Travelling to Australia During COVID-19 (Discussion)

[madrooster]

SQ317 25/3 + SQ217 26/3

Yes I did see some premium economy on SQ for $4k... Have already read some online reports about SQ flights from the UK with only 30 pax in Y and J & Y+ full... Y might be more comfortable if you get a row to yourself.

Yes this is an approved connection. However you have a bigger problem - MEL won't be taking international arrivals until the end of March at the earliest. Even then, based on what I know of that is actually going on in Melbourne behind the scenes, I doubt they'll restart taking international arrivals at the end of March.

I would be looking to fly into an alternate city if I were you.

 

[drron]

A great resource madrooster. Mrsdrron sent a link to a friend in Spain but it was too late.Got a call on Monday from her in her HQ.She flew Spain-LHR-Tokyo-Sydney with absolutely no problems.Was in J.
My sister though lives in the UK but really needs to be back at some point this year so am sending her the link.

 

[madrooster]

If there's anyone reading this and all of the following are true:

1. you meet the requirements to enter Australia
2. you are currently in the UK, Switzerland, France or Belgium
3. you are wanting to fly to Australia in March and are happy to fly into SYD
4. have not been able to secure flights to Australia / had flights secured to Australia but have been bumped or had your flight outright cancelled
5. still want to travel in March
6. 3000-4000 AUD per adult is in your price range

I may be able to assist you in getting home to Australia without having to fly in business class. Please email me at alan [at] netwavetravel [dot] com or private message me on this forum if you are interested.

 

[Ric]

It's unlikely to run. PR are slow to file their cancellations. They haven't operated passenger services to Sydney for months and there's no signs that they will start either.

So I have been scouting for flights back to Oz from Mnl as a Plan B. The usual transit hubs (KUL, HKG, SIN, NRT, HND all do not have available seats. So I am going to waitlist on CX as a lowly Marco Polo member on Business. However, they are showing multiple flights a day into Sydney which given the caps, I don't believe it is possible.

Can anyone tell me which CX flight number is the one most likely to fly into Sydney? I am looking at April 1 to April 6.
Many thanks!!

 

[madrooster]

Can anyone tell me which CX flight number is the one most likely to fly into Sydney? I am looking at April 1 to April 6.
Many thanks!!

To be honest, none of them. They are only operating once per week into Sydney now.

See the guide section about airlines - I have 'blacklisted' CX as an airline due to the crew quarantine requirements in HK.

 

[Ric]

To be honest, none of them. They are only operating once per week into Sydney now.

See the guide section about airlines - I have 'blacklisted' CX as an airline due to the crew quarantine requirements in HK.

I read somewhere that they have sorted out the crew quarantine requirements? Something like a 46(?) days rooster?

 

[PineappleSkip]

Something like a 46(?) days rooster?

Is that rooster a mad rooster?

 

[madrooster]

I read somewhere that they have sorted out the crew quarantine requirements? Something like a 46(?) days rooster?

They had to sort "something" out, but that roster really only allows for a very skeleton passenger schedule, hence why they are on my blacklist in the guide.

 

[Ric]

They had to sort "something" out, but that roster really only allows for a very skeleton passenger schedule, hence why they are on my blacklist in the guide.

Many thanks for your usual quick response.
Any suggestion for me?

 

[lovetravellingoz]

4. Group size (families are preferenced due to children not counting towards the arrivals cap)

Interesting. I did not appreciate that. It make's sense though.

 

[madrooster]

Many thanks for your usual quick response.
Any suggestion for me?

Feel free to message me your ideal dates. I will have a look to see what I can get.

 

[Ric]

Feel free to message me your ideal dates. I will have a look to see what I can get.

PM sent. Many thanks!

 

[Mattg]

So I have been scouting for flights back to Oz from Mnl as a Plan B. The usual transit hubs (KUL, HKG, SIN, NRT, HND all do not have available seats. So I am going to waitlist on CX as a lowly Marco Polo member on Business. However, they are showing multiple flights a day into Sydney which given the caps, I don't believe it is possible.

Can anyone tell me which CX flight number is the one most likely to fly into Sydney? I am looking at April 1 to April 6.
Many thanks!!

Would Air Niugini via POM be a plausible option @madrooster?

 

[Ric]

Would Air Niugini via POM be a plausible option @madrooster?

I was looking at that last night at around USD1500 per pax one way on a 737

 

[madrooster]

Would Air Niugini via POM be a plausible option @madrooster?

Yes Air Niugini via POM is feasible.

 

[PineappleSkip]

It seems the flight by flight caps are pretty flexible. About to board QR898 DOH-BNE and the seat map indicates about 180 pax checked in. That is about 18% of Queensland's weekly cap.

cheers skip

 

[Mattg]

It seems the flight by flight caps are pretty flexible. About to board QR898 DOH-BNE and the seat map indicates about 180 pax checked in. That is about 18% of Queensland's weekly cap.

cheers skip

Could it be that some seats show as occupied on the seat map when they are just blocked?

Please let us know how many are actually on board once you get to BNE. And hope you have a pleasant trip home!

 

[madrooster]

It seems the flight by flight caps are pretty flexible. About to board QR898 DOH-BNE and the seat map indicates about 180 pax checked in. That is about 18% of Queensland's weekly cap.

Could it be that some seats show as occupied on the seat map when they are just blocked?

68 Y passengers are continuing to AKL. 79 Y passengers getting off in BNE. 147 total passengers in Y.

7 J passengers are continuing to AKL. 19 J passengers getting off in BNE. 26 total passengers in J.

 

[Pushka]

Is it even safe to book a Y seat? Is the risk less if a J seat is booked?

 

[madrooster]

Is it even safe to book a Y seat? Is the risk less if a J seat is booked?

It depends on the carrier we're talking about. Some carriers are quite reliable in Y, others not eg. QR/EK/EY. J/W isn't necessarily completely safe either - it is a lower risk yes, but I have seen J and W pax get bumped.