NT residents voice concerns over continued flights from hotspot areas

TERRITORY residents have voiced their concerns over flights from coronavirus-riddled areas landing in the NT.

Territory residents have voiced their concerns over flights from coronavirus-riddled areas landing in the NT. Picture: iStock

TERRITORY residents have voiced their concerns over flights from coronavirus-riddled areas landing in the NT.

TERRITORY residents have voiced their concerns over flights from coronavirus-riddled areas landing in the NT.

Yesterday a Sydney flight landed in Darwin via Alice Springs, and a direct flight from Sydney and another via Alice Springs were due to land at the airport today.

NT Airports said all passengers who had moved through a COVID-19 declared hotspot would be directed to a separate area to pick up their bags and taken via bus to a quarantine facility from tomorrow.

Territorians have questioned why those coming from Melbourne, which is a declared hotspot, were not automatically taken to Howard Springs workers’ camp to ride out their 14-day quarantine.

From midnight tonight, anyone who lives in or has visited a declared hotspot in recent days will be sent to the quarantine facility at their own cost.

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Residents took to Facebook to complain it was a disaster in the making, while others said travellers should be taken to “Corona Springs”.

Charlene Harry said: “Oh ffs! What happened to borders being closed to Vic? Send them to Howard Springs.”

Helen Webster said: “You stop the freight and road traffic but not the planes. Doesn’t make sense. Just a quicker way of transporting the virus. Absolutely crazy.”

Marcia Nielsen said: “Madness! Commonsense down the gurgler!”

Gazza William Vincent said: “Got to be kidding we will all be in lockdown within 1 month watch this space.”

David said on the NT News website: “I thought the borders between Vic and NT were shut. They can’t be too serious this government in keeping this virus out. It only takes one as shown by the Crossroad pub in NSW. No flights should be allowed from Melbourne. We have been free to do the things we like for the last couple of months keep it that way “Gunna”.”

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Others looking to come up to the NT expressed their dismay at no longer being able to enter and move around freely.

Lynelle Hill said: “I was booked on that flight, had the good sense to cancel.”