Melbourne flight passengers land on Gold Coast, while sole hotel is reaching capacity

The Gold Coast’s sole quarantine hotel is reaching capacity after more guests arrived on a flight from Melbourne.

THE city’s sole quarantine hotel is reaching capacity after more guests checked in from a flight that arrived from Melbourne.

Jetstar flight JQ430, which can seat up to 186 people, arrived shortly before 2.20pm on Monday.

While Jetstar was unable to disclose the number of passengers on the plane, 12 passengers were seen leaving the airport with baggage.

Passengers who arrived on a plane from Melbourne leaving the Gold Coast Airport on a bus taking them to quarantine. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

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It took more than an hour for the passengers to exit the plane and be processed by police.

It is understood four of them – two women and two men – were made exempt and able to leave the airport freely. The other eight people – two children, three women and three men – were ushered onto an awaiting bus by Australian Federal Police.

Everyone was seen wearing a mask and some had their luggage wrapped in plastic.

The flight was the third plane to arrive at the Gold Coast Airport from Melbourne since Friday.

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A Jetstar spokesperson said three flights a week were operating between Melbourne and the Gold Coast as part of the Government’s minimum viable network to support essential travel.

The eight people were understood to be taken directly to the Gold Coast’s quarantine hotel, Voco in Surfers Paradise.

The hotel has been used as a 14-day quarantine centre for returning travellers since late March.

The Bulletin revealed on Sunday that police were “exploring” options for a second quarantine hotel as Voco nears capacity.

Passengers who arrived on a plane from Melbourne this afternoon leaving the Gold Coast Airport under their own steam.. Picture Glenn Hampson.

Chief Superintendent Mark Wheeler would not reveal the Gold Coast hotel, but he did describe it as an “appropriate venue”.

Supt Wheeler said the QPS would be in charge of security.

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“What I would say though is the (new) venue, and the other venue that we have assisting have really stepped up to the mark,” he said.

Supt Wheeler said since Friday lunch time 25 people had been quarantined, 18 of whom arrived by air, the remainder by road.

Passengers who arrived on a plane from Melbourne leaving the Gold Coast Airport for quarantine. The bus driver waits for his passengers. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

Australian Accommodation Association CEO Dean Long said while hotels might have been keen for the opportunity to host the arrivals a few weeks ago, the return of tourists had made the idea of becoming an isolation hotel less appealing.

“Now the Government is no longer providing funding it does create an additional lawyer of compliance not all will be able to accept.

“Many hotels which will have their own businesses coming back to a point and chose not to participate in the isolation program. Their core business is leisure not isolation.”