Qantas Resumes Commercial Flights to India

(06 Dec 2021)  Qantas' first commercial flight from Australia to India in almost a decade, departed Sydney this morning.

The 15-hour Sydney-Delhi service and the Melbourne-Delhi service, which starts just before Christmas, have been the fastest selling routes on the national carrier’s international network since borders reopened, with most flights in December almost entirely sold out.

Qantas is operating thrice weekly return flights from Sydney to Delhi, which will increase in January 2021, and four weekly return flights from Melbourne to begin from 22 December 2021.

Qantas aircraft. Picture by Steven Howard of TravelNewsAsia.com

“There was an incredible response when we announced both our new routes to Delhi,” said Qantas Domestic and International CEO, Andrew David. “Forward bookings for the next few months are well ahead of our initial forecasts so while it’s early days, it’s an exciting start. The level of pent up demand on this route can be seen by the fact that almost all customers travelled as planned despite the temporary three-day additional isolation requirement.”

It’s the first time Qantas has operated a commercial service to India since the end of its Brisbane to Mumbai service in 2012 and the airline’s first regular passenger flight from Australia to Delhi since 1974.

Over the past 12 months, Qantas operated more than 60 repatriation flights on behalf of the Federal Government to bring Australians home from India.

All passengers on Qantas international flights are required to be fully vaccinated, unless they are under 12 years old, are 12-17 year olds travelling to Australia with their family or guardian or have an exemption.

Initial international flights are limited to Australian citizens, permanent residents and their immediate families and parents in line with Federal Government requirements.

Students and a number of other visa holders are expected to be able to re-enter Australia in the coming weeks.