This was posted 3 years 9 months 1 day ago, and might be an out-dated deal.

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Emirates - Free Global Insurance Cover for COVID-19

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Emirates - Free Global Insurance Cover for COVID-19
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Bargain-Junkie on 09/08/2020 - 13:29 emirates.com (1432 clicks)
Last edited 09/08/2020 - 14:49

Fly with the world’s first airline to provide free global cover for your COVID-19 health expenses and quarantine costs.

Travel with peace of mind.

As borders begin to open around the world, you can take-off to your next destination with confidence. We’re the first airline to provide free cover for your health and quarantine costs if you’re diagnosed with COVID-19 on your travels. We’re keeping you safe on the journey and giving you extra security wherever you are in the world.

Free global cover.

Book your flights on emirates.com, through our contact centres, retail offices or with your travel agent and you’ll automatically receive free global cover* for COVID-19 related costs. The cover is valid for 31 days from the moment you take your first flight, and it covers you even if you travel onwards to another city.

*expenses require pre-approval. Subject to terms and conditions.

Peace of mind.

Your safety is our highest priority at every step. If you are diagnosed with COVID-19 while you’re away from home, we will cover your medical expenses up to EUR 150,000 and your quarantine costs up to EUR 100 per day for 14 days – absolutely free.

Ticket flexibility

You can extend the validity of your ticket for up to 24 months and enjoy the trip you’ve been looking forward to. Find out how to rebook your flights and plan your travel with confidence

The benefits of your free cover.

Assistance at any time when you fly between 23 July 2020 and 31 October 2020

Free global cover for all customers

Applies to every travel class

Valid for 31 days

No registration required

COVID-19 health expenses up to EUR 150,000

Quarantine costs EUR 100 per day for 14 days

Free 24-hour hotline support number

Terms and conditions: https://c.ekstatic.net/ecl/documents/covid-19-cover-terms-an…

Travel Airfare COVID-19 Emirates Holiday Insurance

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closed Comments

  • FutureTech on 09/08/2020 - 13:32
    +1

    "if you are dignosed". So no coverage for just going into guarantee if you are not sick.

    • matt-ozb on 09/08/2020 - 13:36
      +7

      that seems very reasonable and fair .. you expect to get back $3000 quarantine costs for a $1900 flight?

      • SlickMick on 10/08/2020 - 14:33

        it might be reasonable and fair for $0, but it's a huge trap that I never considered, and am glad maolin95 brought it up.

        You could be forced to quarantine without being diagnosed as having Covid-19, thus have an uncovered $3000 expense because your insurance was inadequate.

        If they want to convince me to fly with them, they'd have to do better.

        • matt-ozb on 11/08/2020 - 13:58

          Everyone has to quarantine for 14 days for $3k+ .. no insurance will cover that.

          • SlickMick on 11/08/2020 - 16:10

            @matt-ozb: so this is a hoax? Everyone is up for $3000 fee, but insurance will cover you if you're lucky enough to be positive???

    • Rimzi on 09/08/2020 - 16:47

      How does need to be explained?

  • matt-ozb on 09/08/2020 - 13:37
    +2

    what are the current reasons that you can get out of australia?

    can you visit a partner if overseas?

    • UberIsCool on 09/08/2020 - 13:38

      It’s tight, prob have to have family not just a ‘partner’

      • matt-ozb on 09/08/2020 - 13:42
        +1

        yea .. did some googling .. seems very unlikely and subjective to the government assessment of each application

    • blueskywalker on 09/08/2020 - 17:53
      -7

      Unfortunately we are prisoners in our own country. I don't intend to travel now based on my own assessment but not to be allowed to travel even if you pay for the quarantine when you return is unheard of. Most of the world can travel on their own risk. Our freedom is gone. It is sad…

      • Yorkshire-Man on 09/08/2020 - 19:06
        +2

        You should be allowed to travel and if you do you should pay the full cost of Quarantine instead of the $3k subsidised rate. The cost of the room, secure transport, food, cleaning, 24/7 guards. I read its realistically around $10k per person.

        Oh and the number of people flying in stays limited for our protection so if you get stuck out of the country that's your problem. And limited services from the foreign office if you get in trouble overseas.

        If you are happy with all that you should 100% be allowed to travel. Deal?

      • UberIsCool on 09/08/2020 - 20:33
        -8

        Thank someone eating a bat for that.

      • SlickMick on 10/08/2020 - 14:36
        -1

        have you seen the rates of infection and death in these countries with the so-called freedom?

        you don't understand what freedom is. In Australia you have the freedom to not be dead from Covid-19…. unless you live in a particular region who's approach has been more like these free-to-die-and-take-others-down-with-you countries you speak of.

    • dm01 on 09/08/2020 - 20:13
      +2

      I've just gone through the process to get a travel exemption to travel overseas to see my partner - it was actually easier than I thought, and I got approved in about 12 hours (happened on Friday).

      • creamandpaper on 09/08/2020 - 21:51

        how are flight prices looking?

        • dm01 on 09/08/2020 - 23:42
          +2

          $850 one-way, Adelaide to Frankfurt, with Singapore Airlines.

          • creamandpaper on 10/08/2020 - 11:33

            @dm01: that's not too bad! Glad to see they aren't charging an arm and a leg

      • lplau on 09/08/2020 - 23:08

        Just hope you can come back though. Seems like flights cancelled and if you aren't flying business class or above inbound for Australia, you might be indefinitely shifted to the next flight, due to airlines limits and Australia allowing a smaller amount of people into the country per day.

        • dm01 on 09/08/2020 - 23:43
          +5

          I'm not planning on returning.

      • coolc on 10/08/2020 - 08:19

        Hi

        how many days before your depart day you got approval ?
        Do you mind sharing some info even via pm if ok.

        • dm01 on 10/08/2020 - 09:44
          +4

          I was a little cheeky and disregarded the "apply at least 4 weeks before your intended date of departure" stipulation, and applied on the 7th Aug. to leave on the 25th Aug., and was approved the same day. I only did this as I knew that up until the 30th June it had specified 1 week instead of 4, so if I was pulled up on that point I was going to claim I'd started planning back in June (which is actually true) and I was going by the info I'd read on the site at the time.

          The evidence I supplied with my claim was a copy of a rental lease I've signed for a place overseas commencing 1 September, a receipt for 40kg of personal possessions I shipped over a couple of weeks ago, and a statement from my bank confirming that my gf and I have held a joint account here in Australia since in 2013.

          The bank account thing was actually fortunate planning - we had no need of the account, but I figured back then if there ever came a time we needed something offical to help demonstrate how long we'd been together, it might be useful. Never thought I'd be using it to establish a case to gain permission to leave the country!

          • coolc on 12/08/2020 - 10:40

            @dm01: good luck mate

            • dm01 on 12/08/2020 - 10:50

              @coolc: Thanks! Been planning this move for a while now, so it should be fine.

  • id on 09/08/2020 - 13:45
    -3

    Are U still covered if you end up DEAD from Covid? Is it worth its weight in gold then?

  • CheapGit on 09/08/2020 - 13:50
    +3

    Factor in an extra 2 weeks leave from work when you get back plus hotel quarantine costs, if you're lucky not to test covid-19 positive, and it becomes an expensive trip.

    IF you are able to travel within your state you'd be better doing that, spending your money here and helping local small businesses.

    • tm001 on 09/08/2020 - 16:08

      I don't think anyone would - or actually CAN - travel overseas for their pleasure.
      Usually anyone who has to travel overseas nowadays would rather avoid it - as you can get exemptions only for fairly serious events.

      • callum9999 on 09/08/2020 - 16:21
        +2

        Of course they would. I personally know many people who are fuming at not being allowed to go on holiday abroad.

        Given millions of people in other countries are travelling abroad on holiday without many issues, I wouldn't call it a "crazy desire" to hold either.

        In fact, I'd argue the border closure is a gross violation of personal freedom. I fully support compulsory quarantine at their own cost on their return (or even blocking their return if necessary), but the concept of a government forbidding you to leave the country is pretty chilling.

        • ATangk on 09/08/2020 - 16:35
          +2

          Or fuming at not being able to visit an OS partner…

          • callum9999 on 09/08/2020 - 16:38
            +5

            @ATangk: Or dying family! The number of accounts I've seen of people having to wait weeks to find out if they're allowed to go and visit their parents etc while literally on their death bed is sickening.

            • ripoffmerchant on 09/08/2020 - 18:06
              +3

              @callum9999: Experienced it first hand myself in May with family interstate. Makes a very hard time much harder.

        • blueskywalker on 10/08/2020 - 07:31

          People may have family, aged parents overseas not necessary traveling for leisure.
          It seems though some people are happy with the ban. Little by little freedom is taken away…
          Although I do understand the need to protect the population I don't understand why you can't be allowed to visit family if you're prepared to pay for quarantine, therefore no risks to the public. Most people won't do it anyway as it is expensive and also based on their own risk assessment. It's just a matter of principle.
          PS: not sure why an honest opinion is down voted by stealth, without any comments. It seems like the complex situation is taking a toll on many people.

          • Birdseye on 10/08/2020 - 13:13

            @blueskywalker: Hotel quarantine doesn't eliminate risk to the public. If it did, we wouldn't be in stage 4 restrictions in Melbourne right now.

        • Maxxjet on 10/08/2020 - 10:56
          -2

          If anyone wants to go overseas for 'pleasures', I guess the government should make a provision for that, and with a condition that these sign a statutory declaration that they cannot be eligible for any taxpayer funded 'repatriation' flight home (not only the costs directly associated with the flights, but not even they can ask for it, as clearly they have been warned), not eligible for any Medicare if they get COVID19 overseas when they are enjoying their 'pleasures'. Frankly, this is not the right time to talk about their narrowed definition of 'personal freedom', this is being inconsiderate at extreme. Their 'freedom to pleasures' comes at the expense of other people's life and livelihood. Seriously?

          • callum9999 on 10/08/2020 - 14:26
            +1

            @Maxxjet: Rubbish. Lockdowns are having a far higher impact on livelihoods than the virus itself is. Though I do actually agree with most of the restrictions for the other reason you give - sanctity of life.

            There is never a wrong time to consider personal freedom, and I guarantee that we will emerge from this with less freedom than we had to start with. Even ignoring emergency measures that will conveniently be forgotten to be repealed etc., the recent ASIO legislation is a prime example.

            Finally, your claim that going abroad puts other people's life at risk is somewhat unfounded. Literally millions of people are on holiday abroad right now and the overwhelming majority neither catch nor spread Covid. If you're sensible, it's no more risky than any other public activity you'd be doing within Australia.

        • gusta7 on 10/08/2020 - 13:35

          I agree. So AUS thinks it is much smarter than NZ where they've got strong recommendation do not travel but departures are allowed.

    • antifigjammer on 13/08/2020 - 11:11

      that is now. Quarantine for 2 weeks could be canned at any time & will have to be soon or we'll have no airlines left at all.

  • capslock on 09/08/2020 - 13:51

    Don't forget the big disclaimer. They will only let you on board an Emirates plane if you have had a negative covid test within 4 days of your flight. The test result has to be from a pre-approved test clinic.

    • MatteCar on 09/08/2020 - 16:03

      Can you please link me the page where they say that?

      I’ve just found a general list of some countries where they ask that and Australia was excluded, couldn’t find nothing specific.

      • Lord Fart Bucket on 09/08/2020 - 16:14
        +1

        https://www.emirates.com/au/english/help/flying-to-and-from-…

        COVID-19 testing
        All passengers travelling to Dubai must have a negative COVID-19 PCR test certificate to be accepted on the flight. The certificate must be for a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) swab test. Other test certificates including antibody test certificates are not accepted in Dubai.

        Doesn't mention the 4 days, but i dare say i can't the SMS from NSW Health from 2 months ago…

      • capslock on 09/08/2020 - 16:35
        +1

        From the same link as Martijn provided.

        All passengers arriving in Dubai from any destination, including passengers connecting in Dubai, must have a negative COVID-19 PCR test certificate to be accepted on the flight. … The test must be taken a maximum of 96 hours before departure. … The UAE government has specified designated laboratories.

        • MatteCar on 09/08/2020 - 18:50

          Thank you both, easier to fly with Qatar!

  • Bargain-Junkie on 09/08/2020 - 13:51

    Assistance in the event of an
    covered person's death:
    In case of COVID-19
    epidemic/pandemic
    Transporting the body to home
    country cover for actual costs and
    Funeral costs Up to a limit, per covered
    person of €1,500.

    https://c.ekstatic.net/ecl/documents/covid-19-cover-terms-an…

    • ripoffmerchant on 09/08/2020 - 16:05

      Good luck flying a body home for 1500 euro

      • Lord Fart Bucket on 09/08/2020 - 16:15

        Cargo is cheaper?

      • samojed on 09/08/2020 - 16:22
        +4

        €1,500 applies to the funeral costs
        transporting the body home
        = cover for actual costs

  • 10101010101 on 09/08/2020 - 14:10
    -2

    Lol worth its weight in gold… So zero weight therefore zero worth.

  • odysseus on 09/08/2020 - 14:12
    +2

    So many exclusions and restrictions with this, it is more marketing than anything beneficial. Given the lack of travel insurance at the moment, this certainly isn't a substitute for "peace of mind."

  • t25 on 09/08/2020 - 14:29
    -4

    They can't even be trusted to pay out on damage to luggage (even when they were responsible under international treaties), so I would be a bit more careful with Etihad.

    • UrMumsOnlyFan on 09/08/2020 - 15:42
      +1

      I would be a bit more careful with Etihad.

      This one's about Emirates.

      I would also suggest being a bit more careful with Etihad, but for different reasons.

  • Tjs10 on 09/08/2020 - 14:35
    +13

    This is worthless for Australians as the insurance is invalid if you travel against the advice of your own country.

    As Australia has a blanket travel advice that all overseas travel is not recommended, the policy will not cover you.

    Cover also ends as soon as you return to your home country so, even if Australians were covered, if you caught Covid on the return leg, you wouldn't be coveredfrom the moment you land back here.

    Also, any claims are only valid if Emirates picks up the costs directly, and only from the point of an accepted claim. Therefore quarantine would only be covered if invoiced directly to Emirates, and only following a positive test.

    All in all, the insurance is worthless to any Australians looking to travel overseas.

    • sharecare on 09/08/2020 - 15:48
      +1

      What about Dual Citizens?

      • Tjs10 on 10/08/2020 - 10:54

        It is based on your country of departure, not your citizenship.

  • DogGunn on 09/08/2020 - 15:31
    +5

    lol
    This is worthless given that you won't be able to travel out of the country except in incredibly limited circumstances.

  • Lord Fart Bucket on 09/08/2020 - 15:34

    How is this a deal when you're barely able to fly based on government restrictions?

    Also, need to book by 31/8/2020.

    Assistance is valid for 31 days from departure of the first flight of your journey. There is no assistance in your country of residence. If you have tested positive for COVID-19 at any time during the 31 day period, your assistance will continue after the 31 day period up to the limits included here.

    So, you get some assistance IF you test positive within 31 dates of departure. And there's NO cover when you're back in Oz.

    • spaceflight on 09/08/2020 - 17:44

      That's standard for travel insurance

  • OzCheapo on 09/08/2020 - 15:46

    It'll be useful at the middle of next year or whenever the restrictions relax

    • Lord Fart Bucket on 09/08/2020 - 15:57

      But it won't be valid then.

      Assistance at any time when you fly between 23 July 2020 and 31 October 2020

      • OzCheapo on 09/08/2020 - 16:46

        Oh I thought that referred to customer assistance not associated with the insurance.

  • Nurcopolics on 09/08/2020 - 15:55

    Italy, USA, Brazil looking really good right now!!!

    • ripoffmerchant on 09/08/2020 - 16:08
      +1

      Imagine being the only tourist in Rio that sounds like a great time!

      • creamandpaper on 09/08/2020 - 21:58

        if i already caught covid and recovered… oh boy

  • Dadidalol on 09/08/2020 - 16:01

    Would be good to actually offer free refunds to people who booked with them.
    I'm still looking at 3×100 USD cancellation fees for flights that they cancelled in March.

    • matt-ozb on 09/08/2020 - 16:12

      huh .. they should be paying you the USD$100 .. wtf

  • cooldude123 on 09/08/2020 - 16:14
    +1

    Still haven't received refunds from Emirates for cancelled flights and it's been almost 5 months and seems like there'd be a lot of hoops to jump through for this

    • Lord Fart Bucket on 09/08/2020 - 16:18
      -1

      Took my parents (in the Netherlands) 3 months with Lufthansa. And they only got their money back after the German government bailed out Lufthansa.

      Told my dad that my grandfather would be so proud if he was still alive. 75 years after the war ended, the German Government is finally paying restitution!

    • ironik on 09/08/2020 - 21:00
      +1

      Follow it up or reapply @cooldude.
      I got mine fully refunded from March (in July) but only after I put it through again. I suspect they "lost" alot of the early cancellations. I had patiently waited the 3 months quoted from my initial cancellation in March and when I called I was told that I hadn't requested cancellation (despite me having an email from Emirates).

      • cooldude123 on 09/08/2020 - 23:00

        Thanks for that - I resubmitted it last week, fingers crossed it goes through this time. A bit infuriating about it all, but I guess I'll know where to put my money when this is all over.

  • ash2000 on 09/08/2020 - 17:15

    Nice idea, but for Australia, where compulsory self funded quarantine will be in place for at least another 6 to 12 months (costing $3500 in NSW) it's unlikely most will travel anyway.

    • antifigjammer on 10/08/2020 - 10:12
      -2

      doubt if any quarantine at all will be in place more than month or 2. It seems many parts of the world are opening up, including China, Europe & even if USA domestic travel does not seem to be restricted at all, but you do have to wear a face mask if flying with all or most airlines. Spirit airlines even claiming they'll be back in profit soon with 79% load factor in June.

      https://www.flyertalk.com/articles/spirit-airlines-says-they…

      Uk is letting in people from over 60 countries with no restriction or quarantine. They did have self quarantine in place, but wasn't being enforced, so they dropped it completely.

      Any get the impression, no one in govt here is thinking far ahead ?

      It seems we react to 2nd wave, but what about 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th ?

      Have we gone down the wrong path in Australia trying to eliminate corona ? Surely everyone will get it, in the end ?

  • apm2011 on 09/08/2020 - 20:43

    They haven’t refunded my ticket from March yet. I would go with Qatar

  • Bargain-Junkie on 09/08/2020 - 21:48
    +2

    At the end of the day airlines are going to have to do a whole lot more to entice international travellers back. Insurance companies also need to come to the party and offer appropriate levels of cover for COVID-19, otherwise the risk far outweighs the benefits of an international trip. I think this is a positive step by Emirates and they are setting the standard for the other airlines to follow. You have to remember that International travel bans are not in place for most countries in the world so even if this policy is void for most Australian's?, it's still beneficial for dual citizens in Australia and foreigners in the rest of the world.

    • callum9999 on 10/08/2020 - 01:52

      Insurers would be nuts to offer policies covering Covid in the middle of a global pandemic.

      This deal is unique and only possible because Emirates will no doubt be on the hook for a lot of the payouts (or are paying a ridiculously large premium). I highly doubt any insurer will release an affordable version for normal people to buy.

      • odysseus on 10/08/2020 - 02:54
        +2

        Or because as said above there are so many exclusions and restrictions that there is little value to the policy.

        They only cover one condition, and only pay out hospital costs ONLY while you are unable to travel. This coverage is time limited. They only cover you outside your home country - there is no coverage on your return. You've already paid for the return ticket. Therefore bringing you back has no significant cost of its own. In fact if you had bought business class tickets or higher, they will make a profit on that as they will only return you in economy class, and take the business class ticket back for themselves. And there are a bunch of other limitations and restrictions.

        And then the main proviso - every traveller has to pay for their own testing to board each flight anyway, so there's very little likelihood anything will happen there, so it's only in the destination. Given the incubation period, short trips are unlikely to have any issues, so it's really only for those travellers away for 2-4 weeks where there's any risk of claiming. And then as mentioned, it's only if you have to go to a hospital that there'll be a payment, and then only for the minimum time possible before you can fly.

        So in a very limited set of circumstances they will pay hospital costs for the shortest time possible for only this condition. With such limited coverage the premium should not be that great - but the way they sell it is likely worth more than that modest premium.

      • antifigjammer on 10/08/2020 - 11:11

        insurers are in business to make money. Why wouldn't they have a policy out there ? Emirates might not be self insuring.

        Risk is very very small, compared to having say a car accident.

        • callum9999 on 10/08/2020 - 14:11

          Rather obviously because they wouldn't make money off it.

          I have no idea how you've done your risk calculation, but that doesn't even pass a basic sense test. In Australia that may be true, but it's obviously not in many other countries - i.e. where this policy would be being used.

          Not to mention that this isn't remotely stable. One day in Melbourne there was a handful of cases, a couple of weeks later it's a thousand. Who knows what the risk would be in two months time.

          • antifigjammer on 11/08/2020 - 10:18
            -1

            @callum9999: case numbers mean nothing. The more you test, the more you'll find. It's only deaths that count & only the old & unhealthy die, because their immune system is compromised.

            In retrospect, we should have only locked down these people & their carers rather than whole states.

            However, no one in any govt. is prepared to say they got it wrong.

            If we keep going down the wrong path, what will we do when 5th, 6th wave hits ?

            We must get economy moving. Will be far more deaths from economy failing than corona.

            • callum9999 on 11/08/2020 - 11:04

              @antifigjammer:

              1. Case numbers absolutely do mean something to an insurer covering Covid…

              2. A very Trumpian claim there. If the positive test rate plummets then you're right. If it doesn't then you're simply detecting the increased number of cases out there.

              3. Too right. F*** those old or unhealthy people - they don't deserve to live.

              I'm sympathetic to the idea that the lockdown is stricter than necessary, but your ill-informed nonsense doesn't sway me to believe you have the slightest idea what you're talking about!

              • antifigjammer on 11/08/2020 - 13:05

                @callum9999: yeah studied microbiol at uni. so have some idea.

                So to save the unhealthy, we have to lock everyone down, rather than just the unhealthy & their carers ?

                That doesn't make any sense.

                Regardless of what you think, we can't keep going like we have, otherwise we'll be doing lockdowns for years. Society won't last that long.

                Emirates is the way to go. Obviously all insurance companies are looking at risk at present & will price policies like Emirates, in their case, built into airfare, accordingly.

                • callum9999 on 11/08/2020 - 15:38
                  -1

                  @antifigjammer: I don't care what you studied, nonsense like "insurance companies covering Covid shouldn't care about the number of cases" is still nonsense.

                  I didn't make any comment on that, so I have no idea why you're asking it in such an accusatory tone… I personally know of people who have died from Covid who had no idea they were "unhealthy", so no, you can't just lock up "all the unhealthy people" and then the rest of us will all be fine.

                  Of course it can carry on. While I'd agree it's too widespread in Victoria and NSW to eliminate, there's no reason whatsoever why locking down until numbers fall back to a low level and then slowly opening up afterwards wouldn't work. It's how most the world is doing it, relatively successfully. I don't see how you could possibly claim the alternative - i.e. US and Brazil - is working better!

                  As I said, I'm very open to criticism of aspects of the lockdown (the biggest for me being "one hour of exercise" - completely unenforceable and somewhat nonsensical) - but the idea that lockdowns in general are unnecessary is a bit absurd.

                  Yes, they price it accordingly. Which is exactly why you won't find consumer policies - the "appropriate price" will be far too high. (I can't find the article anymore so feel free to dismiss this, but Emirates are apparently self-insuring the bulk of the costs)

              • antifigjammer on 11/08/2020 - 16:12
                -1

                @callum9999: It's all become political now.

                Look at NZ & Qld. Both leaders think their way, will help them get re-elected.

                Be interesting to see what happens in NZ. If labor govt falls, Qld govt might change tact fast & blame chief med officer, who will be then sacked. Think Qld election is about 6 weeks after NZ election.

                • callum9999 on 11/08/2020 - 23:16
                  -1

                  @antifigjammer: Very true (and re-reading that post, sorry if it seemed a bit aggressive!), though a bit cynical.

                  They probably do think that's the way to get reelected, but it doesn't necessarily mean that's why they did it - I'd wager they also believe it's the right thing to do.

                  • antifigjammer on 12/08/2020 - 10:33

                    @callum9999: look at the contrast between what's going on in USA, UK, EU & Australia/NZ right now.

                    We close things down, for just a few cases. (NZ just 4)

                    Can't keep doing this indefinitely, as causing way too many problems, unemployment, alcoholism, laziness, drug problems, crime, boredom, mental health problems etc.

                    We'll need more migrants, who are prepared to do jobs Australians won't do anymore, cos they'd rather sit on welfare, which is easy to get & stay on forever.

                    • callum9999 on 12/08/2020 - 10:43
                      -1

                      @antifigjammer: Look at the contrast? You mean the very similar impact on the GDP and unemployment figures yet far, far higher deaths and cases?

                      I've been desperately applying for any job for months and am getting nowhere - there's no urgent need for migrant labour. Farms will need it soon, and that can be easily filled by backpackers who are already here (extend their visas) and the usual Pacific island schemes.

            • CMH on 21/08/2020 - 04:27

              @antifigjammer:

              what will we do when 5th, 6th wave hits ?

              While I may or may not agree with the rest of your post, this is one question I would also like answered.

              While the release of a vaccine would solve all our CV-19 woes, I'm quite pessimistic about the chances of a working vaccine released within the next 12 months.

              So assuming the worst case scenario where we do not get a vaccine anytime soon, what's the plan? Are we locking down until a vaccine is found? What if this is 2 years down the road? 5? 10?

              While I think the initial response was largely adequate (locking down, masks, etc) the question of whether locking everybody down is appropriate becomes less and less palatable as this draws out.

    • nickj on 10/08/2020 - 08:04
      +1

      I agree. Without travel insurance covering covid-19, or at least reciprocal health care coverage (as per the UK, Italy, nz, etc) + freedom to leave Australia + no quarantine on return to Australia, I can't see why general travellers (those without family / medical / work emergencies) would travel overseas. Without general travellers it's going to be almost impossible to make a profit. Unfortunately I think Qantas are right that it is highly unlikely those things will happen before mid 2021.

      • nickj on 10/08/2020 - 10:27
        +1

        Also: can't see why someone would want to book flights currently when many airlines seem to be operating what can only be described as a scam - they sell tickets for flights that they know they will not operate, collect the cash, then cancel the flight very close to departure, then stall on the refund for as long as possible, then eventually only issue a "travel credit" (which they know many people will find very hard to use before they expire, or the airline may go bust and those credits may be worthless). It's basically a cash-grab, but I have no qualms in calling it a scam, because it seems to include deliberate deception. Until these problems stop happening, and the situation returns to normal (e.g. 99% of flights operate as scheduled, and you can easily get a refund or rebook), it is just not advisable to fly. Certainly the reports from people recently returning from overseas to Australia (who sometimes have had 4 flights cancelled on them and are still trying to get refunds) suggest it's an ongoing problem. Personally, I think there should be a legal requirement that if an airline cancels a flight, they should have to refund you, in cash, within 24 hours. Qantas and Virgin have certainly reported to be having delays in issuing refunds and/or only offering travel credits. I also think an automatic cash refund + EU style consumer-rights-payment for cancelled or delayed flights would do wonders here to ensure that most flights operate as scheduled. There's an article about this problem here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tamarathiessen/2020/04/28/airli…

        • antifigjammer on 12/08/2020 - 10:43
          -1

          no one knows, when international flights will resume. No one.

          Fed Govt has wasted hundreds of billions of dollars, so they will continue to tell everyone to holiday domestically to keep $$$$$ here, as they have a vested interest - jobs here & some tax revenue.

          No reason right now, that we couldn't have unrestricted/no quarantine flights from say for example, Qld or South Australia to NZ, Fiji & other Pacific Islands.

          There's even a NZ guy Mike Pero (who apparently made a lot of money out of real estate & mortgages) who's trying to get Christchurch charter flights going next month to Cook Islands, using some foreign airlines A320s (might be Jetstar)

          https://jetraro.co.nz/

  • elspage on 10/08/2020 - 14:22
    +1

    Please see attached this review, the main points are:

    • Not covered for countries that have travel restrictions "Australia"
    • Not covered in your country of origin / home country.

    https://www.executivetraveller.com/review-emirates-free-covi…

  • mubd1234 on 10/08/2020 - 21:34

    Has anyone seen the bizarre airline ads on Facebook which usually consists of a photo of a flight attendant serving passengers food in full HAZMAT gear? I mean, Jesus. Looks like a scene out of a bloody dystopian sci fi film. Best not to advertise at all if that is what you’ve got as an alternative.

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