Last interstate travellers fly in ahead of forced quarantine deadline

INTERSTATE travellers arriving in the NT on Wednesday were the last to have the luxury of self-isolating, before the beginning of new regulations requiring all Territory arrivals to go into forced quarantine.

Brisbane resident Mark Braun flies into Darwin on Wednesday ahead of the deadline for forced hotel isolation for all new arrivals into the NT. Picture: Glenn Campbell

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WHEN Brisbane resident Mark Braun flew into Darwin on Wednesday on a desperate mission be with his sick mother, he couldn’t believe his luck.

Mark had arranged to spend 14 days in what he thought was forced isolation in a Darwin hotel before being able to complete his journey to Katherine where his mum is suffering from leukaemia.

He did not know that his midday flight on Wednesday was one of the last arrivals in Darwin with the luxury of self-isolating.

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From midnight Wednesday night, people entering the Territory from interstate – including Territorians returning home – are required to spend 14 days in forced quarantine, not self-quarantine.

The rule that applies to overseas arrivals will now apply to all arrivals with passenger directed straight to a hotel that is secured and guarded for 14 days.

“I was just looking forward to coming here and getting in a hotel for quarantine but now I’ve got to get on a bus or get on a taxi,” Mark said after picking up his luggage from flight QF842 at Darwin International Airport.

“Now I’m trying to figure out how to get back to Katherine to my mum.”

While all positive tests for coronavirus have so far come from people arriving in the Territory on flights, he said he wasn’t too worried and had a reasonable journey to the NT.

“I had (my face mask) on all the time, I felt pretty comfortable,” Mr Braun said.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever worn one.”

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Flight QF842 from Brisbane to Darwin was one of a handful of flights that arrived from midday, with others coming in from Sydney, Perth and Adelaide.

Passengers were slowly filtering out of the international terminal, where all domestic flights are now being processed.

From there, passengers collected their bags before finding a lift with a taxi or private driver, en route to their 14 days of self-isolation.

While most passengers appeared to keep their time in the airport to a minimum, eager to stay in isolation, fewer than half wore face masks.

From midnight on Friday night, those arrivals must pay for their own hotel quarantine – a $2500 fee – if they insist on coming to the Territory.

Five international flights are scheduled to land and refuel at the Darwin International Airport before continuing on their international route, however passengers and crew will not disembark the aircraft.

Originally published as Last interstate travellers fly in ahead of forced quarantine deadline