While more and more countries are refusing to impose compulsory vaccinations against coronavirus, the first airline is now announcing that it will only carry vaccinated passengers.
Alan Joyce, the head of the Australian airline Qantas, said in a an interview with the TV station Nine News, international passengers would only be allowed on board with a vaccination certificate as soon as corona vaccination was widely available. “We want to adjust our terms and conditions so that international travellers will have to prove that they have been vaccinated before they can board a plane,” said Joyce. Other airlines have not yet commented on similar measures, but Joyce expects this to become common practice: “I think it will be the same everywhere. I am talking to my colleagues from airlines around the world and everyone is thinking about it”.
Ideally, the proof of vaccination should be electronic. The head of Qantas reveals: “We are currently looking into whether there could be some kind of electronic vaccination record”. This should also be used to check which vaccination was given and whether it is accepted by the destination country.
Australia had some of the toughest lockdowns in the world. For about four months everything was completely shut down. The government is clearly in favour of compulsory vaccinations.
