COVID-19: Overseas travel ban extended to 17 September 2021

This hardly deserves and eyebrow raise. Greg Hunt, Federal Health Minister has extended the ‘human biosecurity emergency’ period, which has been in place since 18 March 2020, out to 17 December 2021.

This means no unauthorised international travel in or out of the country on airlines or cruiseliners, on the bases that these activities would pose an ‘unacceptable risk to public health’. The declaration, made under the Biosecurity Act, is used to take the necessary measures to prevent and control the spread of COVID-19.

The measures include a ban on cruise ships entering Australian territory, and mandatory pre-departure testing and mask-wearing for international flights.

On the plus side, these emergency measures can be rescinded at any time depending on health advice.

2PAXfly Takeout

This is another timely reminder to wear your seatbelt when seated. Holding you close to your seat will protect you from the sort of injuries sustained on this flight, when unsecured passengers flew to the ceiling of the aircraft, and then came crashing down once the ‘drop’ ceased.

The hope will be that this is an anomaly – a ‘freak accident’ in casual parlance. If it is a systemic error either mechanical or electronic, then this is a larger concern for the airlines that fly Boeing Dreamliner 787 aircraft. Let’s hope it isn’t. If it is, it will pile on the woes to Boeing’s existing stack.