Originally Posted by
C441
Qantas operated 160 repatriation flights between March 2020 and September 2021. Additionally, they did many more freight flights, particularly with the 330. Just ask the 330 pilots (particularly S/Os) who spent long, continuous periods in quarantine both in Australia and in very ordinary overseas hotels, with very ordinary food and detention-like conditions.
Qatar, Singair and other airlines received massive support from their governments to cover what was a huge loss-making operation. Yes, Qantas received subsidies but to match the flights of those other airlines they would have needed substantially more or would simply have run out of money.
Charter flights with little financial exposure v airline ops with government support.