Aussie airlines have lashed out at a decision by Queensland to keep its border shut to almost five million Australians living in the nation’s biggest city.
Queensland and Western Australia both announced moves to soften stringent travel restrictions on Friday but both will keep their borders closed to Victoria and WA remains closed to those living in New South Wales.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk surprised airlines by announcing the border would open to residents of regional NSW from November 3 but exclude those living in 32 local government areas making up Greater Sydney.
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Palaszczuk said the Sydney decision was based on health advice from Queensland chief health officer Jeannette Young.
Airlines for Australia and New Zealand (A4ANZ) described the decision as devasting and “totally baffling” given an agreed national reopening framework.
It said both Queensland and NSW are currently operating within the parameters of Step 2 of the national framework, which allowed for the removal of domestic borders.
A4ANZ chairman Graeme Samuel said the decision to keep Queensland’s borders closed would have significant consequences in terms of hurting businesses, the economy and families who continue to be separated by "seemingly arbitrary border restrictions".
“Australia’s domestic airlines have worked tirelessly since the start of this pandemic to support essential, COVID Safe travel, and manage risk on the basis of health and medical advice,’’ he said.
“Our members are simply perplexed, however, by the approach taken today which just extends the uncertainty for so many Australians.”
“Classifying the 32 local government areas that represent Greater Sydney as a 'hot-spot' when they do not meet the definition agreed to by National Cabinet, on advice from the Acting Chief Medical Officer, is hard to understand and even harder to accept.”
A4ANZ CEO Alison Roberts said internal border controls had rarely been adopted in other countries and Australia was well behind other countries in getting aviation flying.
“Internal border controls have rarely been adopted in other countries as part of their COVID responses, and Australia is well behind other countries in getting domestic aviation flying,” she said.
“Australian domestic capacity is at just 21 percent of what it was at the same time last year, while other countries in our region have regained almost all their domestic flying capacity,’’ she said.
“Our prolonged grounding is also hurting other parts of the aviation and tourism ecosystem that depend so heavily on having planes flying.
“The reopening framework takes a risk-based approach and is based on expert advice.
“It creates much-needed national consistency, and allows some certainty for workers and families, planning trips across the border in the lead.”
WA Premier Mark McGowan said people from states other than NSW and Victoria would be allowed to enter the state from November 14 without the need to go into quarantine.
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