia with 7,240 COVID-19 cases and Nea Zealand with 1,504 cases are rapidly moving to wars normalisation. Currently operating with five per cent of its pre-pandemic domestic capacity, Qantas, has reportedly announced that more flights were likely to operate in July depending on travel demand and further opening of borders.

'There are pent up demands' 

According to reports, the airlines aim to increase up to 40 per cent of pre-crisis capacity by the end of July. Meanwhile, Air Newzand, which is currently operating at 30 per cent, reportedly aims to raise its domestic capacity to 55 per cent of normal levels during July and August. Alan Joyce, Qantas chief executive, speaking to international media reporters said that there have been pent up demands for domestic air travel. 

“We are already seeing a big increase in customers booking and planning flights in the weeks and months ahead,” he later added in a statement.

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This comes as major airlines on both sides of the Atlantic are cutting even more jobs as they struggle to cope with a plunge in air travel that will leave the airline industry much smaller than it was before the coronavirus pandemic and economic collapse. Recently, London based EasyJet reportedly said that that it would cut up to one-third of its 15,000 employees. 

Meanwhile, American Airlines reportedly plans to cut its 17,000 management and support staff by 30% — about 5,100 jobs. That could include layoffs in October if there aren’t enough takers for a buyout offer. Airlines, across the world, are looking for governments to help not only with financial aid but to take steps that might encourage more people to fly.

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(Representative image)