Predictions of when international flights may resume/bans lifted

[MEL_Traveller]

So, TAs are working for free....

Huge profits have gone to shareholders... TAs 'crying poor' is not really fair

 

[drron]

Our TA is with an agency limited to one office on the Sunshine Coast.No large shareholders.
So we are doing a lot of booking through them although we could do it on line ourselves.They have been excellent so we are being loyal.

 

[Flashback]

Also take note on the date 8/8/2020. This is the day where Fung Shui master has mentioned the pandemic will get better.

How's that working out for Victoria? I seem to recall something about the worst day so far during the pandemic having just occurred for them .....

 

[Flashback]

UK looks like it will head back into lockdown with their second/third? wave brewing as cases increase so don't speak too soon!

Really? The numbers don't support that position. Take a look at the ECDC date based on number of cases / 100,000 people.

Heard the interview earlier today, as many others may have, with the industry rep mentioning that TAs get to wait in hold just as long as members of the public these days. Points out that spending several hours on the phone on hold to airlines to get a refund for a customer see the airline also reclaim the commission previously paid to the TAs.

TA's usually have access to the trade desk, so queues shouldn't be much of an issue. Odd. Seems fair re: commission though, as otherwise you could just book lots of refundable flights and then cancel, having a nice little profit centre there with all the commission slowly building up. In the case of an airline initiated cancellation though it's less clear cut.......

 

[dajop]

How's that working out for Victoria? I seem to recall something about the worst day so far during the pandemic having just occurred for them .....

Depends on whether you look at cases (which appear to be stabilising) or deaths (worst day yet), but remember deaths always lag cases, so daily death rate, sadly, will be probably get worse over the next week to 10 days. And then it will depend on what happens with new cases in the next few days whether deaths will also start decreasing.

 

[jakeseven7]

Really? The numbers don't support that position. Take a look at the ECDC date based on number of cases / 100,000 people.

News outlets reporting possibility yes as their infections start surging again.

Resurgent virus feared in UK as infections among under-45s increase dramatically

Fears of a fresh COVID-19 surge mounted this week as the UK saw its largest rise in new cases since the end of June.

However, data suggests the rise is being driven by more infections in younger people and increased testing nearly a fortnight after Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned of the possibility of a second wave of infections.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said it is time to "squeeze that brake pedal" on reopening the economy and is reportedly considering new restrictions, amid rising fears the UK is on the brink of a second wave.

Surveillance data from Public Health England show the infection rate is rising among all age groups under 65, and falling in every age group above 65 - those most at risk.

In the 15-44 age bracket, the infection rate has risen by 35 per cent over the past five weeks.

As it happened: ADF repeatedly offered to assist Victorian quarantine: Defence Minister; 19 deaths for second day as Victoria records 331 new cases; NSW on alert

Australia has recorded another deadly day in the coronavirus pandemic but there are hopes Victoria's coronavirus case numbers are stabilising, as NSW is on alert for growing school clusters.

www.theage.com.au

 

[kpc]

If domestic borders remain closed, hard to see international borders reopening!

NT border policed for at least 18 months, closed to VIC indefinitely

Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner has revealed he will keep the Territory’s border guarded for at least another 18 months from Tuesday and recruit extra police to keep the barriers in place.

www.news.com.au

 

[drron]

Statista came up with the facts for visa arrivals int Australia for 2019/20 up to June 2020.Figures are in thousands.

.

too small numbers for the last 3 months to show up on the graph but on the page hovering over the months gives you the numbers.

April -5480 visa holder arrivals,850 on temporary visitor visas.
May -6040 with 750 on temporary visitor visas.
June -9203 with 1160 on temporary visitor visas.

 

[jakeseven7]

If domestic borders remain closed, hard to see international borders reopening!

NT border policed for at least 18 months, closed to VIC indefinitely

Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner has revealed he will keep the Territory’s border guarded for at least another 18 months from Tuesday and recruit extra police to keep the barriers in place.

www.news.com.au

Already posted here about 3 times....

Again, he has an election in 11 days so full of .........

 

[N860CR]

Again, he has an election in 11 days so full of .........

The fact that this level of disunity wins votes is a pretty sad reflection on the voting public.

There can’t be too many countries that are as divided as Australia during this pandemic. I think the early reports about how well we’ve done will show to have been quite premature.

 

[get me outta here]

NT CM was quite clear about this when he was on Q&A. He has a lot of very vulnerable constituents. And after an initial flurry of criticisms of border closures on here and elsewhere, most of those people are not complaining any more as it’s seemingly every person for themselves.
Having people now coming out criticising the premier of Victoria is not going to encourage people to follow his advice. Perhaps those people who are breathlessly waiting to find who exactly they can blame as soon as possible preferably by this afternoon, maybe they could just wait a while.

 

[jakeseven7]

The fact that this level of disunity wins votes is a pretty sad reflection on the voting public.

There can’t be too many countries that are as divided as Australia during this pandemic. I think the early reports about how well we’ve done will show to have been quite premature.

I disagree, just google to see all the divide in countries. Huge protests in Germany, the US a basket case. Spain there are fault lines all over the place. You don’t need to have states to have divides.

We just happen to have fairly low brow state administrators squawking away who are usually Just tick and flick managers now being forced to be national leaders and falling far short.

I would rather be here in Australia all things counted

 

[OATEK]

NT CM was quite clear about this when he was on Q&A. He has a lot of very vulnerable constituents. And after an initial flurry of criticisms of border closures on here and elsewhere, most of those people are not complaining any more as it’s seemingly every person for themselves.
Having people now coming out criticising the premier of Victoria is not going to encourage people to follow his advice. Perhaps those people who are breathlessly waiting to find who exactly they can blame as soon as possible preferably by this afternoon, maybe they could just wait a while.

In my view the Victorian Premier deserves to be criticised. Plenty were happy to pile on ScoMo when he had no direct responsibility for firefighting back in Dec/Jan, but want to let Andrews off when his government is directly responsible for the breakdown in hotel quarantine.

But of course neither NT or Vic are international destinations. I suspect that overseas travel may well open up by mid-2021. Plenty will be prepared to go, its the return arrangements that need to be sorted and sustainable.

 

[N860CR]

I disagree, just google to see all the divide in countries. Huge protests in Germany, the US a basket case. Spain there are fault lines all over the place. You don’t need to have states to have divides.

True, though not a whole lot of places who are actively voting for those with the “get out of my town” mentality.

The difference with australia is that while yes, some countries have internal disagreements, there aren’t too many who are physically putting up borders that prevents any form of transport between the two. According to the territory, they’re looking at keeping families apart for 2 years!

It’s absolutely insane and Australia is setting itself up for a very poor recovery. At this rate, we’ll have mainland Chinese tourists back on the Gold Coast before a Sydneysider who wants to visit their mum! That’s if any businesses are even left.

 

[CaptJCool]

NT CM was quite clear about this when he was on Q&A. He has a lot of very vulnerable constituents. And after an initial flurry of criticisms of border closures on here and elsewhere, most of those people are not complaining any more as it’s seemingly every person for themselves.
Having people now coming out criticising the premier of Victoria is not going to encourage people to follow his advice. Perhaps those people who are breathlessly waiting to find who exactly they can blame as soon as possible preferably by this afternoon, maybe they could just wait a while.

Breathlessly?
Sounds like COVID

 

[get me outta here]

Yes, waiting for The Australian to tell me what I think.

Here’s a start, “Morrison's failure to provide any Covid plan for the aged care sector is described on page 1 of the Australian as the responsibility of anonymous bureaucrats of the federal government departments. Contrast that with Victoria, where Murdoch attributes all blame to Daniel Andrews personally”.

Breathlessly?
Sounds like COVID

 

[dajop]

At this rate, we’ll have mainland Chinese tourists back on the Gold Coast before a Sydneysider who wants to visit their mum! That’s if any businesses are even left.

Well the irony, as an Australian citizen living overseas, once I clear my 14 day quarantine here in Singapore, I can return to any part of Australia I want to now. But had I stayed on in regional Victoria, which is where I was until Sunday evening, I couldn't have entered most states, not even NSW, from Victoria. OK, the 14 day quarantine in SG is a factor. But there was nothing stopping me (apart from work) getting on a plane to LAX instead of going into 14 days quarantine in SG, spending a week on holiday in the US, and then flying to SYD. Whereas I couldn't get on a plane from MEL to SYD. Madness

 

[RAM]

The fact that this level of disunity wins votes is a pretty sad reflection on the voting public.

There can’t be too many countries that are as divided as Australia during this pandemic. I think the early reports about how well we’ve done will show to have been quite premature.

I agree that 'early wins' may have been more due to luck than good planning. The information coming out in the past two days do not paint NSW in a good way right at the start of the nursing home out breaks - today revealing that NSW Health refused to provide ANY PPE when first asked by the 1st infected nursing home & then told that NO NEED for all staff to wear it at the facility.

Add in Ruby Princess....

Remember that the NT was used for all the people repatriated from Wuhan right at the start?

'Disunity/Divided' or perhaps putting the wider community first? NT political donations do not make anywhere near as interesting reading as the State's databases.

Well off the top of my head here are countries that shut down internal travel, in some cases fencing off areas completely, banned funerals, travelling to see dying relatives:

• Italy
• US - Hawaii (requiring all non-Hawaiian resident arrivals 2 weeks in a hotel room at your expense, NY,...)
• UK
• France
• Germany
• Austria
• Hungary
• Japan
• HK
• Phillipines
• Indonesia
• India

All instituted various internal restrictions/borders/roadblocks etc.

Whilst there may well be an election shortly in the NT - the rapid border closure has seen NT operating with all sectors go except for tourism. Pubs, clubs, etc etc have been open with no restrictions for some months now. Bulk of early cases came from NSW & Ruby Princess.

NT also saw rorting of international border closures & ACTED, gave a few days grace before introducing 'Pay your way' which saw volumes drop off a 'cliff' back from late March. If I was a NT Tax payer I would be happy that I am not paying an all expenses stay for 2 weeks for all-comers (foreign nationals included).
Northern Territory introduces strict new coronavirus border ...
www.abc.net.au › news › northern-territory-strict-new-...

Mar 21, 2020 - The Northern Territory will introduce strict border controls from 4:00pm on March 24 that mean anyone arriving ... Mr Gunner said there would be exemptions to the self-isolation requirement, including health and emergency services, defence and policing, flight crews and freight — with strict guidelines in ...

Business guidelines and safety plans

Guidance and checklists to restart your business

coronavirus.nt.gov.au

Then provided check lists tailored to specific businesses to help with re-openings starting May 1st.

Business guidelines and safety plans

Guidance and checklists to restart your business

coronavirus.nt.gov.au

Just a shame it is the other side of politics to the Fed Govt thus precluding the Fed Govt from copying their playbook with an election later in the year...

 

[dajop]

If I was a NT Tax payer

You are, aren't you* ?

* considering relativity of commonwealth payments to states/territories, unless your profile location is incorrect and you're based in QLD, ACT, SA or TAS

 

[Seat0B]

NZ Bubble option looking less and less likely, Melbourne aside, with the new cases in NZ and the immediate application of stage 3/2 lockdown.