Has anyone braved the trip back to Australia lately?

Fred2

Perth is in lock down for the next 5 days, Aus government requires a negative test to board flights and have cut the number of seats in half for returning Australians. I have tickets for easter but not looking good. best of luck, I would be careful going to Jakarta if they bump you off your flight home.

PERtoDPS

Not going till April so the 5 day lockdown doesn’t affect me. Getting bumped is a concern, but not much I can do is there? Just keep an eye on the news I guess.

Tezza71

I have a flight booked for 25 February but still waiting to see if I’m going to get out. Have to go back to sell the house and get the pension organised. Plan is to work for maybe 3 or 4 months and then retire and come back. The Covid test is my concern too. I’m due to fly to Jakarta early on 25th and then onward to Perth. Guess I’ll have to see where is the best place to get the test so the result fits the timeline. I’m in Jimbaran, any suggestions would be very welcome guys.

PERtoDPS

I know a few of you guys had to exit when I do, I've got to get back to working and some money coming in, by no means super excited about it so spare me the comments. I've done the hotel quarantine program once in it's infancy, from reading all the information about it certainly seems a lot more structured now. Not really looking forward to it, but also not worried as I said I've done it before. What I want to know is where did you get the PCR test to get out? Bali Mandari the hospital near me is tempting, simply because it's proximity. I have to route over Jakarta once again, I probably fly out one day before and take an airport hotel for the night to save stuffing about. Any issues going back to in Australia I'm not seeing? If you are looking to leave, flights are looking very scare, worse than they were in the height of the pandemic IMO so you should probably make a booking soon if that's your position. Just looking for stories of people who have done it recently really.

harryopal

WA has had a case of the latest mutation of Covid. Perth is in lockdown and some other states are closed to people from Perth. Very confused and difficult times for travel. Good luck.

Juggler

I think you guys should seriously consider upgrading to "J" class if money permits. It wasnt that expensive when we came over and it will ease the concern of being bumped. They don't bump J class.

PERtoDPS

Tezza if you are planning to come back in a few months, I'd seriously consider leaving

Tezza71 wrote I have a flight booked for 25 February but still waiting to see if I’m going to get out. Have to go back to sell the house and get the pension organised. Plan is to work for maybe 3 or 4 months and then retire and come back. The Covid test is my concern too. I’m due to fly to Jakarta early on 25th and then onward to Perth. Guess I’ll have to see where is the best place to get the test so the result fits the timeline. I’m in Jimbaran, any suggestions would be very welcome guys.

Was hoping you'd reply Tezza. Hope you are well mate. Looks like you are the guinea pig then. Please report back, I will also update for anyone following the same route.

PERtoDPS

Juggler wrote I think you guys should seriously consider upgrading to "J" class if money permits. It wasnt that expensive when we came over and it will ease the concern of being bumped. They don't bump J class.

Assuming that "J class" is Garuda's lingo for business class? Regardless I had already booked when you posted, might be handy for next time. The whole hop over Jakarta makes the trip 3x the price of what I used to pay to put it in context. I went to Garuda in Denpasar this morning to verify everything they said it's all ok but the arrivals cap is completely out of their hands, but they think if I just turn up to Jakarta to board booking 2 months early should be suffice. Obviously anymore lockdowns etc could throw things out though. I will report back, appreciate if any other travellers could do the same.

PERtoDPS

Just had a look, even despite the lockdown the few international flights that now service Perth are flying as usual, Garuda Indonesia included. I guess as you go directly in to 14 day quarantine it doesn't matter you're coming in to a city on lockdown. Peace of mind for some (me included) and makes me think it's much more likely I'll be travelling as planned.