Brisbane travellers caught out by NT COVID hotspot declaration mid-air to be paid back after initial confusion

AIRLINE passengers caught out mid-flight by the NT’s declaration of border restrictions on Greater Brisbane will be reimbursed, the government has confirmed, after it emerged travellers were confusingly told they would be left out of pocket.

AIRLINE passengers caught out mid-flight by the Territory’s sudden declaration of border restrictions on Greater Brisbane will be reimbursed, the government has confirmed, after it emerged travellers were confusingly told they would be left out of pocket.

Acting Chief Minister Nicole Manison on January 8 announced Greater Brisbane would be immediately declared a hot spot in response to the Queensland government ordering a three-day lockdown of the city to contain a highly virulent strain of coronavirus.

Scenes at Darwin Airport when Greater Brisbane was declared a COVID-19 hot spot by the NT government, with all travellers entering the Territory required to go into mandatory quarantine effective immediately. Two flights were in the air when the announcement was made. Picture: Che Chorley

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With two planeloads of passengers mid-air during the announcement, Ms Manison stated people on those flights would be given the option of quarantining in Howard Springs for free or return back to Brisbane.

“And we will also fund those flights to return,” she said.

Deputy Chief Minister Nicole Manison. Picture: Che Chorley

But travellers who opted to immediately fly back to Brisbane were told by Territory Families, in correspondence seen by the NT News, they were not eligible to be reimbursed for their flight ticket.

After being approached by the NT News to explain why this was the case despite information to the contrary, the government confirmed it would be reimbursing travellers.

“People who were on the relevant flights from Brisbane when the hot spots were declared are eligible for reimbursement of their return airfares if they elected to return to Brisbane rather than quarantine,” a Territory Families spokeswoman said.

“These reimbursement payments are being processed by Territory Families, Housing and Communities.”

Within an hour of this, travellers initially rejected for reimbursement by Territory Families received confirmation they would be paid back.