Predictions of when international flights may resume/bans lifted

[Pushka]

Bit disappointed TBH. I was expecting a seven days home quarantine solution after 80% DD given this had been discussed previously and given the national plan, so that bit isn't surprising. Sure it's coming a bit earlier to NSW but I'm in a job where I can't work from home.

But I was hoping for some green list/bubble countries eg Singapore and maybe even a risk stratified more pragmatic approach given the Covid situations in SYD/MEL.

It really is absurd making vaccinated travellers from most countries quarantine for 7 days given the Covid situation in Australia, especially if a test/release scheme is considered.

The fact Morrison flagged up NZ as a potential country for quarantine free travel (wow, thanks!) really said a lot. Hope we get some more sense soon.

Travel Agent on radio this morning is negotiating with SA State Govt for one day home quarantine with testing on arrival, wait until negative, then again on day 5 and 11.

 

[drron]

The problem is the Commonwealth only controls the National border.The States control theirs.So absolutely no sense in the PM mandating what quarantine scenario will be returning from OS.And even if the High Court rules the States must open their borders I suspect WA and possibly QLD will insist on HQ.As long as they treat everyone the same I suspect it will be within the rules if they have declared a Public Health Emergency within their States.
I certainly hope though if QLD insists on HQ we can book our own hotel.Easy way to Status.

 

[Lynda2475]

Interesting. Whatis the source of that information

AbC new site

Tracking the vaccine: Half of Australians boosted with three doses

With children aged 5-11 joining the rollout on January 10, just over 94 per cent of the total population are now eligible for vaccination against COVID-19.

www.abc.net.au

When can I travel internationally? It depends where you live

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says international travel is on the horizon. But when it will actually become a reality depends on where you live.

www.abc.net.au

 

[cove]

Last night our sons were interested in buying AA miles on a cheap special. By the time I looked that deal was gone. Looks like our younger ones are ready to fly.

 

[Pushka]

Phone call just now from DIL in UK asking when can we come over!

 

[Princess Fiona]

Last night our sons were interested in buying AA miles on a cheap special. By the time I looked that deal was gone. Looks like our younger ones are ready to fly.

I saw that deal too on OMAAT but there were no Award seats available to LHR for my dates so I didn’t buy.

 

[mviy]

At this stage I hope to go the UK in December or maybe January.

 

[OATEK]

A week ago my QF1 flight in early March had 13 seats allocated (in EF). Today it is 24, including a dozen in J. So clearly bookings are picking up. Will be very interesting to watch the November flights.

 

[coyote25]

Interesting article on the airline start up work that VA & QF have already started.

Virgin is scheduling around 700 flights each month which it otherwise wouldn’t need to operate while travel demand is so low, just so there are enough opportunities for pilots to do supervised flight training and assessment.

‘It’s hard to be earthbound’: Airlines prepare for a bumpy take-off

With international and domestic travel back on the radar, restarting an industry that has been in hibernation for almost two years will be far from straightforward.

www.smh.com.au

 

[sydneyboi]

At this stage I hope to go the UK in December or maybe January.

I'm hopeful to go March/April to the UK and Europe...

 

[jakeseven7]

A bunch of our UK family members are successfully booked onto the new QF flights thanks for the early heads up AFF!

 

[jase05]

A bunch of our UK family members are successfully booked onto the new QF flights thanks for the early heads up AFF!

Most of my UK rellies have no desire to come here just yet so I’ll have to head over there if I want to see them. Some I aren’t too fussed if I see
Coming into our peak period so probably no holidays until New Years by which time hopefully a lot more options for flights

 

[Telemachus]

A week ago my QF1 flight in early March had 13 seats allocated (in EF). Today it is 24, including a dozen in J. So clearly bookings are picking up. Will be very interesting to watch the November flights.

I'm seeing similar figures on EF for my booked flights to UK (out Dec, back Feb). Toyed with bringing forward my dates but would have had to be v quick last night to snare a 'better' itinerary - the seats are being snapped up rapidly. Hope those now in enforced exile will find they can secure bookings at reasonable prices as more inventory opens up.

 

[jakeseven7]

Most of my UK rellies have no desire to come here just yet so I’ll have to head over there if I want to see them. Some I aren’t too fussed if I see
Coming into our peak period so probably no holidays until New Years by which time hopefully a lot more options for flights

Our ‘crazy uncle’ got a J class classic reward as well. I was a little disappointed he has made it

 

[Mrmaxwell]

QF certainly making hay while the sun shines...so many flights with only full flex fares being snapped up especially LHR-SYD!

 

[VPS]

Does anyone have any comments on this.

Fully vaxed UK citizen has a sister in Melbourne with terminal cancer and wants to see her. The way I understand it she will have to home quarantine for a week on her own.

Are there any other things I should think about before helping with her flight

 

[Batterytraveller]

Fully vaxed UK citizen has a sister in Melbourne with terminal cancer and wants to see her. The way I understand it she will have to home quarantine for a week on her own.

That seems to be the general understanding, but no formal announcement has been made. The closest we’ve had to an announcement is that Australians and PRs will be able to leave and return, what happens next is still not firm. Everything else in the DFAT statement is couched in conditional language. It’s a terrible situation but there’s not much hard info to base a plan on.

Next steps to reopen to the world

Australia is ready to take its next steps to safely reopen to the world, with changes coming to the international border.

www.foreignminister.gov.au

 

[Telemachus]

Does anyone have any comments on this.

Fully vaxed UK citizen has a sister in Melbourne with terminal cancer and wants to see her. The way I understand it she will have to home quarantine for a week on her own.

Are there any other things I should think about before helping with her flight

Yes, one or two other issues to consider…

As Batterytraveller has said we have only the joint media statement to go on, plus the PM’s words at yesterday’s presser, and the National Plan. I used those 3 references for my commentary at post #10,703 above: happy to be corrected but there is really nothing else yet (and some of the media coverage isn't helping) so you have only indications in lieu of firm guidance on what is changing. Issues to ponder:

Citizenship: If your UK traveller has Australian citizenship or PR as well as British citizenship, fine. If not then the lifting of the inbound and outbound travel ban in Nov may not help her – the relaxing of restrictions applies only to Australians so foreign nationals will (by implication) still need to seek an ABF exemption to come here. And there is no explicit confirmation that arriving non-citizens, even if vaccinated, will benefit from home quarantine when it starts – though it would be a nonsense to discriminate.

Timetable: Until the international restrictions on arrivals are amended (‘in November’) current rules apply and all arrivals, irrespective of vaccination status, go into 14 days of hotel quarantine. In your scenario, choose the flight arrival date according to your best estimation of when Victoria will enter Phase C and introduce home quarantine: it can only be a guesstimate right now.

Vaccination: As a person vaccinated under the UK programme your traveller will have received a TGA-approved vaccine and should have no great difficulty in having this validated for Australian immigration purposes.

Home quarantine: As the Commonwealth has thrown this one to the States, until Victoria announces a model (even a trial) then you have only the PM’s announcement of 7 days being the expected model, plus the reasonable assumption it will need to be in premises where isolation is feasible. You can look at the SA & NSW trials but really anything else about how it will work is conjecture.

 

[VPS]

Yes, one or two other issues to consider…

As Batterytraveller has said we have only the joint media statement to go on, plus the PM’s words at yesterday’s presser, and the National Plan. I used those 3 references for my commentary at post #10,703 above: happy to be corrected but there is really nothing else yet (and some of the media coverage isn't helping) so you have only indications in lieu of firm guidance on what is changing. Issues to ponder:

Citizenship: If your UK traveller has Australian citizenship or PR as well as British citizenship, fine. If not then the lifting of the inbound and outbound travel ban in Nov may not help her – the relaxing of restrictions applies only to Australians so foreign nationals will (by implication) still need to seek an ABF exemption to come here. And there is no explicit confirmation that arriving non-citizens, even if vaccinated, will benefit from home quarantine when it starts – though it would be a nonsense to discriminate.

Timetable: Until the international restrictions on arrivals are amended (‘in November’) current rules apply and all arrivals, irrespective of vaccination status, go into 14 days of hotel quarantine. In your scenario, choose the flight arrival date according to your best estimation of when Victoria will enter Phase C and introduce home quarantine: it can only be a guesstimate right now.

Vaccination: As a person vaccinated under the UK programme your traveller will have received a TGA-approved vaccine and should have no great difficulty in having this validated for Australian immigration purposes.

Home quarantine: As the Commonwealth has thrown this one to the States, until Victoria announces a model (even a trial) then you have only the PM’s announcement of 7 days being the expected model, plus the reasonable assumption it will need to be in premises where isolation is feasible. You can look at the SA & NSW trials but really anything else about how it will work is conjecture.

Thanks for the great summary

She only has UK citizenship. She is a dear friend but I pity any person that tries to put her in a hotel room for 14 days especially if there is no window. She is one hyperactive individual

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks for the great summary

She only has UK citizenship. She is a dear friend but I pity any person that tries to put her in a hotel room for 14 days especially if there is no window. She is one hyperactive individual

Just to further the previous comments I noted today on the Cth website that it said while those on (for example) temporary visas are free to leave, coming back would be subject to an exemption and unlikely to be granted. Citizens of other countries probably fall more or less into that same category... although in this case there is a compelling reason for an exemption. Worth trying!