Virus-stricken Australian liner to dock in Montevideo as airlines face staff shortage to fly Aussies home
The fate of Australian cruise ship the Greg Mortimer – which has 100 cases of coronavirus on board – has finally been revealed by Uruguay’s foreign ministry.
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The virus-stricken Australian cruise ship Greg Mortimer will be allowed to dock in Montevideo and the passengers will be flown home, Uruguay’s foreign ministry has confirmed.
The ship, with more than 100 infected people on board, is anchored some 24 kilometres (15 miles) offshore and will be allowed to dock on Friday.
Passengers will be taken in buses to the city’s international airport, officials said.
“The docking of the Greg Mortimer cruise ship is initially scheduled for Friday afternoon. The objective is to have a sanitary cordon to Carrasco Airport,” a Uruguayan navy statement said.
A medical plane to evacuate Australian and New Zealand passengers will arrive in Uruguay on Thursday and will depart at dawn on Saturday for Melbourne, foreign ministry sources said.
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An Australian couple suffering from a deteriorating COVID-19 condition were evacuated from the ship earlier Wednesday, bringing to eight the number of passengers and crew to have been hospitalised in the Uruguayan capital.
So far, 128 of the more than 200 people aboard have tested positive for the coronavirus.
The liner, run by Australian company Aurore Expeditions, has been anchored off the port of Montevideo in the Rio de la Plata since March 27.
Uruguay, which is assuming that everyone aboard has contracted the virus due to the lack of isolation measures deployed on the ship when the first cases emerged, had earlier said only those whose condition was life-threatening would be allowed off.
‘VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION’
Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne confirmed that authorities were working together to try to repatriate as many Australians as possible.
“The Greg Mortimer is a very difficult situation,” said Payne. “So we are working very closely to try to finalise this charter flight as soon as possible and to ensure that the maximum number of Australians who are on that vessel are able to fly.” That includes those who have tested positive and negative. Once arriving in Melbourne they will all be required to stay in isolation for two weeks.
The Airbus A340 plane contracted to fly them home “is configured with medical facilities aboard … to look after the health and security of everyone,” said Aurore.
However, there are no plans yet to repatriate a small number of European and American passengers.
They must “wait until they test negative” before organising their repatriation via Sao Paulo, Brazil, Aurore said.
Those to have tested negative could be evacuated in the coming days “subject to a second test and permission from the Uruguayan government,” Aurore said.
The cruise ship was originally due to tour Antarctica, South Georgia and Elephant Island but the expedition was called off on March 21 after South American countries and Australia started closing their borders and imposing strict lockdown regulations.
With ports all along the Atlantic coast of South America closed, the Greg Mortimer was forced to sail to Montevideo, more than 2,600 kilometres from South Georgia.
QANTAS STAFF ‘FEARFUL’
Qantas staff are said to be “fearful” of working on international fights during the coronavirus crisis, with the airline recruiting cabin crew from New Zealand to deal with the shortage.
It comes as Qantas is due to resume flights to London, Los Angeles, Hong Kong and Auckland for the next four weeks, in order to help Australians abroad return home.
The Flight Attendants Association of Australia said Qantas crew were “incredibly fearful” of flying internationally given the current COVID-19 crisis, after 50 Qantas and Jetstar staff contracted the deadly disease.
Qantas failed to get enough Australian cabin crew to work, so it asked for volunteers from its NZ subsidiary, The Guardian reports.
On the Federal Government’s request, Qantas and Virgin will fly to some international destinations during a month-long window, to allow Australians to return home as soon as possible, while also providing freight capacity to exporters and importers.
VIRGIN SEEKS ‘STATEMENT OF CONFIDENCE’
Virgin Australia has warned the nation cannot afford to emerge from the coronavirus pandemic with a monopoly airline as it attempts to raise $1.4 billion and calls on the federal government to back its future.
Chief executive Paul Scurrah is seeking “a statement of confidence from government as quickly as we can, in much the same was as they would do for a bank”.
“We are not looking for a bailout,” he said in an interview with The Australian published on Wednesday.
“We are looking for a hand-up, for assistance to bridge through the crisis. Confidence is a very important thing for airlines.
“We are asking the government for a bridging facility and working with them to make sure there is confidence that people can look forward with certainty that there will be a competitive and robust airline industry coming out of the crisis.”
Prime Minister Scott Morrison last week cast doubt on the prospect of a $1.4 billion bailout for the airline, following Virgin’s original request.
“I can only point to the decisions the government has made and those decisions have been made on a sector-wide basis,” he said.
After Virgin’s initial request, rival Qantas put a $4.2 billion price tag on the help it would need if targeted bailouts were dished out.
Mr Scurrah said the future of carrier’s 9500 staff was dependent on the government’s support.
“The federal government wants to emerge from this crisis with two airlines,” he said.
“And without us, it is not going to have one. We all know what would happen if there was a monopoly.”
He said Virgin Australia currently has about $800 million in cash reserves.
QANTAS FLIGHTS FOR STRANDARD AUSSIES
Australians stuck overseas during the coronavirus outbreak have been given a lifeline with Qantas securing ongoing flights back home for another four weeks.
A deal has been struck between the airlines and the Australian Federal Government to keep open routes from London, Los Angeles, Hong Kong and Auckland to Australia.
The deal will help up to 800,000 who were overseas when the coronavirus caused mass cancellations and the grounding of airlines across the globe.
British Airways, EasyJet and Ryanair have all grounded most of their fleets, making it difficult for people to get back from Europe.
Singapore Airlines and Emirates also cancelled flights because those countries would not let passengers transit through those international hubs.
George Brandis, Australia’s High Commissioner for the UK, said the deal was important at a difficult time.
“Qantas has long had a well-deserved reputation as an outstanding corporate citizen. Once again, it has risen to the occasion by working with the Government to help Australians in an hour of and by providing a continuing service from London back home,” he said.
The four locked in routes will allow travellers to get to those airports to make their way home.
A source familiar with the discussions added: “The High Commission pressed hard to get this done for Aussies in London. It’ll be a big part of easing the stress for them, it’ll make sure there’s a quick way home.”
Many Australians living in the UK and Europe had been worried about if they would make it back, particularly if their parents or relatives became ill in Australia.
The deals will also ease the pressure on the prices of flights to Australia, which had increased as less services were available.
Elizabeth Ames, national director of the Britain-Australia Society, said: “This announcement is great news for Australians living in the UK and Brits looking to return from Australia.
“It highlights the importance of the strong policy and political relationships between the two countries that has enabled these agreements when so many other flights are cancelled.”
Qantas said in a statement: “As the national carrier, Qantas is proud to operate these flights on behalf of the Federal Government and help bring more Australians home. “Maintaining strategic air connections from Australia to hubs in the UK, US, Hong Kong and New Zealand will enable essential travel and freight to continue during this crisis.”
stephen.drill@news.com.au