State government caps number of overseas travellers arriving in Sydney
The number of international travellers allowed back in Sydney will be reduced, as the state government deals with the increasing demand of housing and treating COVID-19 patients since the virus outbreak in Victoria put more pressure on resources.
NSW
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The number of international passengers flying into Sydney will be capped to help NSW cope with the increasing demand caused by Victoria’s coronavirus outbreak.
Up to 450 passengers per day, with a maximum of 50 per incoming flight, will be allowed to arrive at Sydney International Airport after the state government requested the new restrictions.
The changes, effective from midnight tonight, come after Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews stopped international flights into Melbourne, putting extra pressure on NSW.
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said with Victoria battling to contain the spread of coronavirus and the Queensland government now charging for hotel quarantine, it appeared some returning travellers had changed their plans and were heading to NSW for their two-week quarantine.
“The Commonwealth Government’s intervention now will hopefully ensure that the quarantine model operating in NSW will continue to work for the benefit of NSW residents and returning passengers,” Mr Hazzard said.
“It is crucial that the volume of returning passengers not overrun the capacity of NSW Health to meet and assess every international passenger at Sydney Airport and not exhaust Health, Police and ADF resources to manage our quarantine hotels.”
NSW Police Minister David Elliott said NSW had the strictest of quarantine and movement controls in the country “if not the world”.
“NSW cannot go down the same path as Victoria, nor should we be expected to carry their overflow,” Mr Elliott said.
According to a Facebook post on the Australian High Commission in the UK page, the new cap means passengers should expect flights to be “disrupted, delayed or cancelled” or they may be asked to arrive in another Australian city.
“We appreciate that these measures will have impacts on the commercial operations of airlines and the immediate travel plans of Australian citizens,” the post stated.
“We encourage Australians who have made travel plans to return to Australia over the next two weeks to contact their airlines as soon as possible to see what alternative arrangements are available.”
Originally published as State government caps number of overseas travellers arriving in Sydney