Predictions of when international flights may resume/bans lifted

[MARTINE]

Now my brain really aches… having booked a gorgeous hotel in Italy where plan is to stay six days in May22- got an email from them advising I need to present negative PCR from 72hr prior to arrival… so I’m thinking will need PCR before flight (which will maybe squeeze in 72 hrs for that first hotel as I plan for them to collect from Malapensa)…but if subsequent hotels request same will be doing multiple tests during the trip….(and all the inconvenience that entails)…I am hoping these tests requirement are clearer/less onerous over next few months..I did note some LHW hotels have onsite testing facilities. Sooo much to think about.

 

[jase05]

SA government has been in discussions with airlines over direct flights between ADL and Japan.

 

[Matt_01]

Or perhaps if a double-vaxxed Aussie returning home, you will just go through and home for 7days. But if you are a citizen of a RED zone, and don't have a recognised vaccine swirling around inside, you go off to 14 days in HQ or similar.

Except is very probably SA, WA, NT, ACT, QLD and TAS it'll be 14 days home quarantine, just in case. Those states would be 'You do understand that 1% of COVID positives are found during days 10-13 - best to be safe!'

I am in SA and speculate that any place outside of SA will be considered RED zone. IIRC our beloved SA Govt was on on board with the 80% national plan and I think that changed to SA at 80% and may have changed again to SA at 80% and sprouting the standard weasel words 'we will follow the health advice' and 'these are unprecedented times'. Who knows what will happen here. Also this whole green zone, red zone is just another announcement without substance or detail, based on the AU Government previous action there will be an announcement that we are open to the world but when reading the fine print 90% of the world will classified as red zone. It is political positioning as the election campaign must be close to kicking off sometime in the near future.

 

[hb13]

So basically, what we know is, well, nothing?

 

[hb13]

I seriously wonder why the major carriers haven't opened bookings yet from November 1st into Sydney. These guys are already flying into Sydney in November (but with a very heavy passenger cap) and they can just open up the remaining 200 odd seats on each flight.

There is literally no downside in opening up bookings as even one extra passenger in the plane is extra revenue from the flight.

It's actually fairly easy to understand why they haven't opened up - because they still don't know a single thing.

The dates of 1st Nov and sometime in Nov have been floated sure, but what details do we know about how this works? And is November actually going to happen? These airlines have only been burnt to date by the Aussie and state governments. Finally, with the new red/green zone designations we know of, it looks like these airlines may suffer even more depending on where they are coming from.

There is a huge downside in opening up bookings if those seats eventually can't be sold and caps remain for many airlines - which is very possible at the moment.

 

[PineappleSkip]

And the next National Cabinet meeting is weeks away

 

[tallboy]

There is a huge downside in opening up bookings if those seats eventually can't be sold and caps remain for many airlines - which is very possible at the moment.

I agree with most of your points but believe that the huge downside for carriers would be if the seats are sold, and then they have to subsequently cancel and refund bookings for numerous pax because they are only allowed to carry restricted numbers inbound. For example, CX, SQ, EK, QR and others are currently operating almost empty aeroplanes into SYD and MEL under the cap system, carrying very limited number of pax. If they open bookings for the rest of the aeroplane, how many seats are they allowed to sell? Can they sell 100 seats? 200? 350? No-one knows the answer to that, and I don't blame the airlines for treading cautiously when the Prime Minister for Making Announcements and his mob have supplied so little and such ambiguous detail to date.

 

[jakeseven7]

And the next National Cabinet meeting is weeks away

Is that a joke? Like that would solve anything

 

[antycbr]

Is that a joke? Like that would solve anything

it’s deliberate. The feds have done their part. The state borders are closed by the states. Time for the focus to swing to where it belongs.

 

[PineappleSkip]

Previously Natiinal Cabinet has been something of a decision making process, or at least a consultative one, but the politicking on all sides has not helped, although predictable. The delay this time suggests an all round lack of confdence in National Cabinet. preemptive announcements immediately prior to the last one comprehensively screwed that consultative process.

Cheers skip

 

[burmans]

it’s deliberate. The feds have done their part. The state borders are closed by the states. Time for the focus to swing to where it belongs.

Fortunately I’m in NSW!

 

[dajop]

Scoot now flying into Sydney from mid November

They've been flying into Sydney now since July (IIRC). 3-4x times a week, usually releasing seats about 6-8 weeks in advance. Not seeing anything new yet, looking at fare levels this is continuation of what they've been doing for the last few months. I expect if they were selling in advance of caps lifting they would have some fares lower than the $1600 one way (economy without luggage) being charged in November or $1100 during most of December.

The more normal "lower" fares seem to kick on on 23 December ($400-600).

 

[jakeseven7]

Fortunately I’m in NSW!

Cuts both ways though, I have family in NSW that are trapped because… well you know blah blah blah can’t vaccinate states….

 

[MelMel]

Now my brain really aches… having booked a gorgeous hotel in Italy where plan is to stay six days in May22- got an email from them advising I need to present negative PCR from 72hr prior to arrival… so I’m thinking will need PCR before flight (which will maybe squeeze in 72 hrs for that first hotel as I plan for them to collect from Malapensa)…but if subsequent hotels request same will be doing multiple tests during the trip….(and all the inconvenience that entails)…I am hoping these tests requirement are clearer/less onerous over next few months..I did note some LHW hotels have onsite testing facilities. Sooo much to think about.

Did they specifically mention 72 hours prior to arrival at the Hotel. I can’t image every Hotel requiring this? Maybe they meant arrival into Italy? Australia is a List D country

 

[MARTINE]

This is the actual information provided to me (as you can see it’s separate to the flight requirements). I hope it changes before I actually get to the hotel in 7 months . This (and many LHW) hotels actually do Covid testing which I could access if the onward hotel demands it (And pre flight) but this was not something I anticipated. Plenty of times before wheels up!!

 

[Flashback]

View attachment 262130 This is the actual information provided to me (as you can see it’s separate to the flight requirements). I hope it changes before I actually get to the hotel in 7 months . This (and many LHW) hotels actually do Covid testing which I could access if the onward hotel demands it (And pre flight) but this was not something I anticipated. Plenty of times before wheels up!!

It relates purely to the entry requirements for Italy. You'll be fine.

 

[PineappleSkip]

I actually get to the hotel in 7 months

That's a lifetime, who knows what the rules will be then! I wouldn't sweat for at least 6 months

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

View attachment 262130 This is the actual information provided to me (as you can see it’s separate to the flight requirements). I hope it changes before I actually get to the hotel in 7 months . This (and many LHW) hotels actually do Covid testing which I could access if the onward hotel demands it (And pre flight) but this was not something I anticipated. Plenty of times before wheels up!!

I think you’re going to be ok.
On the 2nd line, the info requires “Green Pass” OR negative test...
I think that tourists can get a Green Pass.
Refer to this info on the Italian Gov’t website:

Go-ahead for COVID-19 Green Certificate

Notizia - Covid-19 - Italy moves ahead with the roll-out of the digital document that makes it easier to access events and facilities in Italy and will facilitate travel in Europe from 1 July. All information can be found on the website www.dgc.gov.it

www.salute.gov.it

 

[MARTINE]

Thanks everyone

Post automatically merged: Oct 15, 2021

… what a difference one little word makes .. clearly in my excitement of madly typing abd dreaming of poolside luxury etc etc could not take it all in

 

[Peter78]

I think you’re going to be ok.
On the 2nd line, the info requires “Green Pass” OR negative test...
I think that tourists can get a Green Pass.
Refer to this info on the Italian Gov’t website:

Go-ahead for COVID-19 Green Certificate

Notizia - Covid-19 - Italy moves ahead with the roll-out of the digital document that makes it easier to access events and facilities in Italy and will facilitate travel in Europe from 1 July. All information can be found on the website www.dgc.gov.it

www.salute.gov.it

I have been to Italy two weeks ago and I have been asked for my vaccination certificate (Pfizer in Australia, in July '21) a few times. Unless I got it wrong during the week I spent there, there is no thing such as an actual pass you get, it refers to the vaccination certificate.

Having said that, I cheated a bit by getting a EU certificate by walking into a pharmac_ in Germany. They looked at our Australian certificate and converted it into a EU one, complete with QR code, stating we had been vaccinated in Germany (which is not true). Right now, our Australian certificates don't have a QR code but most places in Italy scanned that code and got a green tick on their device, whereas Austria and Portugal only want to see the document - actually, in the nearly three weeks I have spent in Portugal, not one venue was interested in seeing any proof of vaccination, I guess that is the result of having 98% of your population vaccinated.

The above is off topic, I know, but on topic I emailed both my state and federal MP again today to ask for an update when more details on borders reopening are expected. In May, I met with our federal MP to discuss the situation at the time, she was only interested in hailing the governments achievements (she is a backbencher, I live on the Central Coast in NSW) and she didn't know anything. So I am not holding out much hope, if there is something of interest to report, I will do this here.