Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Photo: Supplied / Qantas
The head of Qantas says it will probably take a couple of years before the aviation industry returns to pre-Covid levels, as supply chain issues in the manufacturing sector continue to stifle a return to business-as-usual.
Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce was in Auckland this week to officially launch the inaugural flight of QF3 from Auckland to New York, which was set off to take off 4.35pm on Wednesday.
The launch marked the first Qantas flight from Auckland to an international destination outside of Australia in more than two decades.
Joyce said Qantas intended to compete with Air New Zealand on price and service.
Qantas flights would take off from Sydney to Auckland and then on to the Big Apple (New York) three days per week, on Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, increasing to four flights a week from October.
Alan Joyce. Photo: AFP
The latest data from Stats NZ indicated in April there were 35 percent fewer New Zealanders travelling overseas compared to before Covid-19, while international passenger numbers were down 28 percent.
Joyce said the latest drop in passenger travel was part of the aviation's ongoing recovery.
However, he said Qantas remained focused on international expansion, despite some hurdles for the industry to overcome, such as a shortage of skilled staff which had resulted in critical breaks in the manufacturing supply chain.