#海外抗疫第一线 #
Starting next Monday (1 November), Australian citizens and PR can travel abroad without applying for an exemption. What documents do I need to prepare for traveling abroad in the post-PANDEMIC era? Which countries can Australians go to now? What do I need to pay attention to when returning home?
The following is a Q&A on Australian outbound travel.
Can I book a trip abroad now?
OK. Australian citizens and PR have been travelling abroad since 1 November.
Citizens living in Victoria and NSW and pr received two doses of the TGA-recognised vaccine and provided a negative test certificate 72 hours before boarding, eliminating the need for quarantine upon return.
People in other states can also take the opportunity to go abroad, but they need to comply with the local government's quarantine regulations after returning home.
Which countries can I go to?
Qantas will be the first to resume flights to London and Los Angeles, followed by flights to Fiji, Honolulu, Delhi and Johannesburg.
Singapore has previously announced that it will open a "vaccination passenger channel" for Australia from November 8. Currently, Singapore Airlines flies 63 weekly flights from Singapore to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Darwin.
Starting 1 December, Fiji Airways will resume australia-to-Fiji routes.
From 1 November, Australians can also fly to Europe and other countries via Singapore and other transit locations such as Doha, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
The Australian government urges people to check the smarttraveller website for travel advice before leaving the country.
Are tickets tight? What is the price?
Major airlines are gradually resuming international routes. In the coming months, the demand for 38,000 stranded overseas Australians to return home will lead to an increase in demand for inbound flights.
In terms of price, there is currently a great demand for flights between Australia and London. As a result, Qantas Sydney round-trip ticket prices have risen to as low as $2735.
Qantas Sydney to/from Los Angeles also rose to $2009 and Singapore Airlines Sydney to London from $1623 (transit in Singapore).
In addition to passports, what documents do I need to provide when leaving the country?
All departing Australians must receive two doses of covid-19 vaccination and receive an International COVID-19 Vaccination Certificate (ICVC). ICVC is available for free from the smarttraveller website, which is a certificate from the federal government that its citizens have been vaccinated against COVID-19.
Qantas also advises travellers to download the IATA Travel Pass issued by the International Air Transport Association, which can be tied to the Qantas App.
All outbound travelers need to pay close attention to the epidemic prevention requirements of the destination country, and many countries currently need to provide virus test certificates for inbound passengers.
Travellers are also advised to bring an electronic and paper version of the official vaccination certificate, indicating the brand of vaccine they received, the time of vaccination, and whether they have received a booster.
As before the outbreak, travelers need to make sure their passports are valid, have their international driver's license (if you plan to travel by car), itinerary, visas and vaccination certificates for their destinations, and buy travel insurance before leaving the country.
What do Australians need to pay attention to when returning home?
For Australians who have been vaccinated with an approved vaccine, entering Australia should be very simple. But industry insiders warn that the entry process can be complicated for families with children.
This is mainly because Australia has a different definition of "full vaccination" from some European countries. The Australian government believes that "full vaccination" means that citizens aged 12 and over and PR have received two doses of the TGA-approved vaccine.
But in some European countries, a dose of the vaccine for children under 16 years of age can also be considered "fully vaccinated".
Before leaving the country, you need to "do your homework" and buy insurance
Flight Centre and other travel sites strongly recommend that people "do their homework" before leaving the country. If you don't understand anything about immigration policies, you can find out through your travel agent.
In addition to the different entry and epidemic prevention policies of various countries, the importance of travel insurance in the post-epidemic era cannot be ignored.
From 31 January this year, all visitors to Singapore must purchase travel insurance at least S$30,000 (approximately A$29,800) to cover medical and hospital expenses that may arise during their trip to Singapore.
In addition, the cost of virus testing may also be paid for when leaving the country now. Australian freelancer Kate Armstrong said he paid $75 for covid-19 testing when he flew from the United States to Portugal. In order to travel from Portugal to Italy, she paid another 110 euros for virus testing.
Is it safe to travel by air during the pandemic? What are the epidemic prevention measures of various airlines?
Qantas has made it clear that only crew and passengers who have received two doses of the vaccine are eligible to board international flights. However, many other airlines still do not require passenger vaccination.
According to a poll, 64 percent of respondents were "uncomfortable" with unvaccinated passengers on the same flight.
On most international flights, passengers must wear a mask at all times, in addition to eating and drinking. Modern aircraft are equipped with high-efficiency particulate filters, which can effectively filter viruses.
Large airlines have also stepped up their cleaning efforts to minimize the probability of infection during the flight as much as possible.