Qantas has announced that it is launching three domestic mystery flights out of airports in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne.
The announcement came after the Australian government officials announced the extension of its international border closure. In addition to “low-level scenic flybys of key landmarks en route,” the trips will also include an entire day of activities on the ground.
The flag carrier last operated mystery flights in the 1990s when travellers would turn up at the airport and be allocated seats on a scheduled flight to any airline’s destinations where they spent a day at their leisure before flying home.
Each of these three flights will be limited to 120 passengers on board Boeing 737. The flight will last for approximately two hours. The all-inclusive fares, including meals and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages in addition to activities on the ground, are AUD737 (USD569) for the economy and AUD1,579 (USD1,219) for business.
These mystery flights will fly out of Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne on March 27, April 18 and May 1 respectively.
In a statement, Qantas Group Chief Customer Officer Stephanie Tully said:
“Our customers tell us that where they can and can’t travel within Australia has been a bit of a mystery lately.
“The vaccine rollout is bringing a lot more certainty, and domestic border restrictions should soon be a thing of the past. In the meantime, these flights turn that mystery into a positive by creating a unique experience for the many people keen to start travelling again.
“As well as helping bring more of our people back to work, these mystery flights are another way to support tourism operators in regional areas especially, who have been hit particularly hard by several waves of travel restrictions,” Ms Tully added.
Feature Image: “Qantas”