Curious why United still flying to and from Australia
 

Hope this doesn't sound judgmental, it's pure curiosity, but I wonder why United still has daily flights to Australia. Might people still be being repatriated? Cargo? Mail? Other reasons? I've been checking as I've got a return flight to Sydney scheduled for August and if I flew now (even if I were allowed on the plane), my vacation would be spent in a hotel in self-isolation!

Currently:

Australia: Travel restrictions

Travelers are not allowed to transit through or enter Australia, except for those listed below:

• Nationals of Australia and their immediate family members
• Permanent residents of Australia and their immediate family members
• Nationals of New Zealand residing in Australia
• Airline crew
• Diplomats accredited to Australia and currently residing in Australia, and their immediate family members
• Nationals of Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States), Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa (American), Solomon Isl., Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu when they are transiting through Australia to their home country

All travelers are required to self-isolate for 14 days from their arrival into Australia. If their duration of stay is less than 14 days, they must self-isolate for the entire duration of stay.

Military.

Most of UA's current international destinations have U.S. military personnel stationed in those countries (not including Marine Guards from any diplomatic posts).

NASA has tracking stations in Australia with operations. Government related travels.

I would jump on the SFO-SYD if I could for work, but being an American, I am not able to get in regardless of quarantine.

Possibly cargo. Mail. And are these flights subject to the bailout rules on requiring at least some flights, based on the number of normal flights?. Australians returning down under?

All of these possible reasons have been discussed here.

No. Those rules only apply to domestic destinations.

A lot of it is cargo

Cargo, military, diplomatic/governmental, repatriation either way, and some essential travel.

Secretary Esper signed a stop movement order through June 30.

Cargo, cargo & cargo.

There is close to zero government (military + civilian) travel at this point. The exception in the OZ entry (as well as US) are simply to permit the travel should it be essential.

Cargo and (limited) pax. UA is the only airline on the SFO-SYD route, QF isn't flying international at the moment so there is a large cargo gap.

UA has even been flying 2x daily for a while 1 Cargo, 1 Pax (+cargo). https://flightaware.com/live/findflight/KSFO/YSSY

I also really don't understand it. As for my point of view, it's irresponsible. For example, the UAE do really nothing to stop it inside the country. They closed everything only for 5-7 days. Now people can go easily outside and relax. At the time when people are dying everywhere.

There are entire threads in OMNI where you can debate the morality of it.

As others have mentioned, cargo is a big part of it. I'm glad the option is there - my father is sick in Australia and if I need to go home quickly, UA would be able to take me.

That doesn't mean the military isn't traveling commercially for mission-essential travel. Lots of exemptions in that stop movement order (including any travel required for Global Force Management activities), and even non-exempt restricted travel can be waived at just the one-star level.

-FlyerBeek

By the same reckoning, why is UA flying internationally at all, as the US is restricting entry to non-citizens/residents. It’s all down to cargo and travel by people with dual status.

Yes, but SecDef issued a stop movement order. Travel is discouraged. Exemptions must be justified.