Qantas to operate 2 evacuation flights from Lebanon via Cyprus to Sydney

[Cloud9]

They're likely not configured for passengers.

Because oftentimes you actually have no commercial option to get out and without the government sending in repatriation flights you're stuck.

Well... they still have to get to Cyprus. So... erm... definitely options from there.

 

[elanshin]

Well... they still have to get to Cyprus. So... erm... definitely options from there.

Yes. There are boat ferries.

Im sure QF would've landed into Beirut if they weren't in an active military zone atm.

 

[Cloud9]

Yes. There are boat ferries.

Im sure QF would've landed into Beirut if they weren't in an active military zone atm.

My point is there are options for them to pay their way.

I see absolutely no reason we should be footing the bill as taxpayers for private citizens to be returned from a safe country (Cyprus).

 

[Lynda2475]

So which travelers not disobeying government travel advice are going to have their plans upset whilst QF reroute planes for these evacuations? QF dont have spare dreamliners just sitting around.

The official travel advice has been to leave and not travel to Israel, Lebanon and Palestine for a year now. Not really sure why tax payers should be funding evacuations for those who disregarded this advice for 12 months.

I don’t get this. You’d complain if they didn’t go, and you’re complaining because they are?

I have no problem leaving people who make poor decisions to suffer the consequences of such.

This isn't a case of an unforeseen natural disaster or unforeseen conflict. This situation has been predicted and slowly building for a year.

It is simply selfishness/arrogance that they have done nothing to leave when there were ample commerical options over the last 12 months; then expect taxpayers to rescue them. The affected are mostly dual citizens who live there and dont pay taxes here.

If Aus government assistance is provided it should be limited to get them to nearest safe country airport; where they can purchase their own onward travel arrangements. TI isnt going to cover it because TI doesn't cover travel to countries with official government warnings, which again comes back to poor decision making.

I also dont support the government helping when idiots who dont hold a motorcycle license or are uninsured have accidents in Bali etc and need medivac. If you cant afford/get insurance you cant afford to travel. And no one else is responsible if you choose to break the law or act irrationally or disregard travel warnings.

 

[Cloud9]

...

Well said!

 

[jrfsp]

Well... they still have to get to Cyprus. So... erm... definitely options from there.

The charter will be flying from BEY, via Larnaca - presumably for a crew change, fuel or other operational reasons

 

[Cloud9]

The charter will be flying from BEY, via Larnaca - presumably for a crew change, fuel or other operational reasons

Well, if they're lucky, maybe the plane will make it back in one piece, then...

 

[kpc]

I see absolutely no reason we should be footing the bill as taxpayers for private citizens to be returned from a safe country (Cyprus).

I agree with your sentiment but is is a bad look for the Australian government when its citizens are likely to be killed by missiles from another government that they are supporting and saying they have a right to defend themselves.

 

[Cloud9]

I agree with your sentiment but is is a bad look for the Australian government when its citizens are likely to be killed by missiles from another government that they are supporting and saying they have a right to defend themselves.

I'll refrain from more than a rhetorical question. Curious to suggest the <australian> government support Israel, some might say?

 

[Lynda2475]

I agree with your sentiment but is is a bad look for the Australian government when its citizens are likely to be killed

But what of personal resposnsiblity? Why are they even still there when advice has been to leave for a year?

If they were government staffers deployed on official business then its the governments responsibility to get them out. If this conflict came out of the blue and they had travelled when no warnings were in place again maybe justified.

BUT warnings have been in place for a year, the time to leave was October 2023; we shoudlnt be rewarding procrastination.

 

[tomlee1986]

Let’s not forgot the gov also chartered QF to evacuate Australians out of TLV.
I would have thought RAAF A330s would be better suited to these type of missions though - not sure why they don’t get used in this capacity

Those A330s are definitely NOT suitable for general public use - cause the seats and everything have been stripped to make room as offices for the PM... yes they were former QF jets but those configs would have been stripped during the conversion phase

First 10 minutes of the Channel 7 spotlight documentary in 2022 shows what it looks like

 

[Cloud9]

But what of personal resposnsiblity? Why are they even still there when advice has been to leave for a year?

If they were government staffers deployed on official business then its the governments responsibility to get them out. If this conflict came out of the blue and they had travelled when no warnings were in place again maybe justified.

BUT warnings have been in place for a year, the time to leave was October 2023; we shoudlnt be rewarding procrastination.

It's 2024, @Lynda2475. Personal responsibility is a dirty term to many.

 

[jrfsp]

But what of personal resposnsiblity? Why are they even still there when advice has been to leave for a year?

If they were government staffers deployed on official business then its the governments responsibility to get them out. If this conflict came out of the blue and they had travelled when no warnings were in place again maybe justified.

BUT warnings have been in place for a year, the time to leave was October 2023; we shoudlnt be rewarding procrastination.

It’s not always that easy for people to leave - perhaps they have elderly parents that need looking after or businesses or any myriad of reasons.

 

[Lynda2475]

It’s not always that easy for people to leave - perhaps they have elderly parents that need looking after or businesses or any myriad of reasons.

But their choice not to follow advice, so they need to live or die with the consequences. It is unfair to ask others to risk their lives to get them out when they didnt help themselves.

No business is more important than your life.

If war is brewing you leave. If that means wracking up a credit card debt deal with that later from safety elsewhere.

Having elderly or a owning a foreign business doesn't make you the responsibility of Aussie tax payers especially when if you have been living overseas you probably don't pay any tax here yourself.

Even if your parents have health issues better to risk travel to somewhere out of the firing zone than expect a rescue when you chose to be somewhere you were advised.

It is sad that people are so accepting of excuses for what is is quite simply poor decision making and a total lack of personal responsibility.

If you were travelling somewhere which smart traveler deemed green and that country was randomly invaded then its reasonable to expect government assistance; if you choose to visit a war zone of somewhere directly bordering a war zone with a do not travel warning well then you should expect to be on your own.

 

[markis10]

Those A330s are definitely NOT suitable for general public use - cause the seats and everything have been stripped to make room as offices for the PM... yes they were former QF jets but those configs would have been stripped during the conversion phase

First 10 minutes of the Channel 7 spotlight documentary in 2022 shows what it looks like

That’s only one of the aircraft which got LH F seats for scomo etc, as I posted up thread most (the other 6 in the fleet) MRTTs carry 275 pax and have already been used in evacs last year

RAAF takes over evacuation of Australians from Israel | PS News

The Royal Australian Air Force has now conducted four evacuation flights of Australian and other foreign nationals from Israel. Two…

psnews.com.au

 

[serfty]

It’s not always that easy for people to leave - perhaps they have elderly parents that need looking after or businesses or any myriad of reasons.

Or, if you qualify for an Australian pension, one can live quite comfortably in many parts of the world. Some may not even call Australia "home".

 

[Quickstatus]

Some may not even call Australia "home".

As in they call Lebanon home. But have the Australian passport as the "parachute". Many born in Lebanon, came to Aus as refugees, then Aust passport, then go back to live in lebanon.

Pension while living OS...

 

[jrfsp]

Or, if you qualify for an Australian pension, one can live quite comfortably in many parts of the world. Some may not even call Australia "home".

Without doubt, however I’d question how many are retiring to Lebanon for the “high life”.
Good luck trying to withdraw cash in Lebanon since the liquidity crisis.

 

[Quickstatus]

I agree with your sentiment but is is a bad look for the Australian government when its citizens are likely to be killed by missiles from another government that they are supporting and saying they have a right to defend themselves.

Why? They live there. They are as Lebanese as Australian.

 

[serfty]

Without doubt, however I’d question how many are retiring to Lebanon for the “high life”.
Good luck trying to withdraw cash in Lebanon since the liquidity crisis.

"High Life"? Where did that come from?

I indicated "comfortably". As for cash ... last I heard paywave worked in much of the middle east including Beirut.

Maybe some use an ING card where the pension more than covers the deposit requirement.