Virgin Australia said on Monday that it was commencing consultations over its proposal to require all frontline employees to be fully vaccinated against the Coronavirus (COVID-19) by mid-November.
The airline said in a statement that under the proposal, frontline team members would need to be fully vaccinated by Nov. 15, while the remainder of its employees would have until March 31, 2022, to be fully jabbed.
The Brisbane-based company said a consultation process with “relevant unions, employees, and safety committees’’ would commence shortly and a final policy would be announced in September.
“Those with medical issues that can be substantiated will be managed on a case-by-case basis,” the company said.
“It is clear that vaccination is the only way back to normal freedom of movement and the richness in life that comes from spending meaningful, in-person time with family, friends, and colleagues.
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“The majority of our team at Virgin Australia are already vaccinated, and we will be listening to our team members to ensure we find the best fit policy for our organisation,’’ Virgin Australia’s chief Jayne Hrdlicka said.
Earlier this month, Australia’s flagship airline Qantas laid out a similar timetable for its employees to be vaccinated, adaeventsnews gathered.
Australia’s international borders have been closed to all but residents and citizens, with a few exceptions, since March 2020.
Inter-state borders had also been shut at short notice multiple times during the pandemic, crippling travel.
So far, about 34.2 per cent of Australians over the age of 16 were fully vaccinated, and over 57 per cent of over-16s have had at least one jab.
