To think a trip to Australia at the end of April could be possible?

[Extrapepperoni]

One of my best friends is getting married at the end of April in Australia. She means the world to me and I really want to be there. DH and I always thought we would do a few weeks' holiday timed around their wedding with DD (4) and see family etc. Now it's a race against the vaccine clock. And even if we get the vaccine, who knows what the regulations will be - at the moment Australia are limiting numbers of entrants and Aussies only, with two week mandatory quarantine and flights are getting cancelled a fair bit I'm told.

AIBU to think I could still be there? And at what point do I make peace with not going? Do I book tickets etc on the hope it might happen or just resign myself (and my friend) to it not happening?

(I know how lucky I am that this is what is on my mind, I don't mean this post to be callous to those dealing with actual adversity.)

Thanks for reading!

We're in a similar position sadly.

My husband's (Australian) parents are unwell. He had a planned trip on july... and now they're unwell its even sadder he didn't make it. Its really hard knowing we can't get across....

Ive missed something though
Why are Aussies still unable to get back? Is it the increased cost? I thought you could if you usually lived there and would pay to quarantind.

I know Australia and I find it very unlikely. There's no way everyone over 50 will be vaccinated by then (although that is the aim). Are you under 50?

@RememberSelfCompassion the flights just aren’t running. There are heaps of people wanting to travel and not enough flights for them all.

There are very strict caps on overseas arrivals right now, because that’s basically the only source of infection in Australia (we seem to have removed community infection) and arrivals numbers are limited to ensure sufficient coverage of quarantine and testing for arrivals. You are assigned to an designated quarantine hotel and are processed directly from the airport. The resourcing allocated to this is significant and there are only so many arrivals that can be accommodated safely at any given time hence the caps.

We've just had a holiday to Australia cancelled (we were meant to be at the end of the month) The friends we were visiting in Melbourne are not even sure we should book for 2021.

I’m Australian and I really hope it won’t be possible!

I know you've already been talked down OP but I am here and agree it's pie in the sky, sorry. If you booked flights now while borders are closed your travel insurance wouldn't cover you and there's sadly a real chance the airline (even if it is offering ticket flex right now) would go under.

Agree with rookiemere above that you should try and focus on the small positives and I'll add to that list to try and cheer you up:

By the time you travel:
Hopefully you flights will be cheaper.
No need to wear a mask for 24 hours (can you imagine?!)
Internal aus borders will be open fully so after visiting your friend you can go to Uluru, Margaret River, kangaroo island etc

Sorry OP I know how much it must suck.

No need to wear a mask for 24 hours (can you imagine?!)

My parents were on a repatriation flight - masks, no onboard entertainment, no hot food or drinks, on same plane for 24 hours (Melbourne-perth-london But weren't allowed off the plane in Perth), no just walking up and down the aisles

I don't think my mum has ever been 12 hours without a cup of tea before, let alone 24!

I am in Australia (with family in the UK). The Australian government is under huge pressure to bring 30,000+ Australians home as first priority, and this can only be done safely slowly.
In Melbourne we had 100+ days of lockdown over our winter after the virus spread from hotel quarantine. Lockdown wasn't pleasant, but it was worth it.

My heart goes out to everyone separated from loved ones by the virus and those currently under restrictions.

I'm expecting international travel to Australia to be very restricted until there has been mass vaccination, perhaps late 2021.

Sorry OP. There is absolutely NO way this will happen.

There are 300000 Australians stuck overseas who can't get home.

I have elderly parents and a son in the UK (am in Australia). So I monitor it carefully.

Sorry.

I have a friend who's flown back and forth between Australia and the UK a couple of times this year. I wonder how he's done it?

@KenDodd

I have a friend who's flown back and forth between Australia and the UK a couple of times this year. I wonder how he's done it?

I would suspect business class flights - has he done it for / through work? Apparently cattle class is being bumped a lot more than business. I suppose in all this airlines are trying to make money where they can.

Not work, maybe business class, not sure. He's British but lives in Australia and is a little bit famous so maybe that's the difference. He still had to spend two weeks in a quarantine hotel each time.

I am Australian and live in Aus. One of my relatives has just flown into Australia and is in quarantine atm. She had to engage a lawyer to assist in the process in the end, and it's taken 10 months to get her here. For those wondering what the process is :

• first requirement, if not a citizen, is a visa. These are extremely hard to get right now if not already held as out ummigration dept is just not processing/considering many applications even where spouse is an Australian citizen.

• second, and separate, requirement is an exemption from the travel ban. Cannot get this without a visa/citizenship.

Hit post too soon.

Third requirement is a ticket, which you cannot get without the first two things above. Afaik most airlines are only taking business and first bookings. Most flights from US to Aus are over $15k AUD at present.

Then there's quarantine for 14 days once you arrive. Costs $2800 AUD for a single person. You might end up not being able to leave a small closed hotel room with no opening windows or balcony (although some places allow an hour of outside exercise and/or have opening windows/balconies).

No way on earth. Sorry

And then there are the issues as pps have mentioned with travelling within the country, as each State/Territory has its own border restrictions.

Our federal government has indicated the entry requirements will not change until at least late 2021.