Originally Posted by
normanton
It's about to turn into a royal cluster ****!
At the moment the goal is to stop the influx of new cases. All cases of COVID-19 either have an international origin or close contact with someone overseas. There are few or no cases of "community transmission", probably due to the warmer weather here compared to the northern hemisphere.
So the goal is to limit the number of cases arriving into Australia over the next month or two whilst the virus season ends in the north and before our own winter season starts. This is to ensure that hopefully all cases are contained and monitored prior to winter, and underlying virus holders aren't widespread before the seasons start. So as harsh as it sounds limiting international travel for the next 2-8 weeks or should isolate most inbound cases and as the numbers start to die off in the north the bans are lifted and inbound travel recommences.
But of course what to do with the excess crew? One, they all sit and burn leave for the next few months. Sounds great but cash flow is going to be shot with a lack of international travel. RIN? Where to? The fleet least needed is the most senior (A380) and the training cost will be immense. And once it's all over you need to train back up to their original positions. Redundancy? I think cash preservation is the key so I can't see a VR being offered. I think it's going to be a combination of things but it will probably come to a mandated LWOP rolled out amongst all crew. It will probably need, and get, union approval because I can't see even AIPA doing anything against the companies interests anytime soon.
My advice, make sure you've got some spare cash saved up over the next few months as you'll probably need it.
Originally Posted by
Foxxster
so expect domestic air travel to all but stop altogether.
I wouldn't say that much. There's no evidence of this being spread anywhere via air travel. China, South Korea haven't stopped domestic air travel and they are starting to get the virus under control. You'd probably be better off banning public buses and train transport.