Predictions of when international flights may resume/bans lifted

[Lynda2475]

As a Queenslander, is it possible for me to arrive in NSW, transit to QLD and then do home quarantine there (after Dec 17)? Or am I prevented from transiting? Do the “restricted premises” include domestic flights?

That would be per the policy of the Qld gov site, as you would clear immigration in SYD therefore be deemed to have entered NSW and also have been overseas in the prior 14 days.

 

[timoh]

Thanks for your help! That Border Restrictions Direction is hard to read, but I haven't found anything specifying transiting from other states to QLD (more so about arriving in QLD and then transiting elsewhere).

That would be per the policy of the Qld gov site, as you would clear immigration in SYD therefore be deemed to have entered NSW and also have been overseas in the prior 14 days.

I'm more so concerned that NSW will not allow me to get on the flight to QLD since arrivals to NSW are required to get tested 24hrs after arrival and then 7 days and are still somewhat restricted in the meantime.

Under what's published here: Queensland’s COVID-19 Vaccine Plan To Unite Families it states:

Arriving from overseas via another state or territory

If you have been overseas in the past 14 days, you may enter Queensland provided you:

* are fully vaccinated
* have undertaken the Queensland-specified period of quarantine under the direction of another state or territory at home or in a government-nominated facility

If you do not meet these criteria, you will need to meet the relevant requirements for entry to Queensland and will be required to undertake a period of home quarantine.

The way I read this, as long as I meet the "relevant requirements for entry to Queensland" (which I should as a Queensland resident), I can home quarantine.

 

[flyinpod]

Thanks for your help! That Border Restrictions Direction is hard to read, but I haven't found anything specifying transiting from other states to QLD (more so about arriving in QLD and then transiting elsewhere).



I'm more so concerned that NSW will not allow me to get on the flight to QLD since arrivals to NSW are required to get tested 24hrs after arrival and then 7 days and are still somewhat restricted in the meantime.

Under what's published here: Queensland’s COVID-19 Vaccine Plan To Unite Families it states:



The way I read this, as long as I meet the "relevant requirements for entry to Queensland" (which I should as a Queensland resident), I can home quarantine.

recent press conf ( today) deputy Premier is saying at 80% home quarantine. Not sure how long and there are specific rules ( i believe) at what type of premise you can quarantine in.

 

[PineappleSkip]

As a Queenslander, is it possible for me to arrive in NSW, transit to QLD and then do home quarantine there (after Dec 17)?

Not likely. The opening plan from Qld about arriving international elsewhere and transitting says this re after Dec 17.

If you have been overseas in the past 14 days, you may enter Queensland provided you:
• arefully vaccinated
• have undertaken the Queensland-specified period of quarantine under the direction of another state or territory at home or in a government-nominated facility
If you do not meet these criteria, you will need to meet the relevant requirements for entry to Queensland and will be required to undertake a period of home quarantine.

I’d read the two dot points as two conditions (and) not (or). This is basically to say you can’t fly international into Sydney and bypass Qld hotel quarantine. The queensland specified period is 14 days.

Note also that there are unrevealed rules about home quarantine and who can do it. A limited selection of LGAs was mentioned when the plan came out. and I don’t live in one of them.

What I and others are doing is 14 days in NSW, then entering Qld. It’s still almost impossible to get adirect flight there.

The border direction is the current rules and not the Dec 17 rules.



cheers skip

 

[jase05]

Fully vaxxed tourists from Singapore allowed in from November 21st

 

[Berlin]

I'm not sure if this has been posted before, but I think it's new: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Documents/guidelines-fully-vaccinated-arrivals.pdf

This outlines the actual tests you need to do after arriving in NSW


Additionally...

Oups, that came a bit out of nowhere- I had no idea that we have to do all this testing nonsense once we get home to Sydney. At least it seems that it can be ANY test and doesn't have to be those expensive special ones.

Also- here goes my hope for a few cold ones in my favourite pub. Looks like this has to wait an entire week

 

[odysseus]

At the moment no! note, this was amended just a few days ago. Border Restrictions Direction (No. 50) | Queensland Health

Post automatically merged: Nov 1, 2021

That appears to say yes, it is.

The direction makes clear that the person is regarded as an international traveller, whether they come in directly to QLD e.g. Brisbane, or via another state. The same requirements then apply to all "international travellers."

The definition showing this is:
International arrival means a person who arrives in Queensland on a flight that is not a quarantine-free flight or a person who, in the 14 days immediately before their arrival to Queensland:

1. has been in a place outside Australia, other than a safe travel zone country; or
2. arrived in Australia by sea; or
3. arrived in Australia by air on a flight that is not a quarantine-free flight, regardless of whether the flight originated from a safe travel zone country; or
4. has been in a place declared a safe travel zone country hotspot.

but excluding international air crew and Queensland based air crew and ADF air crew as defined and regulated by the Quarantine and COVID-19 Testing for Air Crew Direction (No.2) or its successors.

i.e. as a traveller on a flight from another country, to Sydney, then on to Brisbane any time within 14 days from the flight from another country, you all fall in the same bucket as if your flight was direct to Brisbane from another country.

 

[PineappleSkip]

That's the current rules, who knows what the Dec 17 detail is. The two pager is murk.

Under the current rules you can't enter Qld at all from NSW until you get your entry permit, and you have to get to the front of the queue of 13,000 who have been waiting months before they get their permission to enter.

Until I see the fine print I wouldn't assume Qld will let you in at all come Dec 17 until you have done 14 days interstate. If you haven't you have to follow yet to be released rules about entry into Qld. They have a right mess with excess demand for hotel quarantine and I wouldn't be at all surprised if they simply refuse entry to those who have taken the NSW bypass and want to come early.

Once you've done 14 days in NSW, the entry from overseas rules no longer apply and the enter from a hotspot rules kick in.

Cheers skip

 

[auriga]

Oups, that came a bit out of nowhere- I had no idea that we have to do all this testing nonsense once we get home to Sydney. At least it seems that it can be ANY test and doesn't have to be those expensive special ones.

Also- here goes my hope for a few cold ones in my favourite pub. Looks like this has to wait an entire week

It does say "you must have a COVID-19 nose and throat PCR test"

It does sound like you can get tested at normal covid testing clinics (? publicly funded)

 

[antycbr]

That's the current rules, who knows what the Dec 17 detail is. The two pager is murk.

Under the current rules you can't enter Qld at all from NSW until you get your entry permit, and you have to get to the front of the queue of 13,000 who have been waiting months before they get their permission to travel.

Until I see the fine print I wouldn't assume Qld will let you in at all come Dec 17 until you have done 14 days interstate. If you haven't you have to follow yet to be released rules about entry into Qld. They have a right mess with excess demand for hotel quarantine and I wouldn't be at all surprised if they simply refuse entry to those who have taken the NSW bypass and want to come early.

Once you've done 14 days in NSW, the entry from overseas rules no longer apply and the enter from a hotspot rules kick in.

Cheers skip

Sounds like it’s going to be hard to get airbnbs in NSW for a while.

 

[N860CR]

Oups, that came a bit out of nowhere- I had no idea that we have to do all this testing nonsense once we get home to Sydney. At least it seems that it can be ANY test and doesn't have to be those expensive special ones.

Also- here goes my hope for a few cold ones in my favourite pub. Looks like this has to wait an entire week

It is a bit unexpected. Didn’t DP say something about landing and going straight out to the pub or something?

I’m guessing it will be virtually unenforceable.

 

[Batterytraveller]

@ayushamity it looks like Sinovac is going to be recognised by the TGA, hopefully this means your partner can avoid COVID jail.

TGA recognises two more Covid vaccines as international border reopens – as it happened

Barnaby Joyce says WA premier ‘lost his marbles’ when asked about opening the border; Victoria records 1,471 new Covid-19 cases; NSW records 135

www.theguardian.com

 

[dajop]

So are any of those planning overseas travel where negative tests before the flight are required (particularly from Melbourne), planning to do "self-lockdown" before travel?

We're flying back home to Singapore on 10th and really hesitant to eat out, or go to shopping centres, entertainment etc, to minimise the chance of being exposed to and possibly contracting the virus - even though fully vaxxed - as it would be a pain if we tested positive. And the cheapskate in me also tends to getting free government test before getting a T-48hr fully documented test, to avoid laying down $150-200 for a documented test, in case positive... (risk is low, but still..)

The same will apply in return when travelling back to Australia just before Christmas, with 3000+ cases a day in Singapore. Nice to have no quarantine, but with the disease moving to endemic status, the risks of travel being disrupted due to a positive test remains considerable.

 

[Must...Fly!]

It is a bit unexpected. Didn’t DP say something about landing and going straight out to the pub or something?

I’m guessing it will be virtually unenforceable.

Yes it's a concerning change. Hopefully the media pick this up and ask?

Seems there is no such reversion in Victoria, at least as yet - https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/information-overseas-travellers#if-you-are-fully-vaccinated

 

[Must...Fly!]

So are any of those planning overseas travel where negative tests before the flight are required (particularly from Melbourne), planning to do "self-lockdown" before travel?

Of sorts, yes I plan to. I will probably avoid going out for dinner or drinks from about 2 weeks out, just so I don't ruin my plans.

As for returning to Australia, I will be getting my test at bang on the 72 hour mark, no later, and probably paying for the quickest result so I can have piece of mind, and hopefully then no issues with returning home. What happens after I am back in Australia (in regards to COVID) is to me irrelevant.

 

[Mattg]

@ayushamity it looks like Sinovac is going to be recognised by the TGA, hopefully this means your partner can avoid COVID jail.

TGA recognises two more Covid vaccines as international border reopens – as it happened

Barnaby Joyce says WA premier ‘lost his marbles’ when asked about opening the border; Victoria records 1,471 new Covid-19 cases; NSW records 135

www.theguardian.com

Sinovac was already on the TGA list, but Sinopharm is now being added.

Covaxin is also now being recognised.

 

[justinbrett]

Looks like it
SQ221 ETA 5.05
QF12 ETA 5.14

Curfew until 0600.

SQ221 landed well before, but freight aircraft are not subject to the curfew.

QF12 was within 50NM of SYD at 0500 and held for an hour.

So either SQ classified itself as a freight aircraft, which makes it exempt, or it received a dispensation. There is provision for scheduled arrivals between 0500-0600 if the timetable is approved by government but this flight was scheduled to arrive after 0600 so that is not applicable. Or Singapore is happy to pay the fine.

 

[Berlin]

Yes it's a concerning change. Hopefully the media pick this up and ask?

At least I'm not the only one caught by surprise- I thought for a moment I must have been delirious since the original announcement was made...

As for the enforcement- will come down to the usual risk, if you end up getting caught due to a Covid infection, then you'll cop a fine. If nothing happens, then nothing happens.

 

[Pushka]

We're flying back home to Singapore on 10th and really hesitant to eat out, or go to shopping centres, entertainment etc, to minimise the chance of being exposed to and possibly contracting the virus - even though fully vaxxed - as it would be a pain if we tested positive

Very wise I think where a country requires a negative test prior to arrival. I was about the tell the Son et al who are off to UK in Dec to start isolating two weeks prior although as a GP DIL is kind of stuck. But UK doesn't require one before entry.

 

[dairyfloss]

Yes it's a concerning change. Hopefully the media pick this up and ask?

Seems there is no such reversion in Victoria, at least as yet - https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/information-overseas-travellers#if-you-are-fully-vaccinated

Yeah - this feels off. It's almost like someone at NSW Health was told to update the document and just merged the changes from Mk 1 Home Quarantine rather than re-writing for the new model. I thought it was a negative test prior to departure (at origin), and then arrive and show proof of that negative result, together with your vaccination passport, and you're home and hosed. If I can't go the pub after getting back, then I'm just home and... housed?