Coronavirus: Beijing goes early on plane ban extension

Chinese airlines have extended cancellations on Australian routes through to mid-June.

Chinese airlines have extended cancellations on Australian routes through to mid-June, without waiting for the Australian government to review its corona­virus-­related travel ban.

The slew of cancelled flights has reduced the number of ser­vices from China to Australia from 164 a week to just 20, with many of those believed to be arriving less than half-full.

Under the government ban, only Australian citizens, permanent residents and immediate family members can enter the country from China, in an effort to stem the spread of coronavirus.

Analysis by Chinese tourism consultant Andy Jiang, the former head of Asia development at Tourism Australia, showed it was unlikely most of the cancelled flights would be restored within six months of the ban.

At best, Mr Jiang predicted 58 inbound flights would be operating by August, with many routes from second-tier Chinese cities unlikely to ever return. “Without government subsidies, these routes would not be cashflow positive for airlines; it’s hard to see subsidies being reinstated once travel bans are lifted,” he said.

International tourism consultant Janene Rees said years of work had gone into attracting those flights to Australia and to see them halted so abruptly was very sad. “We can do all the planning and recovery strategies we like, but it’s always about the flights and how many seats,” she said.

Australian Tourism Industry Council executive director Simon Westaway said operators were ­already feeling the fallout from the travel bans, “via extensive cancellations and dried-up visitor spending. Many regional tourism jobs are now being shed and hours cut for staff, while operations are being forcibly downsized and local supply arrangements halted, with business cashflows becoming strained,” he said.

Mr Westaway urged the federal government to consider a fresh funding injection for the industry on top of the $76m tourism recovery package announced in ­response to bushfires. “It is abundantly clear the overall cost of coronavirus to Australian tourism enterprises and tourism-­reliant communities will exceed the ­financial impact caused by the devastating bushfires,” he said.

 

Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham said there were “no ­silver bullets to ease the pain being felt by many tourism businesses at present … We have begun the planning required to ensure that when these temporary travel ­restrictions are lifted and as global travel confidence improves, Australia quickly re-establishes our place as a hugely popular, welcoming and safe destination for ­Chinese and other visitors.”

Senator Birmingham encouraged Australians to do their bit by holidaying at home, and supporting their local Chinese restaurant.

Mr Jiang said the travel bans imposed by Australia were among the most extreme, and suggested Canada or Japan’s approach was more appropriate. Japan limited travel restrictions to people from the worst-hit area of Hubei, and Canada had two weeks’ self-quarantine on Chinese arrivals.

“With many Chinese people travelling to visit family and friends, a period of isolation is unlikely to deter these trips, which can be for a couple of months,” he said.

“Australia’s travel ban cuts off leisure tourists and the visit­ing family market as well.”