HB7

As per Executive Traveller (https://www.executivetraveller.com/n...flights-banned), the Victorian government has requested from the Australian Federal government to divert all international flights from Melbourne for the next two weeks, due to the increasing number of Covid-19 cases in Melbourne. It appears likely that the Federal government will grant this request. For flights that were bound to Melbourne, passengers will need to quarantine for two weeks outside of Victoria before travelling there.

If anyone is planning on travelling to Australia, and specifically Melbourne, it would be wise to delay for at least a few weeks if you can. Because even if you get to Australia, it will be hard to get to Victoria right now because of reduced travel options within the country.

mcbg1

Well Australia is closed indefinitely to everyone so I doubt people here are looking to go now

exbayern

I have been following this thread as I have a personal interest. The restrictions and flight cancellations are not just impacting people into Australia, but out of it as well. Sure, the traveller can pay out of pocket on a different alliance, but previously had so many options. BNE/MEL/SYD to YVR and then YVR to FRA/MUC would have been one option for instance but not flying.

Shutting down MEL closes one more door to people stranded inside Australia who want out.

Stranded in PER with M&M Award Ticket

IMOA

Just to be clear, the flights aren’t being cancelled, they’re being diverted, so likely to fly into SYD, BNE, ADL instead. It’s for a couple of weeks because Victoria doesn’t want to deal with infected travellers in quarantine right now.

Mwenenzi

The spike was 60-75 new Covid-19 cases per day (for several days in a row), from community transmission. In most other places in the world that would be considered an extremely low number. One thought (with scientific evidence) is workers at quarantine hotels getting Covid-19 and then spreading it in the community.
Indeed as travel is very restricted to/from to Australia & NewZealand

• International borders are closed to general travel
• Citizens & permanent residents going home can travel
• AU citizens cannot leave AU with specific government permission
• Limited others by approval
• For those doing the 14 days quarantine in another AU city and then to MEL is not a big issue
• Qatar QR airline flying anywhere-DOH-BNE/SYD/MEL, EK via DXB, EY via AUH, CX, SQ and then Air NZ to AKL has and is a popular way for NZ'ers to get back home. From NZ TV1News of 30 Jun 2020 "Ms Ardern also said today that four new managed isolation facilities were set to open, as New Zealand expects 2751 arrivals this week"

Overall no international flights into MEL for some weeks will not make a lot of difference. Other airports will accommodate.