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Australia introduces “vaccine passport” as airlines boost Sydney schedules
October 18th 2021
Australia will introduce an international proof of COVID vaccination from tomorrow. Read More » A certificate that can be downloaded digitally or printed will be available to Australians and Australian visa holders and are designed to be compatible with COVID-19 travel apps. The document features a secure QR code that can be used to prove COVID vaccination status to border authorities. “The Visible Digital Seal technology within the international proof of vaccination is world-leading,” federal government ministers said in a joint statement. “It is as secure as an Australian passport, and authenticated in the same way.” The new passport comes as airlines moved forward schedules in response to a New South Wales (NSW) government announcement it would allow quarantine-free travel for Australian citizens and residents from November 1. NSW Premier, Dominic Perrottet, initially said the decision would also apply to overseas students and tourists but this was quickly denied by Australia’s prime minister, Scott Morrison. Overseas airlines have called for greater clarity on Australian plans to reopen. The prospect of more Australians heading home prompted Qantas to quickly bring forward the restart of its international flights by two weeks, to November 1. The airline will operate up to five return flights a week from Sydney to London and up to four return flights a week from Sydney to Los Angeles with its 787 Dreamliners. More flights will be added to meet demand if needed, it said. Singapore Airlines, which has continued to operate to Australia, opened sales on its 17 weekly flights to eligible customers. Caps on international arrivals to Sydney mean it has been operating only one passenger flight a day.
