Predictions of when international flights may resume/bans lifted

[Seat0B]

Quality of life for me in Australia and many others here is vested in me being able to see first degree relatives overseas.

Spot on. And even relatives in other states of the former Australia. Also being able to see clients in other states of the former Australia. Or even in my own territory.

 

[Seat0B]

I really think in 6 months this will be a white elephant that they do not dare talk about, QLD and WA are purposefully trying to miss the train and they are going to have egg on their face for it.

Just as long as we don’t all have to stop the train to wait for them, or worse still, turn the train around and go back for them. They’ve had plenty of warning that the train is about to leave the platform so

 

[roogirl]

There is no way Qantas haven't drawn up these plans without consulting high level government sources first. With previous Qantas plans they were all optimistic as none of them were tied to vaccination dates.

Now we know we should hit 80% by December, so I think this will likely dovetail with future government announcements unless we get unexpected changes before (eg a significantly vaccine resistant strain).

Big question will be under what basis we open up initially - would expect Singapore would be quarantine free. But would US/UK need 7 days' home quarantine for vaccinated travelers? That would seem realistic, but in this case it would significantly impact on demand (and may be why Qantas is holding back the 380s)

I’d be amazed if australia went from 14 days managed quarantine to 7 days home in one step. Why would they do that?
Am curious as to what degree this government consultation has taken place.

meanwhile the lowered arrival caps have been extended until end of October. Despite there being no good reason to do so.

 

[Princess Fiona]

I guess it depends on which side of the fence Victoria is on - living with Covid or not.

I think it’s becoming a bit clearer that they may not have a choice with that.

 

[oznflfan]

Sadly QLD Premier has just announced they are building Wellcamp quarantine unilaterally. Seems convinced that 14 day managed quarantine is staying for years. Seems to suggest we'd only open to other countries who are covid zero.

....................but we will have thousands of cases circulating across Australia once we open at 80%, and this is local cases, nothing imported internationally.

 

[justinbrett]

I’d be amazed if australia went from 14 days managed quarantine to 7 days home in one step. Why would they do that?
Am curious as to what degree this government consultation has taken place.

meanwhile the lowered arrival caps have been extended until end of October. Despite there being no good reason to do so.

We did it for NZ. It will be a question of adding countries to the bubble list, not reducing the standard (initially)

 

[antycbr]

Big question will be under what basis we open up initially - would expect Singapore would be quarantine free. But would US/UK need 7 days' home quarantine for vaccinated travelers? That would seem realistic, but in this case it would significantly impact on demand (and may be why Qantas is holding back the 380s)

Even still, once the outbound cap is lifted, there will be huge and increasing outbound one way demand if our future is lockdowns and quarantines. People will take their chances overseas.

A significant number of people have second country passports and therefore the right of abode/work rights.

 

[am0985]

I’d be amazed if australia went from 14 days managed quarantine to 7 days home in one step. Why would they do that?
Am curious as to what degree this government consultation has taken place.

meanwhile the lowered arrival caps have been extended until end of October. Despite there being no good reason to do so.

PM has already indicated their work indicated 14 days hotel quarantine in the unvaccinated had similar risk to 7 days home quarantine in the vaccinated (see article). So this is likely the intermediate step for countries we can't have a quarantine free bubble with.

And of course high vaccination rates are the reason why we have such a step change. Only 11% are unwilling to get vaccinated and it will take between two and three weeks to move between each 10% fully vaccinated increment at current rates.

The idea that Qantas wouldn't have friends in government and wouldn't be utilising them seems..unlikely to say the least. Of course they probably aren't influencing policy, but I think it's pretty likely they will be getting expected time frames from ongoing government discussions.

Home quarantine will be trialled for vaccinated travellers

www.9news.com.au

 

[Must...Fly!]

....................but we will have thousands of cases circulating across Australia once we open at 80%, and this is local cases, nothing imported internationally.

I think this fact is lost on a lot of people. We seem to be of the opinion that the country is somehow special, when in reality we are not.

The virus that emerged in Wuhan jumped deserts, oceans and continents. To think that with over 13,000 active cases growing at now over 1,000 per day will not lead to extensive transmission chains beyond NSW is absolutely ludicrous. It is an almost certainty that the strain in Sydney has now also been "returned" to other countries. If State governments in QLD, SA, NT, WA, assume that they can avoid this outcome then they are frankly mad.

This has (or at least should have) pretty significant implications for international travel, even if just with "bubble" countries.

 

[antycbr]

The idea that Qantas wouldn't have friends in government and wouldn't be utilising them seems..unlikely to say the least. Of course they probably aren't influencing policy, but I think it's pretty likely they will be getting expected time frames from ongoing government discussions.

Those Chairmans Lounges exist for a reason.

 

[Tiki]

I think this fact is lost on a lot of people. We seem to be of the opinion that the country is somehow special, when in reality we are not.

The virus that emerged in Wuhan jumped deserts, oceans and continents. To think that with over 13,000 active cases growing at now over 1,000 per day will not lead to extensive transmission chains beyond NSW is absolutely ludicrous. It is an almost certainty that the strain in Sydney has now also been "returned" to other countries. If State governments in QLD, SA, NT, WA, assume that they can avoid this outcome then they are frankly mad.

This has (or at least should have) pretty significant implications for international travel, even if just with "bubble" countries.

And the sooner Anna (at least) accepts this the better. She and WA are the worst, I think SA and NT will come around.

Can't the feds put more pressure on them? What purse strings can they cut if they don't accept the National 80% plan?

 

[jb747]

If Joyce ran for PM, I'd vote for him on that platform.

I can only hope it happens.

I wouldn't...

Different people want different things out of the handling of this pandemic. I want my elderly parents to be safe and have a reasonable standard of living. That means not being locked away or sheilded.

Your parents as well as all elderly people have the right to choose to be vaccinated and move about freely in absence of lockdowns (which I personally am not in favour of though I am compliant).

My mother is 91. She's angry that lockdowns have continually hit her, even though there has never been a nearby case. Basically she sees it as Dan stealing was little time she has left. Untargetted lockdowns look a lot like carpet bombing. Get rid of a lot of bombs, do a lot of collateral damage, but hit almost no targets.

 

[mbell1510]

And the sooner Anna (at least) accepts this the better. She and WA are the worst, I think SA and NT will come around.

Can't the feds put more pressure on them? What purse strings can they cut if they don't accept the National 80% plan?

I'm a Queenslander based in Sydney. Right now I am more excited to get on a plane to the UK than visiting my family and friends in Qld.
Northern Territory has been pretty good with borders during the pandemic. They are not known for overacting. Still, the Feds can just override a territory if they tried to pull a WA or QLD.

 

[mviy]

My mother is 91. She's angry that lockdowns have continually hit her, even though there has never been a nearby case. Basically she sees it as Dan stealing was little time she has left. Untargetted lockdowns look a lot like carpet bombing. Get rid of a lot of bombs, do a lot of collateral damage, but hit almost no targets.

I agree with that and like that analogy. I have a relative that is very elderly and fully vaccinated and not in aged care and I can't visit them interstate even though considering they are fully vaccinated and I have had one dose, my visit would pose almost no risk. Even though the relative seems healthy for their age, with very elderly people that can change without any notice.

I'm nearly as upset over the state border closures as I am about the international borders. We need to start to ease these restrictions now.

 

[jrfsp]

The issues around HKG will likely play out very differently when flights out begin early next year. The issues around whether there are traffic light systems are one thing, but more broadly there are many who have used HKG as a connecting point to EU/US who could (like us) be very hesitant to fly there. We have friends from HK who have family connections, and they are similarly hesitant.

I am still hoping to get away to the UK around Easter 2022, but we will preference other connecting points ahead of HKG and this might show up in QF route planning if there is a general move to avoid HKG over SIN where pax can continue on QF flights.

Review: Qantas Hong Kong Lounge [2024]

While Cathay Pacific understandably dominates Hong Kong International Airport with five individual lounges, the Qantas Hong Kong Lounge remains an unexpected gem. If you hold Qantas Platinum or Qantas Platinum One status you may well pop into Cathay’s The Wing First lounge for its à la carte...

www.executivetraveller.com

QF doesnt think HKG will be making a big comeback...

 

[OZDUCK]

The Federal Government has just announced, unilaterally but they are funding the build anyway, that the new Quarantine Station being built in W.A. will be in the grounds of the Pearce RAAF base rather than at Jandakot Airport. There have been concerns expressed because it will be built on land contaminated by firefighting foam but the Govt. has dismissed those concerns because it does not intend to use groundwater from the site. The W.A govt. has been calling for the use of defence facilities for the last 14 months. and it is claimed that it will be a quicker build at Pearce.

Finance Minister Birmingham also said - "Whilst it will be used for any ongoing quarantine requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic, it will also be available in the years to come for other important uses such as supporting responses to natural disasters or other emergencies."

WA quarantine hub to be built at contaminated Bullsbrook after Jandakot plans axed

The Commonwealth ditches plans to build Western Australia's quarantine facility at Jandakot Airport, instead opting for land near the contaminated Pearce RAAF base.

www.abc.net.au

.

 

[Seat0B]

I agree with that and like that analogy. I have a relative that is very elderly and fully vaccinated and not in aged care and I can't visit them interstate even though considering they are fully vaccinated and I have had one dose, my visit would pose almost no risk. Even though the relative seems healthy for their age, with very elderly people that can change without any notice.

I'm nearly as upset over the state border closures as I am about the international borders. We need to start to ease these restrictions now.

Me too, in every way.

 

[antycbr]

The Federal Government has just announced, unilaterally but they are funding the build anyway, that the new Quarantine Station being built in W.A. will be in the grounds of the Pearce RAAF base rather than at Jandakot Airport. There have been concerns expressed because it will be built on land contaminated by firefighting foam but the Govt. has dismissed those concerns because it does not intend to use groundwater from the site. The W.A govt. has been calling for the use of defence facilities for the last 14 months. and it is claimed that it will be a quicker build at Pearce.

Finance Minister Birmingham also said - "Whilst it will be used for any ongoing quarantine requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic, it will also be available in the years to come for other important uses such as supporting responses to natural disasters or other emergencies."

WA quarantine hub to be built at contaminated Bullsbrook after Jandakot plans axed

The Commonwealth ditches plans to build Western Australia's quarantine facility at Jandakot Airport, instead opting for land near the contaminated Pearce RAAF base.

www.abc.net.au

.

Entirely sensible approach as I think we might need more defence capabilities in the western half of the country and be training and rotating more troops through there (either Australian or US).

 

[roogirl]

That’s sad - I was always very fond of the qf lounge at HKG. specifically the shu mai...

Post automatically merged: Aug 26, 2021

Those Chairmans Lounges exist for a reason.

Surely though the proof will be in whether qantas is starting to stand up its international network again now - all those furloughed pilots must be pretty rusty at this point and will require recertification? Any intel on whether they’re actually operationally prepping?

 

[jakeseven7]

Before that we were living a pretty good life here, free from just about all restrictions except travel into or out of Australia. Two months!

Comments (ongoing) like these are just so selfish / blinkered and have absolutely no empathy to the toll inflicted on anyone who has been impacted by the travel bans both internationally and domestically.