Direct Flights: Canberra to GC $192, Bris $201, Townsville $241, Sun. Coast $246, Cairns $256, Mackay $265, Whits. $277 @ BTF

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• 

  TogTogTogTog on 20/09/2020 - 20:10

  -3

  Thanks QLD. Really appreciate that you decided the ACT is well behaved enough to come visit right before school holidays and months after any active cases… Especially when it's actually more of a risk flying from QLD to ACT atm…

  Queensland, Australia
  Cases: 1,152
  Deaths: 6
  Recovered: 1,123
  Active: 23

  Australian Capital Territory, Australia
  Cases: 113
  Deaths: 3
  Recovered: 110
  Active: 0

  Ref: https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.h…

  • 

    INFIDEL on 20/09/2020 - 20:45

    +1

    A lot of factors you conveniently left out of your comparison!

    Risk is relative to…

    Population
    ACT: 0.43M
    QLD: 5.13M (12 times the population)

    Population Density (people per square km)
    ACT: 179 (many people in a much smaller area)
    QLD: 2.5

    And depends on destination - QLD is huge by comparison! Most of Qld has no active cases.
    eg Cairns has no active cases

    ---

    How many overseas travellers did ACT accept at its "international" airport, which contributed to those figures?
    Qld has 3 international airports that have at times brought in overseas travellers, potentially with covid19.

    I understand ACT has a porous border with NSW. So, unlike QLD, there is no check on those from possible hotspots there. That was the stated reason for the closure of the QLD border to the ACT, not due to cases in the ACT.
    And reportedly, someone tried to enter Qld via ACT from NSW.

    Don't worry - we won't force you to come to QLD🌴 Stay safe where you are! And keep warm for the weekend (1C min).

    • 

      TogTogTogTog on 20/09/2020 - 21:30

      I left them out because it's redundant when I linked a real-time dashboard where you can pull those stats for yourself. Secondly, of course it depends on destination, I don't want to hazard a guess because people love jumping on estimations and comparisons but… a majority of the people travelling are going to be visiting high density areas in QLD, much higher than the ACT.

      • 

        INFIDEL on 20/09/2020 - 21:32

        Most cases here now are from International arrivals in quarantine, or introduced & spread when the QLD border was last opened. So we are being cautious!

        So you aren't tempted by the warmth in Cairns with 0 cases🌞 A lot of potential travellers complain of not getting there!

        Enjoy the weather in Canberra!

        • 

          TogTogTogTog on 20/09/2020 - 21:39

          @INFIDEL: ACT was the same, the initial cases all came from other states. Expanding on population density, Brisbane has a pop. density of 346 people/km2, more than double the ACT. QLD does have a smaller incident rate at 22.52 per 100,000 (ACT @26.40) which is mainly due to such a large area/population.

          • 

            INFIDEL on 20/09/2020 - 21:45

            @TogTogTogTog: The border was closed to the ACT because of those interstate spread cases.

            Like other States, most of QLD cases were due to international travellers arriving at our airports - placed in quarantine & added to our numbers.

            So comparing numbers with international returns against Canberra is not the fair comparison you make out!

            Most holiday makers choose less densely populated tourist areas in Qld. Lying on the beach, in the sun & open air is far less risky than in a restaurant or building in a city like Canberra or Brisbane.

    • 

      Drogo on 20/09/2020 - 21:59

      +2

      I think ACT had alot of quarantined travelers. And yes they do have an internation airport. Hard to argue against ACT and its population having handled the pandemic the best.

      • 

        INFIDEL on 20/09/2020 - 22:02

        Have you looked at the number of direct flights to Canberra "international" airport…?
        (Currently 0)

        How many international direct flight passengers has Canberra agreed to take in the current agreement?

        • 

          Drogo on 20/09/2020 - 22:14

          +2

          @INFIDEL: How many do you think QLD takes? According to this article sydney is taking 90% of them due to the VIC outbreak. If you have actual numbers instead of speculation I'd love to see them https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6910696/states-asked-…

          • 

            INFIDEL on 20/09/2020 - 22:18

            @Drogo: The new agreement with the States was only reached on Friday - so that's old news.

            So where are all the international flights coming into Canberra "international" airports bringing in the overseas return travellers for quarantine in the ACT??
            Oh "ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr put a dampener on the prime minister's announcement on Friday afternoon, saying the ACT had no capacity to take flights from overseas."!

            • 

              Drogo on 20/09/2020 - 22:25

              @INFIDEL: I don't have actual numbers to post. If you could post yours that would be great. Otherwise this argument is pure speculation and not worth discussing… But sure lets have a quick estimate…https://www.flightradar24.com/
              …
              That brisbane airport sure does have alot of international arrivals haha

              • 

                INFIDEL on 20/09/2020 - 22:35

                @Drogo: Your own link shows ACT is taking 0 of the 6000 requested by the PM from States & Territories.

                Queensland will house 1,000 returning overseas travellers each week in hotel quarantine by early October

                • 

                  Drogo on 20/09/2020 - 22:37

                  @INFIDEL: That doesn't tell me how many they've housed previously

                  • 

                    INFIDEL on 20/09/2020 - 22:41

                    @Drogo: Well look.it up. I'm not Google.

                    If you haven't noticed, international arrivals have been severely restricted by the Federal Government. QLD has 3 major international airports.
                    Canberra international flights are only to a few locations & the major routes stopped last year according to Wikipedia.

                    • 

                      Drogo on 20/09/2020 - 23:04

                      @INFIDEL: Um, normally when people are making a point they'd cite their sources so the information can be checked.

                      • 

                        INFIDEL on 20/09/2020 - 23:21

                        @Drogo: Umm…
                        You didn't read the information in the link I provided!
                        The link to the number of returning overseas travellers to QLD airports - 500 per week for last months (rising to 700 in a week, then 1000 per week by October 4)!

                        ---

                        As you are listed as in the ACT, you probably know the limited nature of your "international" flights.

                        Here's a link to international flights at Canberra international Airport
                        Only 2 possible airlines - Singapore Airlines and Qatar Airways have temporarily cancelled all international flights in and outbound from Canberra Airport.
                        Wikipedia lists Singapore Airlines stopped (some or all) direct flights last year.

      • 

        INFIDEL on 20/09/2020 - 22:25

        "ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr… the ACT had no capacity to take flights from overseas."!

        Overseas arrivals have been the major source of the virus in Australia. So much easier if the ACT doesn't take them.

        • 

          Drogo on 20/09/2020 - 22:36

          @INFIDEL: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6835212/police-ask-pu…

          "The hotel's customary occupancy rates had suffered on the back of the coronavirus travel restrictions so the approach from the ACT government to provide the service, most of whom so far have been guests arriving on international flights from India, was a welcome one."

          Old article but best I could find for now. So act has been taking those that want to arrive in Canberra. It's certinaly not Sydney or Melbourne levels…but they have arrivals

          • 

            INFIDEL on 20/09/2020 - 22:43

            @Drogo: I think those are passengers who transferred from International flights from other Capitals, not direct flights to Canberra. That's happened when passengers arrived on the few available flights to Sydney & formerly to Melbourne.

            • 

              Drogo on 20/09/2020 - 22:46

              @INFIDEL: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6758129/repatriation-…

              "Airport officials would've hoped the first direct passenger flight from New Delhi to Canberra would be under better circumstances.

              Instead, the Qantas Boeing 787 which touched down on Friday morning brought home 207 Australian who had been stranded in India due to coronavirus travel restrictions."

              • 

                INFIDEL on 20/09/2020 - 22:47

                @Drogo: Yes, one of the few repatriation flights early in the crisis. Commercial flights don't usually fly directly to Canberra. Their quarantine period would have ended months ago.

                • 

                  Drogo on 20/09/2020 - 22:49

                  @INFIDEL: Urgh so there's no factual information that will make you happy

                  • 

                    INFIDEL on 20/09/2020 - 22:50

                    @Drogo: factual information…
                    1 chartered flight in May - that was a long time ago!
                    Doesn't support… I think ACT had alot of quarantined travelers.

                    QLD have been accepting 500 returned overseas travellers on commercial flights per week, doubling next month (in above link). ACT 0.

                    Nothing against the ACT! QLD should take more than the ACT - it's more set up for large traveller numbers.

                    Just no data given to support commercial flights bringing overseas travellers to the Canberra International Airport to quarantine.

                    • 

                      INFIDEL on 21/09/2020 - 00:26

                      @INFIDEL: To be fair on the ACT, there are no commercial international flights to Canberra International Airport at the moment. So no possibility of providing quarantine to arriving international passengers.

                      • 

                        suburbanmale on 21/09/2020 - 07:31

                        @INFIDEL: TogTogTog's point was there's more risk for the ACT from Queenslanders than vice versa. The fact that the ACT is not housing international arrivals in quarantine supports his point.

                        • 

                          INFIDEL on 21/09/2020 - 08:28

                          @suburbanmale: Yes, I understand the point, based solely on past stats.

                          But it depends on other factors not taken into account by TogTogTog. Simple past stats can't tell the full picture of past risk, let alone be used to predict future risk for individuals. As we've seen - the stats can rapidly change.

                          The ACT Government is currently refusing to accept overseas travellers, so no figures from quarantine in their stats unlike with the States accepting travellers. But the likelihood of contracting the virus from someone in quarantine (if managed correctly) is very unlikely for a visitor to Qld. There may be more pressure on the ACT to accept travellers.

                          The ACT border is open, meaning a person from QLD may come in contact with a person from a hotspot in NSW in the ACT, which would be unlikely in QLD with the border closed.

                          This Deal is to a number of Qld destinations that currently have no cases. So there may be no difference in risk between ACT & Qld destination.

                          And since the future is not assured, the actual risk at the time of flight is unknown.

                          Understand the various factors affecting risk when choosing to travel, rather than simple past figures. And then hope for the best!

                        • 

                          INFIDEL on 21/09/2020 - 11:15

                          @suburbanmale: Of course, TogTogTog's comment was a gripe about the past decision to add ACT to the forbidden list for entry to Qld. The stats didn't support the closure.

                          But that's all changing now! Hence this Deal…

                          It only made sense if people from NSW used the ACT as a way to enter QLD. Which did happen. There were other ways to deal with that for people from ACT. That's what is happening from later this week.

                          Most nights Qlders were told on TV about "bad" people sneaking into Qld, lying on declarations to get in, & not paying for their hotel quarantine or disappearing into the community. And then covid was brought in & the border closed again.

                          Now the correct decision to allow ACT residents into QLD has been made (under pressure from Scomo & Co), TogTogTog sees it as a cynical ploy to attract tourist dollars from the ACT!

                          More likely politics - with a close election campaign in QLD, even the LNP opposition has backed down from their repeated demands to open the border to NSW. They now deny they ever said it! Shows how popular the border closure decision is in Qld! Whether it is a good decision is a different matter! That's politics!!

• 

  xyron on 20/09/2020 - 20:12

  -7

  You'd have to be mad to travel right now given how quickly the gates could shut behind you on the way out.

  • 

    Associatedbeatthatflight @ Beat That Flight on 20/09/2020 - 21:04

    +1

    Visiting relatives, weddings, funerals, or even a short city break? Many people feel that it's worth it. And airlines are being pretty flexible with their credits. It's unlikely that the gates will slam, there'd likely be some notice, as with previous border closures.

• 

  Froot Loops on 20/09/2020 - 20:37

  +2

  What stops someone in NSW driving to the ACT and claiming they are been there for a few weeks to get into QLD?

  • 

    Associatedbeatthatflight @ Beat That Flight on 20/09/2020 - 20:38

    +1

    Probably proof of residence - eg driver's license?

  • 

    octagonalman on 20/09/2020 - 20:58

    There is a link in the article at the top of this page with this quote:

    Dr Young said all travellers to Queensland would have to fly into the state and could not drive from Canberra as they would then enter New South Wales, a COVID hotspot.

    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09-18/coronavirus-queenslan…

    • 

      Froot Loops on 20/09/2020 - 21:00

      -1

      I read the article and it's doesn't answer my question, hence I asked.

      • 

        octagonalman on 20/09/2020 - 21:05

        +1

        Ah right. Another article said it's a border declaration form. So relying on honesty.

      • 

        hotdish on 20/09/2020 - 21:05

        +1

        You apply for a permit pre-travel and must provide evidence of residency.

• 

  B3 on 20/09/2020 - 22:34

  +5

  Thanks for the prices!

  It's eye opening how quickly people have turned to otherism recently. 'Everyone where I live is safe and trustworthy, it's all those filthy other people that are the problem!'

  Most people seem hard wired to think this way due to our social conditioning I guess.

• 

  inherentchoice on 21/09/2020 - 12:42

  Direct Flights

  But I think only GC and BNE have direct flights? So I guess everywhere else has a stopover in BNE.

• 

  Wilburre on 21/09/2020 - 13:32

  -1

  CBR-BNE - $335-584, One way during the school holidays ((25(19)/09-05/10) inclusive).
  87-367% more than the pre covid usual.

  No thanks.
  $584 for a one way, ~2hr, domestic, base level economy flight.

  Queensland and Qantas can go and jump. I'll wait until I can drive at this rate.

  • 

    Associatedbeatthatflight @ Beat That Flight on 21/09/2020 - 16:11

    As mentioned in the description, you can go cheaper but that risks more border closures (eg via MEL or SYD).

    • 

      Wilburre on 22/09/2020 - 15:01

      -1

      Its not about that. I used to fly the same route - I flew over the christmas period between Canberra and Brisbane direct for $179 each way on Qantas and Virgin in late December and mid January 2019.
      I'm not comparing different routes via Sydney or Melbourne.
      I also understand that cost structures for airlines etc have changed as a resut of covid, but even that doesn't make paying exhorbitant prices for flights a bargain or even a deal.

      My point is that as much as many (including me despite my comment) appreciate the effort that went into the post, this site needs to decide what it wants to be.

      The site is named "OzBargain", not "OZHighwayRobberyButAvailableToPurchase".
      To me paying 87-367% more than the base fare price isn't a bargain - others including yourself may agree, and they're entitled to their opinion.

      I just don't see how a post like this is a bargain and subsequently how it is in the spirit of the site/community.