Australia: Airlines say planes were stuck on tarmac waiting for PM's Covid press conferences

International airlines have complained that they’re finding out about changes to flight caps and quarantine arrangements via the media, with flight crews in some cases halting Australian-bound planes from taking off while they watch Scott Morrison’s press conferences. The concerns have been raised in a submission to the Australian National Audit Office’s examination of Australia’s international border management during Covid, including the outbound travel ban and inbound arrival caps. In its submission, the Board of Airline Representatives of Australia – whose members include Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Etihad, Emirates and United – is scathing about how the federal government communicates changes to quarantine limits and requirements for its crews. The submission warns “international aviation cannot operate in response to statements issued at a press conference or via media release”. The board also criticises the government for having “no readily available plan (or prior planning scenarios) to support the effective and orderly imposition of international travel restrictions on passengers from overseas countries or infection control measures at the airport for passengers and crew”.<br/>