Australians stranded in Europe are facing yet another hurdle to return home after Emirates suspended outbound flights from the United Kingdom.
There’s fresh turmoil for Aussies stranded abroad, with Emirates suspending passenger services between Dubai and all its UK points, effective 1300hrs GMT on 29 January 2021 until further notice.
Thousands of Australian citizens could be affected by the decision, which came in response to the British government closing its border to the United Arab Emirates.
The key transit hub of Dubai is now off-limits until further notice and Etihad could soon follow suit, ruling Abu Dhabi out of bounds too.
The last Emirates flights to and from the UK today are as follows:
- EK 07 from Dubai to London Heathrow
- EK 01 from Dubai to London Heathrow
- EK 39 from Dubai to Birmingham
- EK 27 from Dubai to Glasgow
- EK 08 to Dubai from London Heathrow
- EK 02 to Dubai from London Heathrow
- EK 40 to Dubai from Birmingham
- EK 28 to Dubai from Glasgow
Labor senator Penny Wong warned the fresh flight ban could affect many of the nearly 40,000 Australians stranded overseas.
“We have a prime minister who told people he would get them home by Christmas last year. He did not do so,” she told the ABC on Friday.
“He should step up and take responsibility instead of doing what he so often does, which is when the going gets tough, he goes missing.”
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Passenger caps into Australia
A few weeks ago, the national cabinet made a decision to reduce international arrival caps into the country.
The number of international arrivals allowed into New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia has been halved and now totals 4,220 passengers per week.
Here are the new arrival limit numbers:
- NSW – 1500 travellers a week
- Western Australia – 500 travellers a week
- Queensland – 500 travellers a week
- Victoria – no change (currently 1120 travellers a week)
- South Australia – no change (currently 600 travellers a week)
NT, ACT, and Tassie are working out their arrangements with the Commonwealth on a case-by-case basis.
Early last week Emirates pulled out of Australia, only to then reinstate flights a week later.
Passenger services resumed to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane this week.
The federal government says they are now working with Qantas to “bring people back from the United Kingdom, Europe, India and other places where vulnerable Australians are most in need of assistance.” With 20 special one-way repatriation flights to be scheduled across February and March.
Source: AAP.
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