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

[Sprucegoose]

Why is there a need for Qantas or any airline for that matter to provide support if DFAT

Qantas has an unwritten obligation to assist when the Government requests it.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

At least 15,000, which could increase to around 30,000 - is the best guess.

If that is the case then the 440 passengers DFAT claims these two flights will be able to pick up is hardly enough. We are likely looking at just the first tranche of flights going out to repatriate stranded Aussies. And again to reiterate, that's a lot of Aussies who will require safe passage to a third country. That task alone is going to be herculean compared to the (relative) cake walk which was the COVID repatriation. I'm unfamiliar with prior Aussie repatriation missions aside from the aforementioned COVID pandemic mission. I do wonder, however, whether they have done this type of life and limb recovery mission before where people lives are literally in harms way. It's one thing to coordinate travel for stranded Aussies at LAX or JFK (despite what some on this forum may think comparing these airports to third world joints), it's another thing coordinating this when your airport and infrastructure is getting hit by mortar and the situation is fluid, let's just say.

And I think this is something Albo and his government could use to avoid the whole question of paying for repatriation flights home. If he came on national news and said, "at this point, our mission is to get every single Aussie out of harms way. If they end up safe in Dubai or Laranca, we've done our job and that's what we should be judged by. We shouldn't be judged on whether we put up these passengers in First class on Qantas". I think this would highlight the gravity of the situation and show the type of humility he has, whilst conveniently making the repatriation to Australia bit a non-issue.

-RooFlyer88