COVID-19: If it weren’t for you, I’d be in Bali now

This is an entirely gratuitous post to tell you that I was scheduled to be spending 10 days in Bali now, having retdeemed business class airfares on a Qantas A330 Sydney to Denpasar return.

I even got Qantas to change my original redemption that involved a return leg via Melbourne. At my request, they managed to open a redemption seat direct to Sydney, and refunded some landing fees.

Well, I’m not in Bali, and Qantas have returned my points, so I am the richer as a frequent flyer, but poorer as a traveller – or something like that?

2PAXfly Takeout

The aviation industry has a difficult road ahead when it comes to sustainability. It’s going to require a relative revolution in technology, with ‘electric planes’ or hydrogen planes, or some form of jet engine that doesn’t require a carbon based fuel. And that is going to require the development of an alternative to jet engines probably.

It’s a big ask. It will take time to develop.

This move to home grown and manufactured SAF is a first step – maybe even a baby step in a very long road of innovation. In the long run, US$200 million won’t even touch the sides.

When will we travel again?

I have a succession of cancelled trips to look forward to at the moment. Each one a prick in the avgeek gland.

Here’s to internationl air travel – when it returns. Cheers!