Predictions of when international flights may resume/bans lifted

... The DPM has also made it explicit government policy that if your state do not agree to the Commonwealth definition of a hotspot you will be denied international travel ...
“... you will be denied international travel ...”. Well, if this bubble is just to NZ, we can already travel interstate from some states to SYD/MEL, say, and then fly from there. What about that? More information needed on denial.
 
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“... you will be denied international travel ...”. Well, if this bubble is just to NZ, we can already travel interstate from some states to SYD/MEL, say, and then fly from there. What about that? More information needed on denial.
Currently it's just a one way street. Aussies can't fly to NZ. Seems weird that we Aussies are the untouchable yet NZers can spend time with the untouchables in Australia and are free to fly back to NZ.
 
OK, so SA is apparently very close to opening to NZ as well and being a part of the bubble @Pushka will be pleased to know that Adelaide doesn't miss out :)

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Mr McCormack said that travel arrangements would be expanded, saying states and territories that agreed to the Commonwealth's hotspot definition would be able to participate.

"South Australia are very close to agreeing to these terms and agreeing to be the next jurisdiction to come on board," he said, "They will be the next cab off the rank."



And now Tasmania is chomping at the bit to get involved too.... They so desperately want an international flight as we know!

Could HBA finally actually deserve to be called an international airport?

Look how excited they all are :)


Could a travel bubble between Tasmania and New Zealand also be close?

Talk of a potential "travel-bubble" between Tasmania and New Zealand has some tourism operators extremely excited after the NSW and NT announcements today.

"We'd love to see the New Zealanders come over here and I'm sure there's a lot of Tasmanians that'd like to go to New Zealand," Mr Pickett, a tourism operator in Devonport said.

Australia's Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said it would be strange for Tasmania to be welcoming New Zealanders into the state if borders were still closed to interstate visitors and Tasmania would need to agree to the Commonwealth's hotspot definition to be able to participate.

For Tasmania to have a direct link to New Zealand, customs and immigration infrastructure and personnel would also be needed at Hobart Airport — something that received a funding commitment under the Hobart city deal.

Mr McCormack said he would continue to have discussions with Tasmanian Infrastructure Minister Michael Ferguson and was excited about the prospect of Tasmania participating in the arrangement.


 
At least NZ people can do a trip NZ-NT-SA-Qld-NSW-NZ - no point going to Melbourne because of lockdown and Regional Vic because of SA/Vic and NSW/Vic border restrictions for non-border residents,

If they wanted to finish their trip in regional Vic after being in NSW, they could actually fly out of MEL to return to NZ, and IIRC can also get a border permit to fly into SYD to connect internationally same day.
 
Currently it's just a one way street. Aussies can't fly to NZ. Seems weird that we Aussies are the untouchable yet NZers can spend time with the untouchables in Australia and are free to fly back to NZ.
From what the media are reporting returning travellers to NZ from AU will have to quarantine for 14 days.
 
From what the media are reporting returning travellers to NZ from AU will have to quarantine for 14 days.
Ah. So it's not a true open border then I guess. Given that NZers are free to fly overseas anyway and quarantine on return. It's Aus that is letting them in then without quarantine.
 
Ah. So it's not a true open border then I guess. Given that NZers are free to fly overseas anyway and quarantine on return. It's Aus that is letting them in then without quarantine.

Everything is a start, its a baby step and more will follow.
 
Currently it's just a one way street. Aussies can't fly to NZ. Seems weird that we Aussies are the untouchable yet NZers can spend time with the untouchables in Australia and are free to fly back to NZ.

Hardly free. Non-Australians aren't yet allowed to enter Australia (apart from exemptions), so that would need to be lifted. Only Aussies currently in NZ would benefit if the restriction wasn't lifted.

Secondly, NZ has compulsory 14 day quarantine (and of course longer if test positive or a close contact of someone who tests positive), which from Monday requires booking a place in the system (vouchers are limited based on capacity) and pay $3100 for the privilege.
 
Hardly free. Non-Australians aren't yet allowed to enter Australia (apart from exemptions), so that would need to be lifted. Only Aussies currently in NZ would benefit if the restriction wasn't lifted.

Secondly, NZ has compulsory 14 day quarantine (and of course longer if test positive or a close contact of someone who tests positive), which from Monday requires booking a place in the system (vouchers are limited based on capacity) and pay $3100 for the privilege.
As always the devil is in the detail.
 
Tassie is HOT on being in the international bubble :)

Though I suspect they will be open to VIC at the same time and therefore their international flights will just be funneling through MEL per normal..

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Gutwein confident Tasmania will join NZ travel bubble

On the newly announced travel bubble between New Zealand and Australia, Mr Gutwein said he was "very confident" Tasmania would get to a position when they could be part of it.

"Our aim is to be in a position to have an international airport supported by border force so we can join the bubble and Tasmanians and New Zealanders can travel," he said.

He said it was his understanding that the airport could be ready within 8 to 10 weeks, and they were aiming for Christmas time.

On Victoria, Mr Gutwein said it was "fair to say that Victoria had improved much quicker than most people thought it would".

"Victoria is a very important destination for Tasmania, both in terms of it being a major export partner and also in terms of travel — 60 per cent of our interstate travel in previous years has come through Victoria," he said.

"I think and hope that Victoria would be able to get on top of this to a point where it was safe enough to open up to very soon"

 
At least with today's development of one way travel from NZ, it gives stranded Aussie (who happen to be NZ citizens as well) a pathway back to Australia.
 
Tassie is HOT on being in the international bubble :)

Though I suspect they will be open to VIC at the same time and therefore their international flights will just be funneling through MEL per normal..

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Gutwein confident Tasmania will join NZ travel bubble

On the newly announced travel bubble between New Zealand and Australia, Mr Gutwein said he was "very confident" Tasmania would get to a position when they could be part of it.

"Our aim is to be in a position to have an international airport supported by border force so we can join the bubble and Tasmanians and New Zealanders can travel," he said.

He said it was his understanding that the airport could be ready within 8 to 10 weeks, and they were aiming for Christmas time.

On Victoria, Mr Gutwein said it was "fair to say that Victoria had improved much quicker than most people thought it would".

"Victoria is a very important destination for Tasmania, both in terms of it being a major export partner and also in terms of travel — 60 per cent of our interstate travel in previous years has come through Victoria," he said.

"I think and hope that Victoria would be able to get on top of this to a point where it was safe enough to open up to very soon"

This would be the big prize for Tasmania - international flights!
Watch the Tasmanian government fold now that this is on the table.
 
This would be the big prize for Tasmania - international flights!
Watch the Tasmanian government fold now that this is on the table.

Is there a commercial proposition for airlines?
a) 2 weeks quarantine is still required for those returning to NZ from Tasmania
b) No Tasmanians can travel to NZ, and
c) (to be brutal) given the cost of a) is Tasmania that compelling for NZ'ers vs, domestic NZ tourism (food, wine, mountains, wilderness ...) Totally different proposition to Queensland.
 
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Is there a commercial proposition for airlines?
a) 2 weeks quarantine is still required for those returning to NZ from Tasmania
b) No Tasmanians can travel to NZ, and
c) (to be brutal) given the cost of a) is Tasmania that compelling for NZ'ers vs, domestic NZ tourism (food, wine, mountains, wilderness ...) Totally different proposition to Queensland.

Highly doubt it without significant government help, which Tas would probably give because they desperately want it.... It wasn't commercially viable pre-pandemic so doubt it would be now.

But I expect Tas will be open to VIC by then anyway and all their domestic flights and traffic would put NZ in importance down the list then anyway.
 
Will the trans-Tasman bubble be a way to test the process, iron out kinks and afterwards create bubbles with other destinations?

I'm interested in one with HK, and well, Australia is one of 11 destinations that have had discussions with the HK authorities. Obviously there may be politics at play here, but does that get in the way of family and commerce?

This article is from early September.

 
Will the trans-Tasman bubble be a way to test the process, iron out kinks and afterwards create bubbles with other destinations? ...

Unfortunatly, what we are getting, now, is only a half-bubble.
 
Will the trans-Tasman bubble be a way to test the process, iron out kinks and afterwards create bubbles with other destinations?

I'm interested in one with HK, and well, Australia is one of 11 destinations that have had discussions with the HK authorities. Obviously there may be politics at play here, but does that get in the way of family and commerce?

This article is from early September.


Yup it’s a good first step and a low risk one. I’m sure it will extend and expand over time.
 
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