Years to go until aviation industry fully recovers: Qantas president

A Qantas chief said it would probably take years for the airline industry to return to pre-coronavirus levels as supply chain issues in manufacturing continue to hamper a return to normal operations.

Qantas CEO Alan Joyce visited Auckland this week to officially launch Qantas’ first flight. QF3 Auckland to New Yorkwas scheduled to take off at 4:35 p.m. Wednesday.

The launch will be Qantas’ first flight from Auckland to a destination outside Australia in over 20 years.

Joyce said Qantas intends to compete with Air New Zealand on price and service.

Qantas will fly Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft three times a week from Sydney to Auckland and the Big Apple (New York), increasing to four times a week from October.

Alan Joyce.
photograph: AFP

The latest data from Stats NZ shows that international travelers fell 35% in April from pre-coronavirus levels, while international passenger numbers fell 28%.

Joyce said the recent decline in passenger numbers is part of the industry’s continued recovery.

But he said Qantas remains focused on international expansion despite some hurdles the industry has to overcome, including a shortage of skilled staff that has created significant disruptions to its manufacturing supply chain.