Qantas has cancelled all international flights until late October except for those to New Zealand. The news comes as the Australian government said its border would remain closed into next year to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The airline and subsidiary Jetstar are now boosting domestic flights as travel restrictions within Australia ease. Qantas has seen domestic passenger numbers double to 64,000 this week, compared to last week’s 32,000. The nation’s tourism minister has also encouraged Australians to take their holidays within the country this year. “With Australia’s borders set to remain closed for some time, we have cancelled most international flights until late October,” the airline said in a statement sent to the BBC. “We still have some flights scheduled across the Tasman in the coming months, with the expected travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand,” the statement continued, referring to the Tasman Sea between the two countries, BBC reported.

Australians hoping for an overseas holiday have had their hopes dashed, with the Tourism Minister saying that short-term international visitors will probably not be allowed into Australia until at least next year. Simon Birmingham said the decision to shut the border was one of the main reasons for Australia’s success in suppressing COVID-19 and it would not be lifted for general travel any time soon. “I do sadly think that in terms of open tourist-related travel in or out of Australia, that remains quite some distance off,” Senator Birmingham told the National Press Club, ABC News wrote.