[COVID Travel] What It's Like To Fly During The Coronavirus Outbreak & Points To Note On-Arrival in HK/AUS

(Source: https://www.ctvnews.ca/)

Super empty departure hall at Brisbane airport

The once crowded duty-free shopping area in HK airport

Rows and rows of empty seats

Health kit is now essential item on your flight other than the vomit bag

Mask mandates on airplanes and at the airports

Air travel may seem a bit scary right now. But in general people are still traveling for whatever reasons. The airlines that are still operating are making significant safety and hygiene improvements. Every airport has stepped up sanitation and hygiene protocols. I would say the risk of flying is low. Just be careful out there. Bring your own Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and practice social distancing.

Biggest Disruption You Can Expect While Traveling During The COVID-19 Pandemic

100% the worldwide travel restrictions and additional paperwork/covid test

Governments around the world have issued entry restrictions and quarantine measures for travellers. These restrictions are ever-changing. You MUST refer to the latest information published by the government of your destination country.

However, I found Cathay Pacific has published/summarized very useful information on these rules. You can start off your research on their website and extend to the relevant government websites.

Worldwide travel restrictions: https://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_AU/covid-19/worldwide-travel-restrictions.html

 

Flying Into HK

Pre-Departure Requirements

You need the quarantine hotel booking confirmation before departure, otherwise you cannot board your flight to HK. That said, you need to arrange your own quarantine accommodation.

Currently the HK government provides 36 hotels as designated quarantine hotels. Refer to this website for the full list: https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/designated-hotel.html

The quarantine duration depends on the ranking of your departure country on the three-tier classification system by the HKSAR Government and your vaccination status.  

Refer to Hong Kong restrictions and quarantine: https://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_AU/covid-19/hong-kong-travel-restrictions.html

I was departing from Brisbane Australia in early June 2021 and Australia was in Group C – Low risk places at that time. Whether you are fully vaccinated or not, it requires you to undertake a 14-night quarantine period.

2 months later in August, all these rules and ranking took a dramatic turn. The HKSAR Government removed Australia from Group C in light of its Delta outbreak. It increased mandatory hotel quarantine for arrivals from most countries but announced a shorter quarantine period if you are fully vaccinated. It now requires a negative PCR test for COVID-19 within 72 hours of the scheduled departure flight, which was not required when I flew.

The sudden changes have left travellers who planned the trip already despairing and struggling to find solutions. Quarantine hotel bookings were redundant, and events are to be missed or postponed. I feel their pain, but there is nothing much you can do.

  

What To Expect On-Arrival In HK

1. Download the StayHomeSafe app on your phone & complete the HK health declaration form online

You will have time to do all this when you land. Keep the QR code from your health declaration form ready to go as it will be scanned by government health officials. You will then pass a temperature scan and security check.

2. Mandatory on-arrival COVID testing

You will enter the COVID testing area and be tested at an assigned booth.

3. Quarantine paperwork

You will then proceed to the registration area. With your hotel reservation, you will be handed a quarantine order from the health officials. You need an active HK mobile number/sim to receive a SMS on spot. (This will also be the number for receiving COVID test results during the quarantine stay) They will also attach a wristband to you which you can’t take off until the end of the quarantine stay.

4. Wait for COVID test result

You will be warned the wait can take up to between 2 and 4 hours. Bottled water and light snacks are available. You can also go to toilets. Bring jackets and make sure your phone has enough battery to get through the waiting period.

I ended up waiting for about half an hour only, probably because I arrived in an early flight. There were not that many passengers around.

5. Arranged transport to your hotel

Once you receive a negative test result, you will go through the normal customs and baggage reclaim procedure. You will then be directed to the transportation registration area. I got on a 7-seater sharing with 3 other travellers who stayed in nearby districts of the quarantine hotels.

I landed at 5:20am. I arrived my quarantine hotel at 10:30am. It took 5 hours in total.

Cathay Pacific provides good information on the above procedure: https://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_HK/covid-19/arriving-in-hkg.html

 

Flying Into AUS

Pre-Departure Requirements

You need a negative PCR test for COVID-19 within 72 hours of the scheduled departure flight, otherwise you cannot board your flight to Australia. Tests completed outside the stated timeframe won’t be accepted. There are strict requirements on the information displayed on this test report. DON’T use SMS test result from community testing centre – you can’t get on your flight with this.

Qantas gives clear instructions and examples of a valid/invalid test certificate: https://www.qantas.com/au/en/travel-info/travel-updates/coronavirus/qantas-international-network-changes/south-pacific-network/covid-testing-requirements.html

You also need to fill out health declaration 3 days before your scheduled flight.

Australia Travel Declaration: https://atd.homeaffairs.gov.au/  

If you are travelling to Queensland, fill out an additional state health declaration, also 3 days before your scheduled flight.

Queensland International Arrivals Registration: https://www.qld.gov.au/internationalarrivalstoqld/registration

Both health declarations generate a QR code and will be sent to you via email.

 

What To Expect On-Arrival In AUS

1. Be prepared for stricter than ever baggage screening and declaration

Australia is famous of its stringent border security rules to protect Australia’s agriculture and unique environment and wildlife. But it used to be a random check before COVID.

Because arrival flights are so limited, the border officials basically check every single baggage - carry-on/checked-in luggage or even a handbag. Every piece of luggage needs to be scanned through the X-ray system – no exception. If the officials suspect you bringing in unpermitted items, you will be asked to open your luggage and they will conduct their investigation to go through your items piece by piece.

I witnessed A LOT of people on my flight got into trouble at this stage. Just fill out the declaration form carefully. They might not seize your items, but they want you to be honest and just declare it.

2. Quarantine paperwork     

It will be done by the police officials at a designated counter after you go through the baggage screening process. The police officials will ask for the QR code from the state health declaration (I arrived at Brisbane airport). This will be an exciting moment because you are about to find out which hotel you get assigned to!

You will receive a quarantine order and a check-in form. Try to fill that out before you get on the bus.    

3. Arranged transport to your hotel

Most passengers from your flight will be assigned to the same hotel. When everyone receives their quarantine orders, you will all be directed to a bus that takes you to the hotel.

4. Wait for check-in

It is a lengthy process to check-in. On arrival of the hotel, everyone needs to stay seated on the bus, hand in the filled check-in form to the officer, and wait to be called out one by one. Only one person is allowed at the check-in counter in the hotel – hence the long wait! Wish you the best of luck to not be the last person to be called! (and I was that unlucky…)

I landed at 10pm. I arrived my quarantine hotel at 1am. It took 3 hours in total.