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Jetstar has launched a sale on international flights, including one-way services from Cairns to Tokyo and Osaka for travel beginning in February.
It’s a sign of confidence Queensland will achieve a 90 per cent COVID-19 vaccination rate over the next few months, which is the target required by the state government to end quarantine restrictions for fully vaccinated overseas arrivals.
As of yesterday, 75.2 per cent of Queenslanders had received one jab and 60.7 per cent were fully vaccinated, with the regions continuing to lag behind.
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The daily rate of vaccinations is well under the 50,000 Chief Health Officer Dr Jeanneatte Young previously said she wanted each day before domestic borders reopen on 17 December.
On Saturday, just over 30,000 doses were administered while there were less than 13,000 jabs in the past 24 hours.
Flight Centre boss Graham “Skroo” Turner has raised his concerns the 90 per cent target may never be reached, however the CEO of Cairns Airport Richard Barker is more optimistic.
“We’re encouraged by Jetstar’s international flight sale in February,” he said.
“Our return as an airport and a region hinges on vaccination rates and the timeline to reopening international travel is dependent on us having 90 per cent of Queenslanders vaccinated.
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Jetstar’s sale, which runs until 30 October, also includes departures from other Australian airports to Bali, Phuket, New Zealand, Singapore, Fiji, Honolulu and Vietnam.
It includes travel up until September.
The Federal Government's roadmap to reopening has a lower threshold than Queensland's.
Under the national plan, caps will be dropped on international arrivals and hotel quarantine will end for fully vaccinated travellers in states with 80 per cent vaccination rates.
New South Wales and the ACT have already achieved that milestone, while Victoria has 74 per cent of its population fully vaccinated.
From 1 November, hotel quarantine will be scrapped for double-jabbed travellers entering both New South Wales and Victoria.
Main points
- Jetstar has February flights from Cairns to Japan on sale
- Queensland's hotel quarantine scheme won't be dropped until the state has a 90% vaccination rate
- Currently, 60.7% of Queenslanders are fully vaccinated
