Airlines servicing certain routes into Australia – such as from London or Dubai – are being warned against overcharging stranded residents trying to get home.
After Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Friday that Australia will temporarily reduce its intake of international passengers by 50 per cent from July 14 from 6000 per week to just 3000, there are concerns some carriers could bump up fares significantly or stop passenger flights to Australia altogether.
In a recent search from London to Sydney on popular booking platform Webjet, ticket prices across the month of July jumped from as little as $5229 for one-way ticket in economy, to $36,499 just days later on July 14.
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The reduction of inbound passengers is in response to Australia’s current battle against the highly contagious Delta variant of Covid-19, as well as a welcome move in alleviating the pressure on quarantine facilities around the country.
The passenger cap change will come as a big hit to around 34,000 Australians still waiting to return home from overseas, with some concerned the reduced intake will only force prices to jump higher to unaffordable figures.
Just this weekend, following Mr Morrison’s passenger cap annoouncement — Rebecca Vickers, who has been living in Chicago, made an emotional plea on social media so she could afford the $24,000 plane ticket home.
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has since warned airlines they should not use the new passenger limits as a way of cashing in on those desperate to return home.
“I hope there is nobody who seeks a commercial advantage from difficult circumstances and that’s a strong, clear message,” he said on Saturday.
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While there are fears of increased prices, some experts also warn airlines may…