American Airlines pulls all flights to Australia

AMERICAN AIRLINES B787-9 N832AA (MSN 40638

American Airlines will no longer fly to the nation for at least two months in response to the tightened coronavirus travel rules which mean planes must fly with only a handful of passengers.
The only Australian route, Los Angeles to Sydney, will be cut from September. Just last week the airline said it would fly some planes as cargo only - but now it's pulling out altogether. "Due to the ongoing travel restrictions surrounding the coronavirus (COVID-19), American is suspending customer and cargo flights between Los Angeles and Sydney between the 1st Sept and the 28th Oct  a spokesman said. "We're reaching out to customers scheduled to travel on affected flights to offer alternate arrangements." Singapore Airlines also confirmed last week it would be forced to fly some planes with cargo only in the latest blow for the 35,000 Australians who have told authorities they want to come home.

Australia has slashed the number of passengers allowed to fly in per week from just over 6000 to around 3000 - the lowest since the coronavirus pandemic began. That is despite the tens of thousands wanting to come home from overseas and only one per cent of people in hotel quarantine, where everybody must spend 14 days at the cost of around $3000, actually testing positive for the virus. Many have been battling to get seats for months. Everybody must test negative for the virus before boarding a plane. The rule will be reviewed at the end of August but could last all year, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.

Extra government repatriation flights - which are not free and people are invited to book - will go into Darwin, but won't fully compensate for the cut in commercial numbers. When he announced the cuts, Mr Morrison said it was because of the more infectious Delta variant. A travel ban remains in place, with only Australian citizens and permanent residents and their dependents and spouses allowed in, and people banned from leaving. However, exemptions do apply, with thousands of others also permitted to travel each week. Officials have warned the cuts won't only affect passengers.
Shoppers should expect major delays and price increases for imported goods ahead of the peak Christmas period.

Aussies stuck overseas are devastated and heartbroken by flight cuts as human rights experts slam decision. Zoe Landreth's "life flashed in front of me" when Prime Minister Scott Morrison made an announcement that has left thousands of Australians devastated. The already low number of Australians allowed back into the country will be halved as the coronavirus travel ban tightens over fears of the highly contagious Delta strain that sparked lockdowns for millions in multiple states and territories this week. Mrs Landreth, a Melbourne expat, has already sold her house in the US in preparation to relocate back to Australia permanently with her husband Harold and 18-year-old daughter at the end of the month. It is costing her about $80,000 including hotel quarantine, accommodation, flights and visas — and now she doesn't know if their flight will even go ahead.

A total of 34,000 Australians have told authorities they want to come home and the move to cut flight numbers further has been slammed by campaigners for human rights and stranded Australians.
That number includes some people stuck since borders closed in March 2020 because some nations remain in lockdown or flights are too difficult to book. There are also thousands of Australians who have been given permission to leave, such as for compassionate reasons, who now want to return.