The Qantas Group is set to add more than 65 additional return flights from Perth to Melbourne and Sydney each week from December 14, following the Western Australian Government’s decision to allow quarantine-free arrivals from New South Wales and Victoria.

Qantas Group CEO, Alan Joyce, said the flights would be operated by Qantas and Jetstar and compare with just nine return flights currently operated by the airlines each week.

He said that equates to an increase of Qantas flights to Perth from Sydney and Melbourne from around five per week to almost five times daily.

“New South Wales and Victoria have done such a great job getting the virus under control that it makes complete sense for Western Australia to open the borders to Sydney and Melbourne,” Joyce said.

“This is news that many families and tourism operators have been waiting so long to hear, but they don’t want borders shutting again when there is a temporary spike in one state or another.

“Australia as a whole needs certainty about state borders staying open, particularly when the testing and tracing framework is now so well established.

“We continue to our call for a consistent set of rules that apply nationwide,” he said.

Given the border is opening on December 8, the Qantas chief added the airlines will look to add further flights from that day and the rapid increase in services will also see the Qantas Club at Perth Airport reopening in early December, joining the Business Lounge which is already open.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Joyce said Qantas has introduced a number of initiatives to help customers to book with greater flexibility, including allowing a flight to be moved free of charge, as well as introducing additional health and safety measures through its Fly Well program.