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The ACT will not accept any further repatriation flights of Australians stuck overseas for the rest of the year. It was expected two repatriation flights of stranded citizens would arrive in Canberra before Christmas, following discussions between the ACT and federal government. While the first flight from Singapore touched down in Canberra on November 26, a second flight will not be landing in the capital this month. The ACT government had previously expressed that would look to accept two repatriation flights, but details had yet to be locked in for accepting the second flight. While discussions had taken place to potentially accept a second flight, the timing of accepting a flight and housing travellers in quarantine was not expected to work out before Christmas. An ACT government spokeswoman said Canberra would aim to have more repatriation flights arrive at a later date. READ MORE: “The ACT government will work with the Commonwealth government to accept more government-facilitated flights into the ACT from early next year,” the spokeswoman said. “This will allow enough time for the Commonwealth government to coordinate a flight and for ACT Health to prepare quarantine arrangements. “This work includes securing appropriate accommodation, ensuring capacity and resourcing and organising staffing in collaboration with ACT police.” Returned travellers who arrived on the first repatriation flight had been housed at the Pacific Suites Canberra in Braddon. Their two weeks of quarantine is set to come to an end in coming days. One passenger on the flight tested positive for COVID-19 while in quarantine, but health authorities said it was a low positive result, after she first tested positive for coronavirus a month before. The Pacific Suites is expected to be the site for hotel quarantine arrangements for future repatriation flights in 2021. A spokeswoman for Pacific Suites said they had not received confirmation as to when the next group of returned travellers would stay at the accommodation for quarantine. “Management at Pacific Suites Canberra have been flexible with coordinating the operational requirements of the returned traveller program, including the initial delay of the first flight by one week,” the spokeswoman said.
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The ACT will not accept any further repatriation flights of Australians stuck overseas for the rest of the year.
It was expected two repatriation flights of stranded citizens would arrive in Canberra before Christmas, following discussions between the ACT and federal government.
While the first flight from Singapore touched down in Canberra on November 26, a second flight will not be landing in the capital this month.
The ACT government had previously expressed that would look to accept two repatriation flights, but details had yet to be locked in for accepting the second flight.
While discussions had taken place to potentially accept a second flight, the timing of accepting a flight and housing travellers in quarantine was not expected to work out before Christmas.
An ACT government spokeswoman said Canberra would aim to have more repatriation flights arrive at a later date.
“The ACT government will work with the Commonwealth government to accept more government-facilitated flights into the ACT from early next year,” the spokeswoman said.
“This will allow enough time for the Commonwealth government to coordinate a flight and for ACT Health to prepare quarantine arrangements.
“This work includes securing appropriate accommodation, ensuring capacity and resourcing and organising staffing in collaboration with ACT police.”
Returned travellers who arrived on the first repatriation flight had been housed at the Pacific Suites Canberra in Braddon.
Their two weeks of quarantine is set to come to an end in coming days.
One passenger on the flight tested positive for COVID-19 while in quarantine, but health authorities said it was a low positive result, after she first tested positive for coronavirus a month before.
The Pacific Suites is expected to be the site for hotel quarantine arrangements for future repatriation flights in 2021.
A spokeswoman for Pacific Suites said they had not received confirmation as to when the next group of returned travellers would stay at the accommodation for quarantine.
“Management at Pacific Suites Canberra have been flexible with coordinating the operational requirements of the returned traveller program, including the initial delay of the first flight by one week,” the spokeswoman said.
A repatriation flight arrived in Canberra from Singapore in late November. Picture: Sitthixay Ditthavong
