When to go?

[AliQ]

4 minutes ago, Aussiebird said:

We have flown with them several times too, but what I meant was are there only certain airlines flying to Australia from the UK?  Are they special flights which are only on the website when they are guaranteed to fly on specific dates?

Are flights to Australia only flying certain routes too?

Thank you xx

It's just a case of searching each airline's website, entering your date, then seeing what comes up. But due to low demand I think only a few airlines are flying to Australia. Emirates, Qatar and Singapore have flights, not sure about the others though.

As for whether they actually do fly on the booked day, that's impossible to guarantee right now but I certainly hope ours does otherwise we're a bit stuck !

[Aussiebird]

20 minutes ago, AliQ said:

It's just a case of searching each airline's website, entering your date, then seeing what comes up. But due to low demand I think only a few airlines are flying to Australia. Emirates, Qatar and Singapore have flights, not sure about the others though.

As for whether they actually do fly on the booked day, that's impossible to guarantee right now but I certainly hope ours does otherwise we're a bit stuck !

If any airline is displaying flights on any given date then surely they would fly on that date? Otherwise it's a lot of waiting around etc if they are cancelled and not knowing when anyone can actually fly! and its more to worry about!!

[Lavers]

8 minutes ago, Aussiebird said:

If any airline is displaying flights on any given date then surely they would fly on that date? Otherwise it's a lot of waiting around etc if they are cancelled and not knowing when anyone can actually fly! and its more to worry about!!

Flights are currently allowing you to move your flight dates free of charge.

I think most flights will be going ahead but obviously under the circumstances anything could happen.

[AliQ]

30 minutes ago, Aussiebird said:

If any airline is displaying flights on any given date then surely they would fly on that date? Otherwise it's a lot of waiting around etc if they are cancelled and not knowing when anyone can actually fly! and its more to worry about!!

True, but it is what it is at the moment. It's a gamble. We will have moved out of our rental, sold our car and all our goods packed & gone for shipping, so if our flight does not go, well, we'll have to just bunk down somewhere until the next available flight. However, flights are currently taking off, none cancelled recently that I am aware of, so I think it is looking positive.

[ali]

1 hour ago, Aussiebird said:

If any airline is displaying flights on any given date then surely they would fly on that date? Otherwise it's a lot of waiting around etc if they are cancelled and not knowing when anyone can actually fly! and its more to worry about!!

Even without Covid there's no garuntee of flights being on particular days/time - you only have to recall cancellations during holiday seasons because of strikes/weather etc.,  As AliQ says - the current climate is a gamble but things generally are slowly returning to normal

[Marisawright]

2 hours ago, Aussiebird said:

If any airline is displaying flights on any given date then surely they would fly on that date? Otherwise it's a lot of waiting around etc if they are cancelled and not knowing when anyone can actually fly! and its more to worry about!!

When the pandemic first started, there were lots of cancellations because the airlines still had their normal schedules but nobody was flying, and they didn't want empty planes - so if they didn't get enough bookings, they cancelled.

Now, most of them are flying extremely limited schedules because they've got a good handle on the number of people flying, so I think cancellations are far less likely.

[Reboz]

Little update Emirates have opened up a once a week flight into Perth! Lands on a Wednesday we have booked our flights on 14th July! Finally got a date

[Aussiebird]

On 03/06/2020 at 20:44, Lavers said:

Last month it was only really Qatar airlines flying, there seems to be more this month. Emirates is one of them then some of the smaller airlines.

Last week Singapore was showing as flying from 1st July at a nice price. The other day the price went up then disappeared altogether.

If you look at skyscanner it will show who Is flying at the minute. If you look at next months schedule then I dont think that is certain at the minute.

I can't remember what airport you are flying from in UK? Are you flying to Adelaide? Those prices are cheap too

[Lavers]

1 hour ago, Aussiebird said:

I can't remember what airport you are flying from in UK? Are you flying to Adelaide? Those prices are cheap too

Manchester - Melbourne

Manchester - Adelaide is over £3500

[Paul1Perth]

On 15/05/2020 at 20:16, Aussiebird said:

I have just checked the Department of Immigration and it clearly states only to fill in the exemption form online if planning to travel to Australia within the next 3 months.  If not travelling in the next 3 months, to check the website regularly for changes.

Thanks for the reply Jon the Hat, we also have a house to sell and are thinking of putting it on the market in the next month or two and see what happens.  We are so desperate to go and it's very frustrating at the moment.   We may also have to wait until next year too if things do not improve!  

By next year I reckon things will be back to normal. Restrictions coming off more next week, pools back to normal, our local 50m has had to put 2 lanes in to 1 and restrict numbers, use bookings and have 45 min swims. From next week it's back to normal with gyms also opening with no restrictions.

We've not had any new cases for a while, apart from one person who returned from abroad and they are tracked and isolated.

By next year I'd be really surprised if flights aren't back to normal. If not there's going to be a lot more airlines go broke. 

If the UK still has cases by then I can understand if you still have to isolate for a couple of weeks. That's the worst case scenario I reckon.

[Lavers]

SA to open its borders on the 20TH July, the same day we arrive from Melbourne 

[Aussiebird]

Having had conversations with my other half, we are trying to find solutions to flights to Perth, which is proving difficult because of the current situation. 

After reading many threads on travel, are flights that have already been booked only liable to be changed when flying to activate your visa so that the entry date can be extended by home affairs?

I think I have read that if a flight is booked nearer to the activation date and you can't go, say because of problems with your employer-not allowed to have the time off (especially if having to quarantine too) that home affairs would not extend the activation date as it's not there problem?  Whilst there are flights going to Perth,  the virus situation has dramatically changed my other half's employers situation and all of the shift patterns may change again later in the year, which means he may not be able to get time off for the flight.  

The company allocates holiday periods so he doesnt get a say.  

The quarantine period could prove a real problem if it's still in place by the end of January 2021.    We cant even book flights because we don't know what the shift pattern are going to be like in the next 6 months!

I was thinking if we contact home affairs would they give him an extension to validate. None of this is his fault and we are getting very worried.  At what extent would an extension be given, the virus situation has caused no end of problems with people's jobs too.

If we sell our house it wont be a problem.  But if not, he cant leave his job because we have a mortgage. 

We have checked the email grants and there is no information at all to say who to contact if we need to get the activation date extended (London office).  Does anyone have an email address or telephone number please?  I'm assuming it will be Australia we need to contact, not London. 

Stress levels are through the roof atm!!

 

Edited June 29, 2020 by Aussiebird

[Marisawright]

6 hours ago, Aussiebird said:

I think I have read that if a flight is booked nearer to the activation date and you can't go, say because of problems with your employer-not allowed to have the time off (especially if having to quarantine too) that home affairs would not extend the activation date as it's not there problem? 

I haven't heard that specific example but IMO, I would believe it.  Home Affairs are not known for being lenient or compassionate about anything, rules is rules.  When flights were scarce, I'd hope they would've given people a break - but now there are so many flights coming in, with thousands of people arriving every week, I'd expect them to be back to "business as usual". 

If he's only going to activate the visa, why does he have to go to Perth?  Is there no way he can get a holiday in the next seven months?

Edited June 29, 2020 by Marisawright

[elderberry]

On 12/06/2020 at 21:12, Lavers said:

SA to open its borders on the 20TH July, the same day we arrive from Melbourne 

Maybe not now...

[Aussiebird]

8 hours ago, Marisawright said:

I haven't heard that specific example but IMO, I would believe it.  Home Affairs are not known for being lenient or compassionate about anything, rules is rules.  When flights were scarce, I'd hope they would've given people a break - but now there are so many flights coming in, with thousands of people arriving every week, I'd expect them to be back to "business as usual". 

If he's only going to activate the visa, why does he have to go to Perth?  Is there no way he can get a holiday in the next seven months?

At the moment, with regards to his job, he has got time off over Xmas, but if the employer changes the work rotas, which he is told could very well happen by the end of October,  then he will not know what his holiday period will be.  As i say, if quarantine has stopped by the end of the year, it will help him hugely, but things are uncertain for now.  

We have all our family near Perth, so can't see why he would go anywhere else.

[Aussiebird]

7 hours ago, elderberry said:

Maybe not now...

Are the borders staying closed?  Though they were starting to open in July?  Although WA border to international flights for holiday/working visa travellers will remain closed for some time.

[Marisawright]

1 hour ago, Aussiebird said:

At the moment, with regards to his job, he has got time off over Xmas, but if the employer changes the work rotas, which he is told could very well happen by the end of October,  then he will not know what his holiday period will be.  As i say, if quarantine has stopped by the end of the year, it will help him hugely, but things are uncertain for now.  

We have all our family near Perth, so can't see why he would go anywhere else.

If he is only going to stay long enough to do his quarantine and then go home, he's not going to see your family anyway?

Scott Morrison has said the travel bans will stay in place till July 2021 so the quarantine will stay in place too. You can't have one without the other.

Right from the very first announcement, they said the travel bans would stay in place until September 2020 at the earliest, so I'm not sure who thought the borders would reopen this July.

Edited June 30, 2020 by Marisawright

[Sydneygal]

@Aussiebird  Hi Aussiebird, I'm a long-time lurker here.  I can offer you some information about extensions to entry dates, because we are in a somewhat similar position.  We have until Sept 4th to activate my husband's 309/100.  I contacted our migration agent in early May, then my husband rang Home Affairs twice in June to ask for an extension.  We asked for special consideration - I won't go into all the ins and outs of that - but we had good and valid reasons for asking.  The answer was no. 

The explanation given by my agent was as follows.  Once the visa is issued/granted, it's pretty much set in stone.  There is no mechanism under the law to change its conditions and that includes the Must Enter By Date.  However, a breach of the Must Enter By date does not necessarily result in automatic cancellation.  It only makes the visa “liable” for cancellation should DHA wish to do so.

So if you can't enter by your Must Enter By date, all you can really do is seek "forgiveness" after the fact.  But after all the hassle, tears, and money you have to spend to get the visa in the first place, who wants to leave it to DHA's discretion to decide whether or not they'll let you in after the deadline has passed?  I didn't even bother trying to work out what the procedure would be.  We decided to go ahead and fly out there rather than have to deal with DHA again.

You can try calling Home Affairs on +61 13 18 81 as we did.  They will tell you to read the web site, etc. etc., which we told them we had already done.  Just remain politely insistent that they hear you out.  I told them that on the COVID-19 page on their web site there are ways for people to apply for exemptions if they want to leave Australia, but nothing for those who want to delay their arrival.  I wish DHA would realise that it's in the national interest, both in terms of the risk to public health and the taxpayer money spent on quarantine, to permit those of us who wish to delay entry to do so.  We've been so careful to lockdown and do the right things during the pandemic.  Now here we are, having to travel to Australia and take risks just so we can tick the visa box. 

I'm sorry I can't give you better news and I wish you the best of luck. 

[Collie]

On 12/06/2020 at 01:23, Lavers said:

Manchester - Melbourne

Manchester - Adelaide is over £3500

Hey mate,

FYI

Victoria have just announced that all incoming international flights to be diverted for the next few weeks.

[Lavers]

46 minutes ago, Collie said:

Hey mate,

FYI

Victoria have just announced that all incoming international flights to be diverted for the next few weeks.

Just made it in time mate, currently locked in my room haha.

Good job the mother in law made us go early

[Aussiebird]

13 minutes ago, Lavers said:

Just made it in time mate, currently locked in my room haha.

Good job the mother in law made us go early

Are you there now? That's so exciting if you are!  

[Lavers]

12 minutes ago, Aussiebird said:

Are you there now? That's so exciting if you are!  

Here now arrived a few hours ago.

Doesnt seem real yet though, probably wont until we start looking for jobs.

Everyone has been helpful and it all went pretty smoothly.

[Aussiebird]

20 minutes ago, Lavers said:

Here now arrived a few hours ago.

Doesnt seem real yet though, probably wont until we start looking for jobs.

Everyone has been helpful and it all went pretty smoothly.

Congratulations! Lucky you's.  Best of luck and hope everything goes smoothly for you.

[ali]

On 30/06/2020 at 01:08, Aussiebird said:

Having had conversations with my other half, we are trying to find solutions to flights to Perth, which is proving difficult because of the current situation. 

After reading many threads on travel, are flights that have already been booked only liable to be changed when flying to activate your visa so that the entry date can be extended by home affairs?

I think I have read that if a flight is booked nearer to the activation date and you can't go, say because of problems with your employer-not allowed to have the time off (especially if having to quarantine too) that home affairs would not extend the activation date as it's not there problem?  Whilst there are flights going to Perth,  the virus situation has dramatically changed my other half's employers situation and all of the shift patterns may change again later in the year, which means he may not be able to get time off for the flight.  

The company allocates holiday periods so he doesnt get a say.  

The quarantine period could prove a real problem if it's still in place by the end of January 2021.    We cant even book flights because we don't know what the shift pattern are going to be like in the next 6 months!

I was thinking if we contact home affairs would they give him an extension to validate. None of this is his fault and we are getting very worried.  At what extent would an extension be given, the virus situation has caused no end of problems with people's jobs too.

If we sell our house it wont be a problem.  But if not, he cant leave his job because we have a mortgage. 

We have checked the email grants and there is no information at all to say who to contact if we need to get the activation date extended (London office).  Does anyone have an email address or telephone number please?  I'm assuming it will be Australia we need to contact, not London. 

Stress levels are through the roof atm!!

 

To be honest - I don't think they would grant extensions now for next year anyway, everything is up in the air and changing daily - Victoria has had to go into lockdown again, some states are opening boarders to other states (except Vic) and here in WA we're still keeping everyone out.   I do wonder if you're just going to have to bite the bullet - it may not be that all the stars you want to align do so.  

[Heading4Tassie]

On 30/06/2020 at 13:31, Sydneygal said:

@Aussiebird  Hi Aussiebird, I'm a long-time lurker here.  I can offer you some information about extensions to entry dates, because we are in a somewhat similar position.  We have until Sept 4th to activate my husband's 309/100.  I contacted our migration agent in early May, then my husband rang Home Affairs twice in June to ask for an extension.  We asked for special consideration - I won't go into all the ins and outs of that - but we had good and valid reasons for asking.  The answer was no. 

The explanation given by my agent was as follows.  Once the visa is issued/granted, it's pretty much set in stone.  There is no mechanism under the law to change its conditions and that includes the Must Enter By Date.  However, a breach of the Must Enter By date does not necessarily result in automatic cancellation.  It only makes the visa “liable” for cancellation should DHA wish to do so.

So if you can't enter by your Must Enter By date, all you can really do is seek "forgiveness" after the fact.  But after all the hassle, tears, and money you have to spend to get the visa in the first place, who wants to leave it to DHA's discretion to decide whether or not they'll let you in after the deadline has passed?  I didn't even bother trying to work out what the procedure would be.  We decided to go ahead and fly out there rather than have to deal with DHA again.

You can try calling Home Affairs on +61 13 18 81 as we did.  They will tell you to read the web site, etc. etc., which we told them we had already done.  Just remain politely insistent that they hear you out.  I told them that on the COVID-19 page on their web site there are ways for people to apply for exemptions if they want to leave Australia, but nothing for those who want to delay their arrival.  I wish DHA would realise that it's in the national interest, both in terms of the risk to public health and the taxpayer money spent on quarantine, to permit those of us who wish to delay entry to do so.  We've been so careful to lockdown and do the right things during the pandemic.  Now here we are, having to travel to Australia and take risks just so we can tick the visa box. 

I'm sorry I can't give you better news and I wish you the best of luck. 

Think you made the right decision @sydneygal to just go in time to meet your husband's visa initial entry date. I was due to be travelling in April to validate my 100 visa (2nd time flights were booked) but flights were cancelled. Initial entry date was 1 June and I did not make it to validate the visa as so few flights so I will have to deal with DHA again to apply for permission to travel when we book flights again. We were planning to move next month permanently anyway but just wanted to get it validated before the initial entry date. Now we are delaying again as its so difficult when you are also trying to ship your fur baby at the same time at present especially since our quarantine is presently longer than the dog's! I definitely feel nervous about putting plans in place before getting the go ahead I can actually still use my visa my agent has advised it should be fine in timescale we are looking at Oct/Nov. (fingers crossed)