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25 November, 2020

COVID-19 deniers threaten to boycott Qantas after Joyce’s vaccine revelation

Anti-vaxxers, COVID-19 deniers and general conspiracy theorists have said they will boycott Qantas if the airline goes through with its plant to introduce mandatory COVID-19 vaccination on international flights.

Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce revealed on Monday night’s episode of A Current Affair (ACA) that once the vaccine becomes available, its usage will be integrated into the airline’s terms and conditions for travel.

“For international travellers, we will ask people to have a vaccination before they get on the aircraft,” Joyce told ACA.

“Certainly, for international visitors coming out and people leaving the country, we think that’s a necessity.”

Many people have taken to Twitter to voice their disapproval of the national carrier’s decision. Here are just some of the negative reactions:

https://twitter.com/JoseGananGlez/status/1330956873697292288

I wont be flying @Qantas or any other airline which imposes such demands on our freedom of choice… #boycottqantas
— Helen ~ TLS (@1ittlesanctuary) November 23, 2020

I will never use Qantas ever again and I hope the world boycotts any company that uses this behaviour. ✌️
— Hugh Finn (@Hughbanjo) November 23, 2020

However, Joyce said he expects other airlines will follow suit.

“I think that’s going to be a common thing talking to my colleagues in other airlines around the globe,” Joyce said.

In fact, the federal government’s COVID vaccination policy states that there may “be circumstances where the Australian government and other governments may introduce border entry or re-entry requirements that are conditional on proof of vaccination”.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is even developing a digital health pass for airlines to use that will manage and verify the flow of necessary testing or vaccine information among governments, airlines, laboratories and travellers.

Qantas has shown interest in the health pass, which will likely take the form of a travel app for smartphones.

“Our main priority is to get people travelling again safely,” Nick Careen, IATA’s senior vice president of airport, passenger, cargo and security, said.

“In the immediate term, that means giving governments confidence that systematic COVID-19 testing can work as a replacement for quarantine requirements.

“And that will eventually develop into a vaccine program. The IATA Travel Pass is a solution for both.”

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Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

Latest comments

sp says:
November 26, 2020 at 11:02 am
…… oh dear freedom of choice babe…. there’s no such thing as absolute freedom in the free world countries…. otherwise we wouldn’t have laws….
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alan joyce anti-vaxxers COVID-19 COVID-19 deniers COVID-19 vaccine digital health pass iata international air transport association qantas vaccine