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

 

[Quickstatus]

I'm unfamiliar with prior Aussie repatriation missions

2006, exactly same circumstances

If they end up safe in Dubai or Laranca we've done our job

Too late, That was the whole point of charging for flights out of Cyprus in 2006 which they subsequently cancelled the debt. Domestic political factors involved then and now.

 

[p--and--t]

, although I would be interested in understanding why these people went to Lebanon

At least 1500 wanting to get out, 1500 different circumstances, dozens of different reasons. There are something like 30,000 Aussies in Lebanon by some accounts. Only 5% asking to be helped out.

 

[markis10]

The are using A340 9H-SUN from HiFly which can take 291 pax, on probably one of the shorter flights she has ever done.

 

[Pushka]

One thing to keep in mind is SmartTraveller had a “Do Not Travel” warning as early as October 19, 2023. So I think an argument could be made here that the government gave ample warning that things could turn out disastrous for quite some time and thus their obligations to those foolhardy enough to continue travel is diminished. At the same time, an argument could be made that this was very much a case of the boy who cried wolf. They had that warning for so long that it failed to become a warning that anyone will take seriously.

Insurance companies would not have insured anyone travelling with such a notice.

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The same argument could be made about Qatar and Hamas and yet no one bats an eye travelling there.

Maybe they should. It would certainly be cheaper than them funding these repatriation flights home. Indeed countries like the U.S. offer such a service for their citizens.

They might harbor in Qatar but the Government would quash any uprising.

 

[Pushka]

The problem is not so much "tourists" but people that have family there and had to travel for various reasons. Oftentimes those are the ones caught out. Grandma very sick and on deathbed so you fly back? Or caring for sickly elder. There are myriad of reasons why people have gone back to an unstable region that looked ok many of which are absolutely legitimate and valid.

They stopped travel for this reason during Covid. Stopped people even in Australia visiting sick elderly during Covid. Given the travel warnings and the now requirement to repatriate people who did travel there at their own risk but now the Government picks up the tab, then why not some kind of financial guarantee of repayment.

 

[RooFlyer]

Did you see the film

The first 'cut' of Argo vastly downplayed the role of Canadians/Canada, especially the Ambassador It was, of course all the USA's doing with a bit of help from the guys up north). I was working in Canada after the film's release and it was going down like a fart in an elevator. There was some adjusting of it subsequently.