Airlines threaten to abandon Melbourne over COVID-19 test requirement

International airlines say Victoria's new COVID-19 testing and quarantine regime for flight crew is unworkable and have threatened to suspend services to Melbourne in response to the state's attempt to plug a gap in its coronavirus defences. Two international airline crew members tested positive to the virus and were placed in hotel quarantine this week, Victoria's COVID testing commander Jeroen Weimar confirmed on Thursday. It comes a day after Victorian authorities imposed a new program of mandatory quarantine in government-managed hotels when transiting through Melbourne, similar to an approach NSW put in place this week. Unlike NSW, however, Victoria requires crews to take a COVID-19 test on arrival and they are only allowed to leave quarantine for their return flight once they have been cleared with a negative result. Airline staff who test positive are required to spend 14 days in hotel quarantine and their fellow crew members also face a stint in isolation. Airlines fear the rules could result in pilots and cabin crew being stranded in Australia leaving nobody to fly their aircraft out of the country. One senior source at an international airline, who asked to remain anonymous, said the company was considering suspending flights to Victoria. Another airline industry source with knowledge of the threats said three other airlines were also contemplating changes as a result of the testing policy. "We could be leaving a very expensive piece of metal on the ground," said the airline source. "We are seriously questioning if we continue operating to Melbourne."<br/>