Military, police guard airport as quarantine passengers arrive

Armed police and military guards locked down the Brisbane International Airport on the first day of Australia’s strict new quarantine laws, ushering arriving passengers into isolation.

ARMED police and military guards locked down the Brisbane International airport and nearby hotels, preparing for the arrival and isolation of passengers arriving on three overseas flights this morning in conjunction with Australia’s new quarantine laws.

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The federal government’s strict quarantine laws came into effect at 12.01am this morning, requiring any citizens returning from overseas to be quarantined in hotels and other accommodation facilities for a 14-day self-isolation period.

Today, Airport security and police strictly cordoned off the Brisbane international arrivals lounge, with bright red signs informing the few passers-by that ‘no public or media access’ was permitted.

Police and Army personnel watch as passengers arrive into Brisbane International Airport Picture: Steve Pohlner

Three international flights landed into Brisbane Airport today: Flight VA046 from Denpasar, Flight NZ145 from Auckland and flight QF388/CI53 from Taipei.

Both the Auckland and Taipei flights landed early in Brisbane – at 9.39am and 10.30am respectively.

Police and Army personnel watch as Passengers arriving into Brisbane International Airport and forced into quarantine. Passengers getting off and being taken to buses before taken to hotels to quarantine, Sunday 29th March 2020 – Photo Steve Pohlner

Police and military escorts were present as both flights disembarked, ushering passengers through the guarded airport lounge and into charter buses which waited with luggage compartment doors open, ready to go.

Police and Army personnel watch as Passengers arriving into Brisbane International Airport and forced into quarantine. Passengers getting off and being taken to buses before taken to hotels to quarantine, Sunday 29th March 2020 – Photo Steve Pohlner

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Police and Army personnel watch as Passengers arriving into Brisbane International Airport and forced into quarantine. Passengers getting off and being taken to buses before taken to hotels to quarantine, Sunday 29th March 2020 – Photo Steve Pohlner

Public pick up areas were closed off.

The taxi pick-up area was also closed to the public, with state and federal police vehicles surrounding the buses.

Police and Army personnel at the Ibis Hotel, as Passengers arriving into Brisbane International Airport and forced into quarantine. Passengers getting off and being taken to buses before taken to hotels to quarantine, Sunday 29th March 2020 – Photo Steve Pohlner

The sparse crews from both flights were chauffeured – with federal and Queensland police escorts – to the Ibis hotel at Brisbane Airport – where passengers will remain in legally mandated quarantine for the next 14 days.

Police and Army personnel at the Ibis Hotel, as Passengers arriving into Brisbane International Airport and forced into quarantine. Passengers getting off and being taken to buses before taken to hotels to quarantine, Sunday 29th March 2020 – Photo Steve Pohlner

The hotel today was rigorously secured for the passengers’ arrival with military personnel stationed at the drop off point as well as at various entry points.

Outside the Novotel, at Brisbane Airport, this morning, a couple was seen waving at their families members who were quarantined in a first floor apartment.

A man waves to a family member at the Airport Novotel Hotel in Brisbane after passengers were taken from a flight from Bali to the hotel for quarantine in Brisbane, Sunday, March 29, 2020. Overseas arrivals are now forced to be quarantined in hotels in a bid to stop the spread of COVID-19 (AAP Image/Dave Hunt) NO ARCHIVING

People believed to be quarantined in the Novotel Hotel, as Passengers arriving into Brisbane International Airport and forced into quarantine. Passengers getting off and being taken to buses before taken to hotels to quarantine, Sunday 29th March 2020 – Photo Steve Pohlner

It is understood the groups quarantined at the Novotel are passengers from the flight that arrived into Brisbane from Denpasar at 4.46am this morning.