Celebrity Apprentice star slammed for taking up seat on flight into Australia

Celebrity Apprentice star Lord Alan Sugar has secured a coveted flight into Australia, even as tens of thousands of Aussies remain stranded overseas.

British billionaire Lord Alan Sugar helms the new season of Celebrity Apprentice Australia. Picture: Channel 9

British billionaire Lord Alan Sugar has secured a coveted flight into Australia to film Celebrity Apprentice, even as tens of thousands of Aussies remain stranded overseas due to tough caps on international arrivals.

The 73-year-old business magnate, who will helm the revived Channel 9 reality show after playing the same role in the UK version, announced his arrival in what many saw as a tone-deaf tweet on Thursday.

“I’ve not travelled on a commercial airline for 25 years,” he said. “Yesterday I travelled to Sydney with Emirates. I have never experienced service like it in all my life. It was fantastic. Both on the ground and in the air. Amazing. For the sceptics it was fully paid for not free.”

One user replied that there were “25,000 Aussies stranded abroad, and you take up a spot on a flight”. “Daughter can’t travel across states for her dad’s funeral but you’re allowed in. All for a tired TV show to laugh at Z-list celebs,” he said.

Another woman said, “We’re all desperate for our loved ones to visit from the UK but our borders are supposedly closed to everyone except returning citizens and permanent residents. How did you get (around) the red tape?”

25k Aussies stranded abroad, and you take up a spot on a flight. Daughter can't travel across States for her Dad's funeral but you're allowed in. All for a tired TV show to laugh at z list celebs.

— Owen Browne (@bwanie) September 16, 2020

Others suggested the tweet showed a lack of empathy. “Lord Sugar tweets before thinking it through,” one person said. “Many Australians cannot get home because of lack of flights and the cost of the flights.”

One woman said, “My son is still in Australia. We lived there until three years ago and then came back here. We visit every year. Should have been there right now, but borders are closed? I’m about to be a first time gran, so really hope everything is normal soon.”

At least 25,000 Australians, including up to 3000 deemed vulnerable, are still stranded overseas. In August, the Federal Government reduced the number of incoming passengers to 4000 per week to ease pressure on hotel quarantine.

Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack announced this week that the cap would be lifted to 6000. NSW is taking the brunt of the arrivals at 350 passengers a day, while Perth is accepting 525 a week. Brisbane and Adelaide have a limit of 500 passengers a week.

“We will increase the number of Australians coming into Sydney by 500,” Mr McCormack said. “As well 500 more will be coming into Queensland and I urge and encourage (Premier) Annastacia Palaszczuk to look at the Gold Coast and Cairns. Likewise, WA is increasing its capacity by 500, SA about 360.”

Last week, Perth mother-of-three Sheree Richardson shared distressing photos on social media of her family forced to camp out in London‘s Heathrow Airport after being bumped off their flights in favour of higher-paying customers.

Intense demand and strict passenger limits per flight have pushed up prices to as much as $10,000 a seat.

Despite tough coronavirus border and international travel restrictions, many Australians have expressed outrage at what they perceive to be special treatment given to wealthy celebrities and sports people.

Last week, it emerged that Hollywood star Tom Hanks had been granted permission to self-isolate at a Gold Coast resort rather than go through hotel quarantine. Similar treatment was given to billionaire media mogul Kerry Stokes at the height of the pandemic.

“We need every single dollar in our state,” Queensland’s chief health officer Jeannette Young said at a press conference explaining the Hanks decision. “I have given exemptions from people in entertainment and film because that is bringing a lot of money into this state.”

– With NCA Newswire