Qantas to Norfolk Island

[Chicken]

Fortunately rebooking with Qantas was easy and accommodation on NI was very kind to change dates despite being outside cancellation / change window. Clock is ticking on QF to NI, but we're certainly trying.

Lucky you in MEL. I'm in SYD, so I have already given up trying. It will take another 4 to 6 weeks of lock down, and there is always a time delay with other states allowing people from a previously locked down state in, August would be gone by then.

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

Lucky you in MEL. I'm in SYD, so I have already given up trying. It will take another 4 to 6 weeks of lock down, and there is always a time delay with other states allowing people from a previously locked down state in, August would be gone by then.

I think Melbourne is a few times bitten and a few times shy by now... I think only one of our five lockdowns lasted only the number of days it was initially promised.

Sad to see the mess in SYD, especially given the attempts to be proportionate in the approach. The politicisation of the responses has been pathetic.

I'll be curious how QF handles a situation where rebooking isn't possible once they cease flying to NI or whether we'll be on the hook for cancellation fees. I suppose the positive is that from SYD, you'll at least have NZ as an option in future. It's possible to buy a codeshare ticket through NZ from MEL with the legs to SYD and BNE on QF, but the cost is pretty silly. We shall see. Lost both Norfolk Island and Lord Howe this month; definitely a shame.

 

[Chicken]

I'll be curious how QF handles a situation where rebooking isn't possible once they cease flying

Isn't it just a full refund? Cos they promised free cancellation for classic award?

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

Isn't it just a full refund? Cos they promised free cancellation for classic award?

These were paid tickets, eligible for date changes, but not route or credit without paying cancellation fee.

 

[Aggi]

So looks like my trip wasn't to be after all, boarded the flight in BNE yesterday ready to take off when an announcement came over the PA that NI had just made a decision to require Victorians to isolate on arrival for 14 days and that if we wanted to get off to let them know immediately, so about 6 of us in all got off, had our bags unloaded. The QF staff on the ground were just wonderful though, and even managed the cancellation of the remaining flights and rebooking back to melb. So returned straight back to Melb on an orange permit, tested near Melb airport last night, negative result this morning.
Also the NI tour operators and accommodation were understanding too and provided full refund to me. I'll attempt to go back in future!

I see VIC still hasn't 'fixed' the red zone thing either for NI and the other islands...

Sorry to hear about your aborted trip. I still haven’t given up on going to NI after rescheduling my trip from 2-6 July to 8-12 August and now 17-21 August (via Brisbane). My Broome trip in May was rescheduled to September and Trinity Beach for 22-29 July is now also a no go. Fingers crossed Melbourne’s lockdown doesn’t go too long.

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

Sigh - not that we're going anywhere anyway, but now the Victorian government has even banned its own residents (again) from returning from a red zone, so you literally can't enter Victoria from Norfolk Island. Far out.

 

[Chicken]

so you literally can't enter Victoria from Norfolk Island. Far out.

This would be good, as in, being stuck on Norfolk Island would be good, you know, remote working from hotel, looking out into the ocean; except Internet prices there are like internet prices back from 1999

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

This would be good, as in, being stuck on Norfolk Island would be good, you know, remote working from hotel, looking out into the ocean; except Internet prices there are like internet prices back from 1999

Oh mate, no joke; if we'd made it there last week, I would have happily stayed indefinitely!

 

[SYD]

This would be good, as in, being stuck on Norfolk Island would be good, you know, remote working from hotel, looking out into the ocean; except Internet prices there are like internet prices back from 1999

…and your mobile will roam as well as 1989…. Fine if you want to go off grid!

 

[nancypants]

I feel like I was on a different Norfolk Island maybe my expectations of internet speed and price are managed

 

[kpc]

The Sim card from Norfolk Telecom allowed internet browsing at 4G speeds throughout the island and whilst not very cheap was not very expensive either.

 

[Bindibuys]

Still booked for end of August, both restaurant bookings have contacted to say will now be closed for month of August..... Dinner at the bowlo each night by looks.

 

[cmon0005]

Finally got a call back from Vic DHHS today on my escalation about the 'red zone status' for NLK, turns out the callback is just a team leader drone from the call centre, repeating the same thing as last week "If it's on the website it's correct there is nothing we can do about it".
When I pressed if this was actually investigated they said no.

Vic DHHS the most useless dept in our country.

 

[Chicken]

Finally got a call back from Vic DHHS today on my escalation about the 'red zone status' for NLK, turns out the callback is just a team leader drone from the call centre, repeating the same thing as last week "If it's on the website it's correct there is nothing we can do about it".
When I pressed if this was actually investigated they said no.

Vic DHHS the most useless dept in our country.

Have you SMS or phone in to ABC Melbourne radio? They do ask some of the questions from listeners during daily press conference, straight to the premier.

 

[cmon0005]

Have you SMS or phone in to ABC Melbourne radio? They do ask some of the questions from listeners during daily press conference, straight to the premier.

I'm not going to bother anymore can't go for the foreseeable future anyway.
If I can be bothered in a few weeks I might lodge a vcat case to challenge the issue.

 

[cmon0005]

So finally VIC has actually listed Norfolk Island as a separate listing on the travel permits list.
Extreme risk zone for all of NSW and red zone for Norfolk...
Still doesn't make sense why NLK would be red considering their strong border regime.

 

[Mattg]

So finally VIC has actually listed Norfolk Island as a separate listing on the travel permits list.
Extreme risk zone for all of NSW and red zone for Norfolk...
Still doesn't make sense why NLK would be red considering their strong border regime.
View attachment 253887

That is quite ridiculous.

 

[nancypants]

So finally VIC has actually listed Norfolk Island as a separate listing on the travel permits list.
Extreme risk zone for all of NSW and red zone for Norfolk...
Still doesn't make sense why NLK would be red considering their strong border regime.
View attachment 253887

This is just farcical. The only logic I can pull from it is that because all flights go through either Brisbane or Sydney, if you consider transit in those areas a risk it automatically makes Norfolk a risk (if both Sydney and Brisbane are hotspots). But even that only makes 0.00001% sense

 

[cmon0005]

This is just farcical. The only logic I can pull from it is that because all flights go through either Brisbane or Sydney, if you consider transit in those areas a risk it automatically makes Norfolk a risk (if both Sydney and Brisbane are hotspots). But even that only makes 0.00001% sense

VIC's logic in the past has been if there are no border restrictions on people entering said area from a hotspot then they apply tougher zone to that area, eg. ACT. But in NLK's case their emergency management body is super strict on arrivals, as soon as a city gets a few cases they immediately list that state as a hot zone and require 14 days isolation once you reach the island. So really 'safer' than most cities in Australia mainland. Mind boggles.
They still haven't fixed Cocos or Christmas Island either. Even Lord Howe is now 'Extreme risk'.

 

[Bindibuys]

NLK closed its boarder to NSW, VIC, SA last night, until the 4th, to be reviewed again on 3rd.