‘Reckless’ Canadian pilots commit major quarantine breach in Darwin

[Eric Janson]

Story here:-

https://www.pprune.org/australia-new-ze ... arwin.html

Commentary

This has consequences for all of us in the same position. Australia has the strictest Quarantine rules in the World that I am aware of. You need a special Visa to even enter Australia as a non Australian. These Visas are extremely hard to get as you need to be designated as 'essential personnel'.

I know 2 weeks stuck in a room is tough - I've been doing it since early June including 5 weeks continuous Quarantine as every flight I did reset the 14 days. My total Quarantine time is sitting at 14 or 15 weeks - it is what it is.

Our crew have recently started taking COVID tests - so far these have been 100% negative - and we do flights with COVID patients on board.

The idea behind these COVID tests is to create a history and demonstrate we are not a risk and then use this to try and relax the Quarantine regulations for our crew.

The actions of 2 'colleagues' isn't helpful. Is it so difficult to follow simple rules?

If I did this it would cost me my job - and rightly so.

[Dronepiper]

Where is the world do you work that requires you quarantine for 2 weeks after every single flight??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! What has this world come to.

[98 Corolla]

Who are they? Is their identity a secret? It's time to start publicly naming and shaming quarantine breachers. Incredible narcissism.

[montado]

Well I don’t believe in doxxing, no need to name an shame. Definitely need to play by the rules when you aren’t in your own turf. It’s one thing to disagree or protest on your own turf, but you can’t do that where you don’t have a vote!

[Eric Janson]

Where is the world do you work that requires you quarantine for 2 weeks after every single flight??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! What has this world come to.

In June and July borders between states in Australia were closed (some still are and some just closed again).

That's 14 days Quarantine crossing a state border.

My monthly roster pattern was a domestic flight, a positioning flight and an International flight. Continuous reset of the 14 days as we crossed a state or international border every flight.

Australian citizens need a permit to leave the country - only given in exceptional circumstances.

[twinpratts]

Naming it on an anonymous forum certainly isn't the solution, LOL. I can't do anything for you. You'll have to put on your big boy pants and talk to the ACTUAL people involved if you want anything done...

[JohnnyHotRocks]

Where is the world do you work that requires you quarantine for 2 weeks after every single flight??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! What has this world come to.

In June and July borders between states in Australia were closed (some still are and some just closed again).

That's 14 days Quarantine crossing a state border.

My monthly roster pattern was a domestic flight, a positioning flight and an International flight. Continuous reset of the 14 days as we crossed a state or international border every flight.

Australian citizens need a permit to leave the country - only given in exceptional circumstances.

Absolute insanity

[Chaxterium]

Where is the world do you work that requires you quarantine for 2 weeks after every single flight??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! What has this world come to.

In June and July borders between states in Australia were closed (some still are and some just closed again).

That's 14 days Quarantine crossing a state border.

My monthly roster pattern was a domestic flight, a positioning flight and an International flight. Continuous reset of the 14 days as we crossed a state or international border every flight.

Australian citizens need a permit to leave the country - only given in exceptional circumstances.

And this applies to flight crew? In Canada flight crew are exempt from the mandatory quarantine.

[JohnnyHotRocks]

...

[porcsord]

In Canada flight crew are exempt from the mandatory quarantine.

My understanding was that you are exempt while performing the duties which are deemed essential - flying the airplane - but in theory, when you get back from say... the US... you are supposed to in fact quarantine. I could be wrong, I don't fly across the border, but this is my understanding.

PS

[Chaxterium]

In Canada flight crew are exempt from the mandatory quarantine.

My understanding was that you are exempt while performing the duties which are deemed essential - flying the airplane - but in theory, when you get back from say... the US... you are supposed to in fact quarantine. I could be wrong, I don't fly across the border, but this is my understanding.

PS

If the travel to the US was for purposes relating to essential work you are not required to quarantine when you return. This is my understanding. I've been across the border a couple times now for recurrent training and this has been the word from CBSA and my employer.

[ahramin]

In Canada flight crew are exempt from the mandatory quarantine.

My understanding was that you are exempt while performing the duties which are deemed essential - flying the airplane - but in theory, when you get back from say... the US... you are supposed to in fact quarantine. I could be wrong, I don't fly across the border, but this is my understanding.

In Canada anyone piloting an aircraft into the country is exempt regardless of the purpose of the trip.

Normally the quarantine act does not apply to pilots engaged in the transportation industry but normally it does not require quarantine for everyone entering the country either. The current requirement for everyone to quarantine upon entry is from Order In Council 2020-0524. CBSA may ask you to voluntarily quarantine if you're on a pleasure trip, but they cannot require you do to so.

Requirements — asymptomatic persons

3 (1) Any person who enters Canada and who does not have signs and symptoms of COVID-19 must

(a) quarantine themselves without delay in accordance with instructions provided by a screening officer or a quarantine officer and remain in quarantine until the expiry of the 14-day period that begins on the day on which the person enters Canada; and

Exception — requirement to quarantine

6 The requirements referred to in paragraph 3(1)(a) and subsection 4(2) do not apply to

(a) a crew member as defined in subsection 101.01(1) of the Canadian Aviation Regulations or a person who enters Canada only to become such a crew member;

CAR 101.01(1)
crew member means a person who is assigned to duty in an aircraft during flight time

[Eric Janson]

Where is the world do you work that requires you quarantine for 2 weeks after every single flight??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! What has this world come to.

In June and July borders between states in Australia were closed (some still are and some just closed again).

That's 14 days Quarantine crossing a state border.

My monthly roster pattern was a domestic flight, a positioning flight and an International flight. Continuous reset of the 14 days as we crossed a state or international border every flight.

Australian citizens need a permit to leave the country - only given in exceptional circumstances.

And this applies to flight crew? In Canada flight crew are exempt from the mandatory quarantine.

We are allowed to break Quarantine to perform a flight - then back into Quarantine until the 14 days are up.

Recently we were allowed out to get COVID tests which need to be negative prior to the next flight.

Otherwise you are not allowed out of your apartment. They do follow up in Australia.

Qantas isn't planning any scheduled International flights until the end of 2021 ( they are doing limited repatriation flights ).

[shimmydampner]

"Major breach"
"Angered authorities"
"Reckless"
"Put the safety of Territorians at risk”
...
"The men had returned a negative coronavirus test"

Who are they? Is their identity a secret? It's time to start publicly naming and shaming quarantine breachers. Incredible narcissism.

I get it. They should have played by the host country's rules. But please explain how two people who were demonstrably free of covid put anyone other than themselves at risk by being sufficiently reckless to commit a major breach that would anger authorities.
Let's be honest, this is nothing more than the host country flexing and making an example of a couple expats. And rightfully so. But you really think that certifiably virus-free people should be publicly shamed in this situation? It's not like they downed a bottle of vodka before showing up to work in YYC to fly 100+ vacationers to Mexico.
And why spend money on testing if the results are only going to be ignored? Either trust the science or do not. Don't cherry-pick the results by choosing to only believe positives. That would be like getting your license suspended after blowing 0.0 on a breathalyzer. It's the polar opposite of the "masks don't do anything" crowd. Is the whole world officially devoid of common sense now?

[HavaJava]

Maybe they needed an excuse to get out of the shithole of a country it sounds like Australia is becoming.

Australia and NZ are falling way down my travel list....Sweden is at the top.

[altiplano]

We are allowed to break Quarantine to perform a flight - then back into Quarantine until the 14 days are up.

Recently we were allowed out to get COVID tests which need to be negative prior to the next flight.

Otherwise you are not allowed out of your apartment. They do follow up in Australia.

So a rolling quarantine? allowed out of your box only to go labour and then straight back in?

Even with a negative test?

That's fucking draconian.

[digits_]

Let's be honest, this is nothing more than the host country flexing and making an example of a couple expats. And rightfully so.

Might be true, but I'm just wondering who will win in a situation like this.

Imagine kicking firefighters out of your burning house, because they didn't take off their shoes like you requested them to.

[Eric Janson]

We are allowed to break Quarantine to perform a flight - then back into Quarantine until the 14 days are up.

Recently we were allowed out to get COVID tests which need to be negative prior to the next flight.

Otherwise you are not allowed out of your apartment. They do follow up in Australia.

So a rolling quarantine? allowed out of your box only to go labour and then straight back in?

Even with a negative test?

That's fucking draconian.

When we enter Australia we are interviewed by a senior police officer - they make it very clear what we are and are not allowed to do. We sign a piece of paper that outlines that we are subject to fines and/or imprisonment if we violate Quarantine regulations.

There is no way that the 2 Canadians would have been unaware of what was required of them. 2 weeks is nothing!

It was a rolling Quarantine for the first 5 weeks I was here - every flight crossed either a state or international border.

Now it's a 3 day international flight (we quarantine on arrival) followed by 14 days of Quarantine - then 10 days out of Quarantine and repeat. there is normally a domestic flight on day 11 and 14 of Quarantine and a positioning flight on day 4 of your 10 days out of Quarantine.

I just finished a schedule with a 3 day international flight, 14 days of Quarantine, 4 days out of Quarantine then another 3 day international flight and another 14 days of Quarantine. That's too much and I won't be accepting this kind of a roster again.

On the plus side I am probably in the safest place to be on the Planet right now. I'm also with a fantastic group of people - we've made the best of things.

[TAT]

We are allowed to break Quarantine to perform a flight - then back into Quarantine until the 14 days are up.

Recently we were allowed out to get COVID tests which need to be negative prior to the next flight.

Otherwise you are not allowed out of your apartment. They do follow up in Australia.

So a rolling quarantine? allowed out of your box only to go labour and then straight back in?

Even with a negative test?

That's fucking draconian.

Happening here in Canada, Newfoundland....

[HavaJava]

I am probably in the safest place to be on the Planet right now.

lol..Covid is the least of your worries mate. I’d be worried about every fricken animal trying to poison or eat you in the land down under!