Australia to Reduce Incoming Int. Passenger Capacity from July 2021

[Flying mermaid]

Dan Tehan is hopeful that home quarantine could be an option for many in the lead up to Christmas: Australia will soon trial home quarantine for vaccinated travellers. Here's what it could mean for future travel

Really the only difference in the trial from what Canberra has been doing for thousands of people for months is that they are using a tracker on their phones (which is what Taiwan does), and a potentially less compliant group of people. And they are calling it a trial.

 

[Pushka]

Really the only difference in the trial from what Canberra has been doing for thousands of people for months is that they are using a tracker on their phones (which is what Taiwan does), and a potentially less compliant group of people. And they are calling it a trial.

I guess no one likes to admit that the Fed Govt has been doing this with its diplomatic staff.

 

[Flying mermaid]

I guess no one likes to admit that the Fed Govt has been doing this with its diplomatic staff.

Public servants generally - about 800 I think. So any public servant going overseas on Federal business has been able to home quarantine. I would imagine it would include aid people etc as well as diplomat. Then there are well over 1,000 embassy staff.

 

[Seat0B]

I don’t think Singapore Airlines had overbooked at the time I made the reservation. But they were booking to cap numbers that were valid until the 50% reduction takes effect. My problem is how they will adjust their numbers to accommodate the new cap. By whether you’re a holder of a return ticket, by ticket value, by last-booked first-bumped, or … who knows? Singapore Airlines couldn’t tell me yet.

Same for Seat Son’s 14 August flight from Dubai. There is no information available. The stress is killing me.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I suspect the problem is compounded by people making multiple bookings on multiple flights. Not uncommon for people to have three or even four bookings. Some may be cancelled by the airlines, but others will fly and the passenger will cancel when no longer needed, quite possible at very short notice. This could result in a significant change to the loadings of any flight.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Same for Seat Son’s 14 August flight from Dubai. There is no information available. The stress is killing me.

Can you check what is happening with that flight on the 17th July and the 24th July. If they are still running then there is a good chance his will? The cuts come in on the 14th so you would think they will decide which flights to cancel and then work their way through them. I would have thought it would be the same flights each week, although maybe not.

just hang in there - even during the last cap cuts, flights still ran and people made it home.

 

[Flying mermaid]

I suspect the problem is compounded by people making multiple bookings on multiple flights. Not uncommon for people to have three or even four bookings. Some may be cancelled by the airlines, but others will fly and the passenger will cancel when no longer needed, quite possible at very short notice. This could result in a significant change to the loadings of any flight.

Chicken and egg isn’t it. People have had so many problems they are trying to cover their bases. As I mentioned earlier my daughter’s friend had 4 bookings and 2 have already been cancelled on her. If she had picked one, then she would now be stranded. As it is she still 2 tickets in the lottery.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Someone just posted this on FB and I have no idea if it's genuine. My daughter, her partner and grand-daughter have J tickets on AA for 11th August. They sold their house and most belongings and are currently living in an Airbnb. Their 2 dogs & cat are supposed to flying out at the same time (not sure if on the same aircraft). I'm extremely worried now. Has anyone else heard anything or can verify if the attached is genuine?

Some more details are available on the website viewfromthewing: [Update: Some Of] American's Sydney Flights Will Become One-Way Only Starting July 12 - View from the Wing

Affected flights (cargo only) are as follows:

We now know the dates in July and August where customer flights will be converted to cargo-only flights:​

• July 12, 16, 17, 19, 22, 26, 28 and 31
• August 3, 5, 7, 9, 12, 14, 16, 19, 22, 24, 26 and 27

 

[Scarlett]

Public servants generally - about 800 I think. So any public servant going overseas on Federal business has been able to home quarantine. I would imagine it would include aid people etc as well as diplomat. Then there are well over 1,000 embassy staff.

I think you'll find the only people who have been home quarantining thus far have been foreign diplomatic staff arriving in Australia.
Australian public servants have had to follow the same rules as everyone else when traveling overseas or returning from overseas.
My best mate gets out of his latest fortnight stint tomorrow.

Now, you may know otherwise FM, but I believe any exemptions would be very rare. Or the situations were such that the risk was exceedingly small such as military air mobility aircrew who had completed a contactless offload of aid packages.

 

[Flying mermaid]

I think you'll find the only people who have been home quarantining thus far have been foreign diplomatic staff arriving in Australia.
Australian public servants have had to follow the same rules as everyone else when traveling overseas or returning from overseas.
My best mate gets out of his latest fortnight stint tomorrow.

Now, you may know otherwise FM, but I believe any exemptions would be very rare. Or the situations were such that the risk was exceedingly small such as military air mobility aircrew who had completed a contactless offload of aid packages.

Canberra times quoted ACT Health saying that 851 Government Officials had completed home quarantine. This is in addition to 1339 foreign diplomats and family. Can’t see why if it worked for them it couldn’t work for vaccinated people returning from overseas.

edit what department does your friend work for? Probably find it’s limited to certain departments or certain levels - maybe dfat, PM&C, Treasury or SES level. - we will never know

 

[PineappleSkip]

My guess would be it applies to everyone, although in practice senior level staff are essential for most OS trips . When I saw that exemption I immediately thought "cost cutting"!

Australian public servants have had to follow the same rules as everyone else when traveling

Edit: When I was in Quaro I was regularly asked if I was ADF, for billing purposes. So yeah the rules apply to some Federal staff

cheers skip

 

[Flying mermaid]

Master FM is about to book to come home on 6 September ex Lax with Delta. I feel quite relaxed about it at the moment. We will see……

He needs to go to Melbourne for his visa interview after quarantining in Sydney. Been explaining to him again about permits and red zones. How he has to go straight to the airport after hotel quarantine and cannot do anything else. “Oh - so I can’t just hire a car and drive to Melbourne.”. No, no, no! I will go through it all again when he actually makes it to Sydney and is in quarantine. Miracles could happen and it could be easier by then…..

 

[Pushka]

Master FM is about to book to come home on 6 September ex Lax with Delta. I feel quite relaxed about it at the moment. We will see……

He needs to go to Melbourne for his visa interview after quarantining in Sydney. Been explaining to him again about permits and red zones. How he has to go straight to the airport after hotel quarantine and cannot do anything else. “Oh - so I can’t just hire a car and drive to Melbourne.”. No, no, no! I will go through it all again when he actually makes it to Sydney and is in quarantine. Miracles could happen and it could be easier by then…..

How does it work when exiting Quarantine in this case, Sydney and getting back to whichever state your home is in?

 

[nancypants]

How does it work when exiting Quarantine in this case, Sydney and getting back to whichever state your home is in?

There’s not a lot addressing this on the Victorian FAQs, I note. The general trend has varied a fair bit eg for example people leaving hotel quarantine in Vic during their lockdowns at one point needed to do a further 2 weeks in HS to enter the NT, but at other times not.

Given that most outbreaks are leaks from hotel quarantine or people who have become infected while in hotel quarantine, it perhaps makes sense to request a further quarantine period. However, sense doesn’t necessarily come into this

 

[Lynda2475]

I think you'll find the only people who have been home quarantining thus far have been foreign diplomatic staff arriving in Australia.

And a bunch of celebrities granted exemptions, Dannii Minogue was allowed to home quarantine, most of the Hollywood types filming here too.

I'm curious wrt the SA trial what the criteria will be for travelling from the airport to your home to quarantine?

Diplomats have to take a private vehicle and make no stops. So will departing passengers have to drive to the airport and pay crazy high parking fees to leave their cars there until they come back? What if you don't own a car? Or will there be some sort of approved transfer service?

 

[Pushka]

And a bunch of celebrities granted exemptions, Dannii Minogue was allowed to home quarantine, most of the Hollywood types filming here too.

I'm curious wrt the SA trial what the criteria will be for travelling from the airport to your home to quarantine?

Diplomats have to take a private vehicle and make no stops. So will departing passengers have to drive to the airport and pay crazy high parking fees to leave their cars there until they come back? What if you don't own a car? Or will there be some sort of approved transfer service?

If ADF then I suspect a milisry bus. If para-olympians then they may need specialised cars.

 

[dajop]

How does it work when exiting Quarantine in this case, Sydney and getting back to whichever state your home is in?

Straight to the airport, private transport only (taxis, uber OK, buses/shuttles/trains not) (in December, we walked straight to airport from our quarantine hotel, when Vic introduced travel restrictions on those coming from Syd) and then fly without delay.

Given that most outbreaks are leaks from hotel quarantine or people who have become infected while in hotel quarantine, it perhaps makes sense to request a further quarantine period. However, sense doesn’t necessarily come into this

Don't understand the logic here. What is the difference between someone emerging from HQ in Sydney and then immediately going to Melbourne by plane vs someone emerging from HQ in Melbourne? Both would have similar risk of being infected during time in HQ (assuming procedures are identical), and thus further quarantine periods would be necessary for both scenarios if felt sufficiently high risk. This has nothing to do with hotspots/local transmission.

 

[nancypants]

Straight to the airport, private transport only (taxis, uber OK, buses/shuttles/trains not) (in December, we walked straight to airport from our quarantine hotel, when Vic introduced travel restrictions on those coming from Syd) and then fly without delay.


Don't understand the logic here. What is the difference between someone emerging from HQ in Sydney and then immediately going to Melbourne by plane vs someone emerging from HQ in Melbourne? Both would have similar risk of being infected during time in HQ (assuming procedures are identical), and thus further quarantine periods would be necessary for both scenarios if felt sufficiently high risk. This has nothing to do with hotspots/local transmission.

Well exactly but then state borders and politics…

 

[Flying mermaid]

How does it work when exiting Quarantine in this case, Sydney and getting back to whichever state your home is in?

Most of the ones I have checked allow you to leave a hotspot as long as you go straight from quarantine to the airport and fly out. You have to keep your quarantine proof.

 

[Flying mermaid]

There’s not a lot addressing this on the Victorian FAQs, I note. The general trend has varied a fair bit eg for example people leaving hotel quarantine in Vic during their lockdowns at one point needed to do a further 2 weeks in HS to enter the NT, but at other times not.

Given that most outbreaks are leaks from hotel quarantine or people who have become infected while in hotel quarantine, it perhaps makes sense to request a further quarantine period. However, sense doesn’t necessarily come into this

https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2021-03/Coming-to-Victoria-a-guide-to-permits-29-March-2021.pdf

It’s pretty clear, but that doesn't mean it won’t change if (for e.g.) Sydney airport itself became a hotspot