Predictions of when international flights may resume/bans lifted

[drron]

Well I have taken a punt.booked flights to Singapore and Bangkok today for August 2021.

 

[oznflfan]

Well I have taken a punt.booked flights to Singapore and Bangkok today for August 2021.

Brave man, was going to do return Singapore Sept myself but thought too risky, both in ability for exiting Oz, but also being trapped oversea's/quarantine on return being sprung on me. Figure I'll wait until August 2022, but thinking Paris (next level on the COVID travel disruption scale).

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

Agree. Somehow NZ does manage that process in ins and outs. If any Govt starts bleating that we will suffer from negative population growth because of no immigration then we only have ourselves to blame. Well, the bloody border stuff anyway.

NZ doesn't have any quarantine for domestic travel which helps. However, has the same issue as Australia in that quarantine capacity is limited and there are still many NZers stuck overseas that want to return to NZ but can't (as well as many who don't want to return). IIRC there are 1 million kiwis living overseas. Since borders closed only 50,000 have returned.

 

[jakeseven7]

NZ doesn't have any quarantine for domestic travel which helps. However, has the same issue as Australia in that quarantine capacity is limited and there are still many NZers stuck overseas that want to return to NZ but can't (as well as many who don't want to return). IIRC there are 1 million kiwis living overseas. Since borders closed only 50,000 have returned.

Exactly, lucky NZ not having state governments and domestic borders to deal with on top of the pandemic.... Hopefully we can get our state borders all open soon to then allow for a staged and safe approach to limited international travel returning / increasing.

 

[Pushka]

NZ doesn't have any quarantine for domestic travel which helps. However, has the same issue as Australia in that quarantine capacity is limited and there are still many NZers stuck overseas that want to return to NZ but can't (as well as many who don't want to return). IIRC there are 1 million kiwis living overseas. Since borders closed only 50,000 have returned.

But at least NZ'ers now are given the choice to fly out and knowingly face delays on return and can factor that into their decision making.

Son flies out to UK tonight but will be living there. Still hanging on to our Award seats to the UK for next July.

 

[blackcat20]

We're keeping an eye on our options for Hawaii next year, we usually go in June but I reckon September would be good if we're allowed out/in.

 

[Pushka]

We're keeping an eye on our options for Hawaii next year, we usually go in June but I reckon September would be good if we're allowed out/in.

For some completely non sensical non data based reason we are naively thinking July 1 that restrictions might ease but still with iso on return. Plus it’s nice to have a booking showing in the profile even if it comes to naught!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

For some completely non sensical non data based reason we are naively thinking July 1 that restrictions might ease but still with iso on return. Plus it’s nice to have a booking showing in the profile even if it comes to naught!

I think 1 july is perhaps approaching reasonable. IIRC the budget mentions a ‘full scale’ roll out of a vaccine by end 2021. But presumably it will need to be underway well before then. It would be silly if the USA/Europe were vaccinating their citizens in early 2021 and we are a year behind in Oz.

 

[Sydney BE]

I'm hopeful for mid next year too. I have a rebooked a reward booking from mid this year to next year. No idea if it will happen but its nice to have something to look forward to.

Current plan is to take off around 3 months so I'd happily quarantine if it comes to that and we are allowed to leave

 

[drron]

We will have no problem late August if we have to do 14 day quarantine.Though only visiting 2 countries with just as good results as Australia we would prefer if it was at home.

 

[Seat0B]

I find it hard to accept Australia will prohibit international travel until the end of 2021. Lots of people with family overseas. Can't expect them to wait almost 2 years to see them

I agree that it is unreasonable to expect families to be separated for this long, but I don't see things changing much in the next 12 months based on government announcements and comments by the airlines. People who just want to see their families are being pushed very low down the list of priorities for travel at the moment.

 

[jakeseven7]

I agree that it is unreasonable to expect families to be separated for this long, but I don't see things changing much in the next 12 months based on government announcements and comments by the airlines. People who just want to see their families are being pushed very low down the list of priorities for travel at the moment.

Exactly, especially when we have even more families stranded across domestic borders as well which have to come down first before we think about international, given we are told that is the order it needs to occur.

 

[ayushamity]

For family, you can get exemption relatively easily nowdays. I myself plan to visit my fiance in December/January in Vietnam (if borders open by then for Vietnam) or a neutral country where borders are open to both Vietnam and Australia (Japan, Singapore, Thailand).

Just make sure you say going for more than 3 months

 

[jgreenspoon]

We're keeping an eye on our options for Hawaii next year, we usually go in June but I reckon September would be good if we're allowed out/in.

We just booked for Hawaii late June through to end of July next year.
The flights on Jetstar are incredibly cheap, it was $2100 for a family of six return.

I couldn’t resist that and jetstar has said they’ll be flexible if the restrictions remain.
How will the airlines survive based only on domestic travel for that long?

 

[jakeseven7]

We just booked for Hawaii late June through to end of July next year.
The flights on Jetstar are incredibly cheap, it was $2100 for a family of six return.

I couldn’t resist that and jetstar has said they’ll be flexible if the restrictions remain.
How will the airlines survive based only on domestic travel for that long?

Um what domestic travel? About 75/80% of it is still knocked out due to the domestic border restrictions.

The eastern seaboard needs to be open at the very least for any of the 3 big airlines to even have a chance. At this rate VA2 will go under again and probably QF/JQ with it if the states don’t start working together to fight this thing.

 

[Pushka]

Well, son exited Australia last night on Qatar through to UK from Adelaide. Previously in Adelaide you check in the luggage first and receive boarding passes then pass through domestic security then through international L&G then border control. That has changed. Now you go straight to an Immigration processing area before checkin where all the exit permissions were checked. There were 25 people ahead of him (only one international flight at that time) and he was there three hours before departure. But he cleared that very quickly. He had changed his date of departure from original approval but he had rung them earlier and they weren't fussed. That was also stated on the approval email but he is very good at checking things.

He was 1.5 kilos over booked luggage (in J) and they made him take out that weight and as he only had very little carry on, that was easy to shift over. Surprised us they did that, but what can you do.

The arrival plane arrived in on time just under two hours before his departure. They were issued with masks and gloves and the head shield and were required to wear them before boarding the plane. He said he thought they would have to wear them throughout but we checked with Qatar and he could choose to take them off to sleep. Economy has to keep them on. Very uncomfortable for sleeping.

I was able to see his plane last night as it took off over the sea where we live. The light over the ocean in the centre of the picture. On time. He is currently flying over Sri Lanka.

 

[jgreenspoon]

Um what domestic travel? About 75/80% of it is still knocked out due to the domestic border restrictions.

The eastern seaboard needs to be open at the very least for any of the 3 big airlines to even have a chance. At this rate VA2 will go under again and probably QF/JQ with it if the states don’t start working together to fight this thing.

This is even more depressing. Do we then expect the airlines to campaign for and adopt a feasible solution to travel (such as rapid accurate testing) if we are forever waiting on the panacea of a vaccine

I would be quite surprised if a Morrison government would continue to risk so many businesses far through 2021

 

[jakeseven7]

This is even more depressing. Do we then expect the airlines to campaign for and adopt a feasible solution to travel (such as rapid accurate testing) if we are forever waiting on the panacea of a vaccine

I would be quite surprised if a Morrison government would continue to risk so many businesses far through 2021

Yup it is really depressing how we aren't working together as one country.

Its not the Federal (Morrison) governments fault though, state borders are the responsibility of the individual states and unfortunately there are some states using very controversial health advice such as QLD and WA (advice that doesn't have much medical consensus or support behind them) to back their decisions up...

Although some would argue the Morrison government should be taking a much harder line with the States, somehow...

There is a court case in the High court to determine the validity of the state border restrictions, but because of the way the High court works, it is unlikely to provide anything helpful.

So unless this domestic mess gets sorted out, the international flights take a very distant second chair unfortunately.

 

[jb747]

Well I have taken a punt.booked flights to Singapore and Bangkok today for August 2021.

And here I am pretty much convinced that I'll be cancelling my planned drive to Qld in May 2021.

We will have no problem late August if we have to do 14 day quarantine.Though only visiting 2 countries with just as good results as Australia we would prefer if it was at home.

Quarantine that you have to pay for? Can't see how that makes any form of international travel viable.

So unless this domestic mess gets sorted out, the international flights take a very distant second chair unfortunately.

I find myself amused that the Qld government has put $200 million into V2, and then is actively working to kill all airlines.

 

[mrsterryn]

It is the hotel quarantine which is tempering our booking flights.
I am still going to see what specials , if any , arrive in Jan 21 for end of 2021