Travel Agency Boycotts Qantas Airlines Over 'Forced' Vaccinations - Travel Off Path

The Announcement That Sparked a Boycott

The Australian airline’s chief executive, Alan Joyce,  said in an interview  that “We are looking at changing our terms and conditions to say for international travelers, we will ask people to have a vaccination before they can get on the aircraft,” and that he believes that other airlines will follow suit in this demand.

The Response From Trade Winds Travel Agency

UK based Tradwinds Travel said in a statement on their website that travelers who wish to book with Qantas Airlines will have to take their business elsewhere after learning of the Airline's plans for ‘forced' vaccinations. 

A bold statement on their company website read “On 23rd November 2020, following the statement from Qantas that they would not allow passengers on their flights without a vaccination for Covid-19 we decided as a company that we would no longer offer Qantas flights to our customers.“

The independent travel agency immediately sparked ferocious debate on social media as the article went viral across multiple platforms. 

Tradewinds Travel insists that the company does not support anti-vaccination but instead support pro-choice. 

“We are not anti-vaccination but we are pro-choice. There is a huge difference between coercion and making a free choice.”
-Tradewinds Travel

Australia's Strict Health Measures Questioned

Australia's laws have come into question in recent months but have shown success in curbing the spread of COVID-19 transmission. The restrictions including prohibiting citizens from leaving the country and banning protests have been questioned by Human Rights Watch .

In September, Melbourne police arrested 74 people after taking part in an illegal anti-lockdown protest . The protest was in response to a measure that gave police additional powers to enforce public health orders. 

Other Developed Nations Haven't Followed 

Although Australia has been the pioneer of some of the strictest lockdown measures in the developed world, other developed nations including the United States and Canada haven't followed suit. 

In an interview with hosts of ‘The Start' which airs on Canada's Global Television Network, Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau said that a travel advisory is as far as the government is willing to go. 

“Ultimately, if someone chooses to travel, we're not going to keep them imprisoned in Canada. There's freedom of movement in this country,” he said.

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Disclaimer: Current travel rules and restrictions can change without notice. The decision to travel is ultimately your responsibility. Contact your consulate and/or local authorities to confirm your nationality’s entry and/or any changes to travel requirements before traveling.  Travel Off Path does not endorse traveling against government advisories