Last spring I got very lucky and scored a Quantas First Class Award ticket from LAX to MEL in February 2020. This morning I checked availability on AA's site, just to see if anything popped up to move the trip by a couple of weeks. (Not a big deal if I can't; I was on there for something else and just checked it out on a lark.) Some business class availability did show, and although I wouldn't exchange the First class ticket for a Business class ticket, for some reason I clicked on it anyway just to check it out.

There's now a statement added for all dates I saw availability saying: "Service between LAX and MEL is subject to government approval." A similar statement was definitely NOT showing when I booked the initial award. I might not have even chanced booking it had it been.

How much of a concern is this now? Is it possible I could just find myself with a cancelled ticket at the last minute and no real options?

I'm already a little freaked out by the possibility of a cancellation due to weather or mechanical, and being forced to take a Coach flight or something just to get to the trip. Although it's great to go to Australia, my driver for booking the trip at this time was entirely the availability of the F cabin international award ticket. It's too hard for me to travel that distance without it. I would have booked something else and forgone the Australia trip.

Thanks!