Predictions of when international flights may resume/bans lifted

[Pushka]

That would explain the run on the TP then?

Funny you should mention that and I posted exactly this symptom, way back in April? last year on the Panic Buying thread. At the time it wasn't mentioned as a symptom.

 

[Flashback]

Funny you should mention that and I posted exactly this symptom, way back in April? last year on the Panic Buying thread. At the time it wasn't mentioned as a symptom.

I've got quite a few friends who have had COVID now and none of them had that symptoms, so it might have just been a coincidence. Who knows.

 

[Pushka]

I've got quite a few friends who have had COVID now and none of them had that symptoms, so it might have just been a coincidence. Who knows.

He was really ill. As was his workmate. Prior to that, fit and healthy due to manual work. His sister, my next door neighbour, is also very fit and slim amd she said he had no other health issues. So people do this thing differently. (An aside, after your comment the other day about needing to register with a UK GP, checked with son last night and he registered as soon as he arrived in the UK. Seems he is pretty organised).

 

[Gremlin]

Absolutely. I do know that our next door neighbours brother in his forties had Covid in Wave 1, as a Qantas baggage handler, and he was ill wth an extremely high temp, headache like no other, and diarrhoea for about five days. His baggage handler friend of the same age ended up in hospital.

However, Sutton, when asked what freedoms the vaccination might bring, he was extremely cagey that restrictions would continue for a long time yet. This freedom from snap closure of state borders, and OS travel, initially to just see close family, is certainly my key driver too.

Dr Chant at yesterday's NSW press conference also brushed that question, saying it was something to return to in several months time. She did say that her expectations were that the end of 2021 will look different to the start of 2021 and that she would envisage restrictions would be gradually rolled back over the course of 2021 and 2022, all things progressing well.

EDITED TO ADD: I think the context she was talking was restrictions within her remit, ie state-wide domestic restrictions, which made the 2022 aspect of it interesting

 

[Pushka]

Dr Chant at yesterday's NSW press conference also brushed that question, saying it was something to return to in several months time. She did say that her expectations were that the end of 2021 will look different to the start of 2021 and that she would envisage restrictions would be gradually rolled back over the course of 2021 and 2022, all things progressing well.

I Probably need to move to NSW.....

A compelling carrot to everyone to get vaccinated is to be able to resume normal business and family ties interstate, and then overseas for family.

 

[jb747]

Maybe it was a breakdown in communication? In Melbourne we were told the borders were opening and checkpoints were going to be dismantled.

Lots of people said that at the time, but I (and some others up on the border, including the local rag), went looking specifically for the announcement from Dan. And there wasn't one. Various media sources said the wall was coming down, but the source always pointed back to the police manning the checkpoints.

Victoria Police implement the law and government policy. I've heard no rumblings that there is a 'coup' in the wings with the police going against elected leaders.

No, it's the silence that is curious. Obviously the police are not going to say anything, but they were making noises about not being able to man normal duties prior to pulling out. Even if it wasn't his idea, you'd always expect a politician to try to stand in the sunlight. The last thing we actually heard from him was that they'd be there until after vaccination happened, though I suspect that might lead to a word that almost rhymes with vaccination, but starts with 'cough'.

 

[Matt_01]

I'm along the same lines, whilst tempted to book NZ for same time Sept this year, will hold out a bit longer and book a week or two in Singapore late March 2022 (visiting Malaysia as well). Again if all falls apart, only losing small amount of QFF.

My flight to NZ were booked prior to the latest QF announcement on fee waivers however the dates line up so if I have to cancel there is no penalty. With the latest announcement there is no need to wait as you can book any cheap rewards flight and then change it without a points penalty.

 

[jakeseven7]

My flight to NZ were booked prior to the latest QF announcement on fee waivers however the dates line up so if I have to cancel there is no penalty. With the latest announcement there is no need to wait as you can book any cheap rewards flight and then change it without a points penalty.

We've grabbed a bunch of award seats to NZ on QF, spread strategically around in terms of dates - nothing to lose really as you say - can cancel/move/refund any time at no cost!

 

[Matt_01]

We've grabbed a bunch of award seats to NZ on QF

I will be doing the same however I am starting with the cheapest domestic tickets to minimise points usage. I have posted some detail over on the OW planning thread as if you book before 30 Apr you can effectively extend these bookings well into 2023.

 

[jakeseven7]

I will be doing the same however I am starting with the cheapest domestic tickets to minimise points usage. I have posted some detail over on the OW planning thread as if you book before 30 Apr you can effectively extend these bookings well into 2023.

Very very good strategy!

 

[Pom-DownUnder]

at the minute the will is there in the public to stand in these lines, get the test, whenever they are shown on tv they look bored not sick.

once people have the vaccine their willingness to jump through the hoops and provide the numbers these pollies are so addicted to then what can they do? sure they can test people that end up in hospital hopefully few and far between. So far the public is playing along but once the incentive to do that dries up ...

 

[Flashback]

Meanwhile, I'm sitting here just waiting for the time that I'm allowed to travel more than a few miles away from home just in a car!

 

[Pushka]

I will be doing the same however I am starting with the cheapest domestic tickets to minimise points usage. I have posted some detail over on the OW planning thread as if you book before 30 Apr you can effectively extend these bookings well into 2023.

Will award availability be guaranteed though?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Will award availability be guaranteed though?

If there's no award availability, the loss is either zero, or 6000 points (if the policy changes at some time in the future).

It could well be that premium awards dry up once travel opens... smaller aircraft with smaller business cabins, and if the business travel market has dried up, airlines may be willing to sell business seats for cheaper prices rather than letting them go empty.

 

[Flashback]

Award availability to/from Europe is wide open at the moment for the latter part of this year. If there's no fees to redeposit/cancel the booking, may as well have a punt. I did! UK to Australia in my case.

 

[Pushka]

Award availability to/from Europe is wide open at the moment for the latter part of this year. If there's no fees to redeposit/cancel the booking, may as well have a punt. I did! UK to Australia in my case.

I’m just waiting til my dates come up. A few weeks yet.

 

[Matt_01]

Will award availability be guaranteed though?

I am planning for the next family international trip in 2022 and as such have been looking at availability and cross referencing to FR24 to see what is actually flying/ been flown at present. Outside of AU QF mind set there are many trunk routes operating on a daily basis by OW carriers *A, sky team etc. IMO the QF offer to book by 30 Apr and allow free changes is a win-win situation as there is no change (points fees) or cancellation (points fees) QF may try and insist that the CC booking fees cannot be refunded but from experience this also can be overcome and the CC fees will be returned.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Received today from DFAT:

Is your passport expiring soon?​

​

Be travel ready. Make sure your passport stays current.​

This clearly indicates borders will be opening soon! woo hoo!

 

[jb747]

Received today from DFAT:

Is your passport expiring soon?​

​

Be travel ready. Make sure your passport stays current.​

This clearly indicates borders will be opening soon! woo hoo!

I think it means they want the cash flow from your new passport.

Worth noting that it is not difficult to renew one that is a couple of years expired, so I wouldn't bother until they become useful again.

 

[oznflfan]

I think it means they want the cash flow from your new passport.

Worth noting that it is not difficult to renew one that is a couple of years expired, so I wouldn't bother until they become useful again.

Agreed, renewing a passport seems to be the same process as getting a new one.

Byproduct though is you have prime valid ID for banking and conveyancing requirements, it's much harder to prove ID with current onerous ID requirements without a valid passport.