Qantas has launched one of its biggest ever giveaways with a ‘mega prize’ raffle to encourage frequent flyers to get vaccinated. The Australian flag carrier first mooted a flight giveaway campaign to boost Australia’s sluggish vaccine rollout back in May but had to delay the raffle until vaccine supply constraints were dealt with by the federal government.
The Morrisson government has said that harsh lockdowns and domestic border closures will no longer be needed after more than 70 per cent of the population is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, while international borders could be reopened once 80 per cent of the population has been jabbed.
Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce admitted it was in the airline’s interests to encourage vaccine takeup so that Qantas can start operating again. “The impact of the pandemic on the travel industry and our own Qantas Group team members means we have a clear vested interest in the success of the vaccine rollout,” Joyce said on Monday.
“For us, getting the vaccine rate up to 70 and 80 per cent means thousands of people can go back to work,” Joyce continued. “Getting vaccinated is an important step that every Australian can take that brings us that little bit closer to life as we knew it.”
Qantas frequent flyer members who are over 18 and based in Australia can claim an immediate reward by logging their vaccination status in the Qantas app. The rewards include:
- 1,000 Qantas points
- 15 Status Credits
- $20 flight discount for Qantas or Jetstar
Members will be automatically entered into the Qantas ‘mega prize’ draw for a year’s worth of free flights, accommodation and fuel.
The prize includes free flights for an entire year to more than 60 destinations around Australia, free accommodation at 345 hotels owned by the Accor group, and free fuel from BP service stations. International destinations are also included within the prize once borders are reopened.
There will be 10 winners, with eight from each of Australia’s states and territories and two for a national television campaign.
A growing delta outbreak in New South Wales is beginning to change federal and state government attitudes to how to deal with the pandemic and on Monday Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia “has to move forward” once the 70 per cent vaccination rate is achieved.
“We will live with this virus, like we live with other infectious diseases,” Morrison said. “If not when we hit 70 or 80 per cent, then when?” he asked. “We must make that move (to open up).”
But some states, particularly Western Australia and Queensland, are uneasy with the national plan and could refuse to lift restrictions even once vaccination targets are reached. Morrison refused to say whether the federal government to cut off financial support to states that don’t want to follow the national reopening plan.
In May, Virgin Australia chief executive Jayne Hrdlicka got herself in hot water after she insisted that international borders should be reopened even if that meant “some people may die”.
