Australia also joins other countries in removing the airplane face mask mandate. Alongside the lifting of face mask rules, political leaders have also agreed to reduce the isolation period for COVID-19 positive cases from seven days down to just five days.

A meeting of the National Cabinet – comprising the the Prime Minister and the Premiers and Chief Ministers of states and territories – agreed to remove the mask mandates for travellers on domestic flights from that date. Both changes will come into effect from 9 September. From that date, Australia will no longer have any pandemic-era travel restrictions remaining in force.

Qantas had already dropped mask rules on international flights leaving Australia to countries where masks weren’t required by law. However, passengers were required to wear masks on all international flights to Australia, as well as on all domestic flights.

Qantas no longer enforces the use of face masks on several international flights – including routes to London, Rome and the USA – in line with eased health requirements at those destinations. Likewise, Singapore Airlines no longer requires face masks to be worn “unless they are travelling to or from destinations that require a face mask,” while masks are now optional rather than mandatory at Changi Airport and its lounges.