Originally Posted by
Beer Baron
If you want to run a case that pilots can’t be stood down when there are no border restrictions in place (for example), then you need to wait until there are no border restrictions before you can run that case.
Even when the federal government allows some form of international entry into the country again, probably mid next year from current indications, that won’t be a catalyst for stand downs to end. Take a look at Europe:
Travelling in Europe: Which countries have border restrictions in place?
Even though the continent is more open than March/April every country has a myriad of different restrictions in place with regards to entry, quarantine, isolation, reasons for entry, health checks, documentation and ports of entry. It is very likely the Australian government will impose similar measures in differing standards against different countries. The US for instance will probably have more stringent measures than others for a few years more, and that was a big international market for Australia.
This is also notwithstanding other nation’s restrictions on entry which may affect airline business, that could possibly also be altered at short notice. The borders won’t be back to December 2019 levels by mid next year, it’ll be a few years more after that and justification for stand downs will be well entrenched. That’s even assuming the border restrictions are the catalyst for stand downs which is what some are arguing here, not the pandemic and associated lack of international travel.