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PODCAST EP: About 20,000 desperate Australians are still stuck overseas, while the flights they were bumped off are landing in Australia almost empty. I spoke to @lauramoates on the impact of passenger arrival caps. More reports in thread
#auspol https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/audio/2020/aug/27/why-thousands-of-australians-are-still-stranded-overseas
Planes are flying into Australia with as few as four economy passengers as airlines frustrated with the international arrival cap have acknowledged they are prioritising business class and more expensive tickets to remain profitable https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/aug/19/australians-stranded-overseas-as-airlines-fly-with-as-few-as-four-economy-passengers
The ACCC is investigating whether the airlines are breaching consumer laws by cancelling economy tickets while simultaneously selling more expensive seats for the same service on their websites https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/aug/13/accc-investigates-complaints-about-airlines-flying-to-australia-during-covid-19
Meanwhile, legal experts warn Australiaâs strict caps on international passenger arrivals could be unconstitutional, as hundreds of desperate Australians stranded overseas consider a potential class action https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/aug/26/constitutional-question-is-it-legal-to-limit-how-many-australian-citizens-can-fly-home-each-week
Here are some of the stories of those stranded: $113,000 flights to Sydney, families sleeping in caravans in London since March, pleas to visit dying parents, and airlines playing god https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/aug/22/shattered-heartbroken-financially-ruined-stranded-australians-plead-for-help
Pressure is mounting on the federal government to ease the caps, as Coalition MPs call for more to be done to help those stranded. The caps allow less than 4,000 arrivals into Australia each week and are set to last until 24 October. https://twitter.com/EliasVisontay/status/1295853170418020354?s=20
While increasing the caps relies on states agreeing to expand their hotel quarantine capacities, there are calls for the federal government to set up specific quarantine facilities or contribute to other quarantine solutions to allow more Australians to return home.
