AussieInLondon

you can still return, they will never close the country to citizens. Leaving is also not too difficult as a non resident, though I recommend applying for your leave exemption at least 3 weeks before you need / plan to leave.

Mwenenzi

None at all. Nowadays 100's of Aussies who been non resident for years have been returning.
As above suggest you apply for permit to leave. My Travel Restriction Exemption to leave AU was granted on the same day as application (~2 weeks before the flight)

Personally know 1 person, not normally resident in AU, who was refused at check in a 15~30 second conversation between airline check-in agent and Australian Border Force. He then applied on-line and was able to leave a week later.

A number of these Aussies will not know the extent of the problem getting into AU. But as above (post 4) airlines are not selling many tickets before 18 Dec. The one way NZ--AU travel bubble may free up an extra 325 per week (from a ScoMo comment). But that would not include non NZ pax on Air NZ international USA and other services.


Many posts in this thread off topic being on general AU Covid-19 travel polices. All info in AU Gov web site https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/
OP stated was AU passport holder; that's all the information needed for this thread.

Forever in Seattle

Unless there is a pressing need to visit Australia, and you are flexible with dealing with a potentially getting stuck there for some time, I would give it a miss.

lokijuh

Getting stuck there is not a problem for non-residents, there's plenty of seats out, unless there's issues at the final destination after leaving Australia. The problem is being flexible enough to reach Australia in the first place!

At the moment BA inventory is not anticipating the limits on arrivals continuing, but I would not rely on BA to get you there, comparing to other carriers which are closer to the market. I noticed there is availability on SYD-SIN on BA from the 16th Dec onwards. BA is offering, for example on the 16th Dec: F5 A0 J2 C0 D0 R0 I0 W9 E9 T9 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9 S9 N9 Q9 O9 G9. By contrast SQ have reduced their flights to single daily (with a second some days continuing to BNE) and on same day (16th) is offering: Z8 C0 J0 U0 D0 Y0 B0 E0 M0 H0 W0 Q0 N0 V0 G0 K0. And QR DOH-SYD is just J0 Y0. I suspect the latter two are more likely to be an accurate.

LTN Phobia

The load out of Australia is woeful because of the restrictions on leaving the country, and load into Australia is woeful because of the strict cap. I really feel sorry for airlines and I do not blame them for prioritising higher revenue passengers. So, if you want certainly, book the most expensive fare you can possibly book. (Saying that, unless the trip is really essential, I'd feel bad about taking a seat off the people who have been waiting for a very long time to get back or those who are desperate to go there for compassionate reasons.)

As for BA, unless they get a cargo contract into Australia that is sufficient to operate the flight with almost no passenger, I am guessing it would be very unlikely for them to be operating to SYD any time before the cap on arrivals into Australia is raised substantially (I'm talking being raised at least 5-fold) so that they can operate viably.

jeremyBA

I am surprised any airline is operating given the loads requirement. Cost per mile to oz has always been low so add in reduced pax even in premium surprised it is worth their while. Cargo I suppose ?

Dave Noble

Surelly that is dependant upon starting point - QR operates non stop services to Australua and they are , I suspect, basically full with business class passemgers paying high fares as well as having plenty of cargo capacity

The situation for an airline in Asia is different to those in Europe

lokijuh

For some routes, several carriers including some of BA's OW partners (QR, CX & MH) are operating some routes into Australia (i.e XXX-MEL) with no passengers - no business class, no economy, no anything. Presumably the cargo (inbound/outbound) and outbound passenger traffic means these services at least cover their variable costs.

PAL62V

My understanding from the website highlighted earlier is that non-residents have no issues leaving and need no permission. Apparently border control can check your movements quite quickly to prove you haven't lived in Oz for a length of time. Also, I travel with both Aust and UK passports.

Dave Noble

Regardless, you wouldn't be able to enter or leave Australia on the British Passport

Yes - Immigration can see dates and times of all entries and exits of the country

sammyg901

In some ways the flights could be reasonably viable for BA since they are flying an almost empty 777 to Singapore anyway. ~50 full fare seats inbound, whoever they can lift outbound to Singapore or London + any cargo. Not like the fleet is stretched elsewhere

Changi has a procedure in place now to allow transit through the terminal

Kiwi Flyer

You're assuming BA would be allocated 50 seats out of the cap on arrivals. I doubt they would get that much given the number of airlines still flying to Australia. Absent a lift in the cap, any seat BA is allowed to sell is one less that another airline is no longer allowed to sell.

PAL62V

I know - my point is, there is ample proof that I am not a resident of Australia anymore both with the records held by Border Force and the fact that I left UK on my UK passport (after showing my Oz passport at checkin to satisfy entry requirements). So I wouldn't (or won't) need to get permission to leave as I am not bound by that rule, thankfully.

FlightDetective

This is correct. Non-residents have no issues leaving and need no permission. It is exactly the situation I'm in, and I also travel with both my Australian and Irish Passports.

For those that may not be dual citizens, you have to enter and leave Australia on your Australian Passport as a rule if you have one. I once tried to enter on my Irish one and they asked me for my Australian one, so they are well aware of people who are dual citizens. I also bring my Irish Passport so I can breeze into the EU and use that at the other end. You basically have to carry both at all times.

Dave Noble

As long as you are happy staying in quarantine for min 14 days on arriva and paying $3000 for it, then as an Australian passport holder, no issue

Does seem an odd time to want to visit given those restrictions, but as long as able to get on a flight , go for it