A full digital arrival experience for incoming travellers became a step closer for all today after Qantas customers flying from New Zealand to Brisbane (on flight QF126) were the first to enjoy a fully digital travel process, thanks to a partnership with the Australian Government.
Long mooted, but finally here, the Australia Digital Travel Declaration (ATD) replaces the traditional paper incoming passenger card (the annoying one for which all flyers need to carry a pen) – and Qantas is piloting the initiative.
Currently available on flights from Auckland to Brisbane, the program will soon expand to other New Zealand cities and additional Australian destinations by early next year.
The program is also expected to roll out to other international destinations in the coming months.
The ATD is available 72 hours before departure through the Qantas app. Customers then simply show a QR code to Australian Border Force officers instead of the paper card.
While the pilot is for adult travellers on single bookings, the program will extend to bookings with children and groups by mid-2024.
For those who prefer the old-school method, the paper incoming passenger card is still an option.
Qantas Chief Customer and Digital Officer Catriona Larritt said the airline always prioritises making travel “easier and smoother for our customers”.
“The paperless declaration means no more trying to find a pen and your flight details midway through your flight. Passengers will have three days to fill out the digital form at a time and place that suits them,” she stated.
“We’re excited to be partnering with the Federal Government to make flying into Australia that little bit easier for millions of tourists and Australians each year.
“This is the latest addition to the Qantas App and adds to inbound flight tracker, baggage tracking, passport scanning, and ‘click to call’ features we’ve recently added.”
Qantas recently also unveiled a raft of changes to its international network across Asia-Pacific and North America, including the addition of a new destination, a lot more seats and new aircraft.
In a major shake-up to travel to Japan, Qantas also recently announced its plan to replace its current Melbourne and Brisbane flights to Tokyo Narita Airport with services to Tokyo Haneda Airport by early 2025.
In September, the airline also unveiled a new Africa route as well as its first-ever A380 flights to the continent.
