Predictions of when international flights may resume/bans lifted

[Pushka]

I've posted a couple of times on this thread - my only point is that I have been surprised by the number of Australians still living overseas (now wanting to return to OZ). I realise that many are like @Toula92122 (ie are long term residents / dual citizens of other countries) but these people are staying put (I presume). So I fully realise all citizens (/perm residents) have the right to return - just surprised at the number.

Hotel quarantine would not be necessary if people would just DO THE RIGHT THING and self-isolate as per instructions. (MR LL and I did it as we returned from a cut-short holiday just a week before hotel quarantine was introduced and it wasn' hard to do - it didn't cost anyone anything).

My nephew works in France and his family is based in Australia (wife and children). He made a last minute decision at the end of March to exit the country and come to Australia. He lives in the western part of the country about 3 hours train from Paris. The day after he literally escaped, France completely closed its borders and stopped the trains. He would have been stuck for months.

Post automatically merged: Jul 13, 2020

I think it's totally fine to say returning travellers should pay for their quarantine. I am more than happy with that. However as the user pays I think I should be entitled to nominate where I want to stay, give me the option at different price levels. If I'm paying I would be more than happy to pay extra to have a serviced apartment with a kitchen so I could at least have a bit more space.

I don't think service would come into it as that is a risk but I know some of the apartments in SA have Kitchens and sometimes two rooms.

 

[Toula92122]

I did not express myself very well, as by serviced apartment I was thinking of a one bedroom apartment with a separate living room and kitchenette to allow preparation of some basic in the food area. What are such arrangements called? I don't normally stay at such establishments but I think they would make life easier for folks to adapt to.

 

[Pushka]

I did not express myself very well, as by serviced apartment I was thinking of a one bedroom apartment with a separate living room and kitchenette to allow preparation of some basic in the food area. What are such arrangements called? I don't normally stay at such establishments but I think they would make life easier for folks to adapt to.

Absolutely agree with you. I'm very happy to pay, especially if it eventually frees up travel for restricted reasons for the moment (family overseas, confirmed business etc etc). Vacations are out for the moment.

 

[Hvr]

I did not express myself very well, as by serviced apartment I was thinking of a one bedroom apartment with a separate living room and kitchenette to allow preparation of some basic in the food area.

You expressed yourself very well. You have correctly described a serviced apartment.

 

[Pushka]

We used to own a serviced apartment in Qld that had two bedrooms, Kitchen and lounge room and the "serviced" part came from the management services that includes daily housekeeping, front desk management and tour booking, and room services.

Without those management services it is just an apartment.

 

[cjd600]

I did not express myself very well, as by serviced apartment I was thinking of a one bedroom apartment with a separate living room and kitchenette to allow preparation of some basic in the food area. What are such arrangements called? I don't normally stay at such establishments but I think they would make life easier for folks to adapt to.

I'd call that a self-contained apartment

 

[Seat0B]

As long as you are willing to pay for quarantine you should be free to come and go as you wish.

And that's the real issue with border closures. Plus some reports in the media today that with the limit of 50 people per flight into Australia, airlines are now cancelling people with Y tickets in favour of people willing to pay for J or F. I understand the financial pressure on the airlines, but all these factors make it hard for someone who wants to come home, for whatever reason, even if they pay for the quarantine.

 

[Seat0B]

I think it's totally fine to say returning travellers should pay for their quarantine. I am more than happy with that. However as the user pays I think I should be entitled to nominate where I want to stay, give me the option at different price levels. If I'm paying I would be more than happy to pay extra to have a serviced apartment with a kitchen so I could at least have a bit more space.

Totally agree with you on that! And you could get on-line groceries delivered and therefore eat what you want/like/is culturally appropriate. You could wash your clothes. It really could be a lot more comfortable.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

And that's the real issue with border closures. Plus some reports in the media today that with the limit of 50 people per flight into Australia, airlines are now cancelling people with Y tickets in favour of people willing to pay for J or F. I understand the financial pressure on the airlines, but all these factors make it hard for someone who wants to come home, for whatever reason, even if they pay for the quarantine.

Yeah... I don’t understand this. The reports today said a passenger holding an economy ticket was told their seat was cancelled, but was told they could upgrade on the same flight to business class. That would seem to breach contract... if the cap is 50, and you are already holding a seat, the airline should honour it. If the flight is already over-subscribed, most AFFers (not me!) would agree that class of service and status should trump everyone else. Offering a business class seat to a confirmed economy passenger would also likely breach consumer protection laws if available in the country of departure (and perhaps origin too).

 

[luxury-lizard]

Gee whizz - this is really getting awful - read a couple of individual stories of Aussies who have been trying in vain to return from India since March - no flights or flights cancelled ..... now they are concerned not only about the limited number of returnees (and therefore limited seats for sale on any flights) and it seems no flights ex-India to Australia and cost of quarantine if when they finally get home.

 

[jakeseven7]

Agree its pretty depressing. We have friends who have to leave Australia in about 7 months and come back about 2 months later and they are terrified at this mess playing out.... I really hope the government pulls together a clear and coherent process by then....

 

[Pushka]

And I've read of business class fares being around $24,000! The Govt has created an extortion racket by limiting supply. And the families I've read about from the UK have tried desperately to get home but flight after flight cancelled.

 

[Gremlin]

And I've read of business class fares being around $24,000! The Govt has created an extortion racket by limiting supply. And the families I've read about from the UK have tried desperately to get home but flight after flight cancelled.

I have a friend who was quoted over $9k for a one-way fare from SE Asia. In Y.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

And I've read of business class fares being around $24,000! The Govt has created an extortion racket by limiting supply. And the families I've read about from the UK have tried desperately to get home but flight after flight cancelled.

i read that too - but I'm not even sure if there's a published fare that high?

 

[Gremlin]

i read that too - but I'm not even sure if there's a published fare that high?

My mate above ($9k Y from SE Asia) was quoted a price that was effectively two full fare Y one-way tickets to/from his transit hub, rather than being priced AAA-xBBB-CCC. It was a middle eastern airline. You certainly wouldn't normally use them for a fifth freedom flight from SE Asia to Australia. Maybe they weren't allowed to sell that route as AAA-xBBB-CCC and instead had to sell it as AAA-BBB plus BBB-CCC? I'm only guessing - freedoms of the air are all a bit arcane to me. But if so, you could easily see an example which could have a fare of $24k in J.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

My mate above ($9k Y from SE Asia) was quoted a price that was effectively two full fare Y one-way tickets to/from his transit hub, rather than being priced AAA-xBBB-CCC. It was a middle eastern airline. You certainly wouldn't normally use them for a fifth freedom flight from SE Asia to Australia. Maybe they weren't allowed to sell that route as AAA-xBBB-CCC and instead had to sell it as AAA-BBB plus BBB-CCC? I'm only guessing - freedoms of the air are all a bit arcane to me. But if so, you could easily see an example which could have a fare of $24k in J.

It could be a case of not having a published fare and hence two separate tickets.

I dunno - I wonder how many AFFers would ever be 'stuck'? I guess we know which airlines are flying, where they fly, and how to make the connections.

 

[jakeseven7]

I dunno - I wonder how many AFFers would ever be 'stuck'? I guess we know which airlines are flying, where they fly, and how to make the connections.

That isn't the problem.

I've been trying to get people home from Paris. The main issue has been cancelling and changing flights, we ended up maxing out credit cards in the process.

Its like playing musical chairs but with hardly any chairs.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

That isn't the problem.

I've been trying to get people home from Paris. The main issue has been cancelling and changing flights, we ended up maxing out credit cards in the process.

Its like playing musical chairs but with hardly any chairs.

Interesting! I mean just having a look shows daily Qatar airways flights CDG-DOH-SYD, and the flights have been operating every day for the last 14 days. Lufthansa and United have daily flights CDG-SFO-SYD. (Lol - I found the $24K business class fare! SFO-SYD on United, one way at AUD24K, although seriously, economy is available almost every day for AUD2000... so folk must have money to only be considering business class!)

 

[PineappleSkip]

ABC 730 just ran a story about people bumped from flights who were flying Y, and other tales. They didn’t seem to have any trouble finding stories.

As coronavirus restrictions tighten, returning Australians risk losing their flights if they don't upgrade to business class

Australian filmmaker Katy-May Hudson says if her flight later this week from the US to Australia is cancelled, her only chance of getting another flight might be to book business class. "The last time we checked, those [business class] flights were at $US24,000 ($34,500)," she said.

Cheers skip

 

[kamchatsky]

Well my family and I have return award J booking in April next year which I booked at late April, so technically I don't have to pay for quarantine as I am SYD based.

However the fact that I will need to take extra 2 weeks to not work would already put me off from taking this trip. I just cannot see how we will travel without vaccine being developed, or at least the travel insurance covers it.