LordTentacle

They are (were for some time) flying passenger empty flights just for cargo.... (Pilots only, no FA's)
I was on SFO->SYD at the end of May, total of 21 paying passengers, I talked to the pilots before takeoff and they confirmed the cargo hold was full at we were at max take off weight for the trip, he also said the return flights were the same
You are leaving behind 230+ passengers and their baggage and food and drinks etc... so you can then take a ~100,000LB of cargo which at $4LB is $0.4Mil+ (premium possibly higher since its direct....)
Flight runs 10-20K per hour of operation (typical charter costs on a 787-9) so even on the high end... $0.28M for operating the flight, you still have good profit until cargo prices drop...

briank1973

How do connecting flights after quarantining port of entry work? If I have, LAX-SYD-MEL (UA then Qantas or Jetstar domestic) and have to quarantine at SYD for 14 days, does the SYD-MEL on Qantas or Jetstar become automatically cancelled? Or, does United rebook them for you and if so, does that mean baggage allowances from the initial international ticket carry through?

I called United and spoke to someone who didn't sound overly confident. I was told that if the connection is interrupted by quarantine, that the domestic leg is then cancelled. The suggestion was to purchase a ticket only to the port of entry, then buy a separate ticket for after quarantining.

I am now applying for an exemption to leave Australia in 6 weeks and to return in late Jan or so. The return flights with LAX-MEL direct are in excess of $10K AUD until sometime in February.

docbert

One way or another, you're not going to be catching a connecting flight after flying LAX-SYD (presuming the rules don't change before your travel date). The mandatory quarantining occurs in your port of arrival, so that would be Sydney.

If you were to book it and then "miss" your connection, your ticket would be gone. It's unlikely either UA or QF would be interested in re-instating the ticket after the fact (and there's less than zero chance JQ would). If you were to contact them before departure it's likely UA would change the date for the connecting flight, although there's no guarantee that they would even be it wouldn't trigger a re-pricing (depending on on the fare rules).

The other option would be to look for routes via Asia that can drop you straight into MEL and quarantine there. Further flying overall, but no need to have two distinct trips.

A second ticket for the domestic leg would make far more sense - although realistically it's had to say with certainty because nobody really know what's the quarantine/quota rules are going to be like in January.

briank1973

Thanks docbert. That confirms it. The JQ jab was funny (and warranted!). They're no Tiger Air though. :-)

I think I'll try and fly back later and get a LAX-MEL flight. All of this is assuming, of course, the ABF approves my exemption application.

jsloan

MEL quarantine certainly makes the most sense, but if the pricing on the nonstop MEL flight remains outrageous and your primary concern is the luggage allowance, I'm sure you can find a way to ship your excess bags from Sydney to Melbourne at the end of your quarantine period.

Mwenenzi

An "exemption to leave" has a 3 month validity from date of issue. If the flight details change no need to reapply.
For this trip late Sept AU-->USA and then late Jan USA-->AU, I think you biggest problem will be getting an affordable USA-AU flight. I would not be that hopeful or depend on a non stop LAX/SFO-MEL flight, even in late Jan 2020. AA DL UA are only flying to SYD now. QF may be flying to/from USA in early 2022, but would not bet on that.

PTahCha

If the flight is cargo only, there are still FAs onboard, albeit below FAA staffing requirements.

Heffeh41

https://www.afr.com/policy/health-an...0210831-p58njr


Arrivals into SYD have been cut again to 750 a week.