Pricey flights, long delays: Repatriating Greeks in last batch of flights diverted from Melbourne

Victoria will soon reinstate its hotel quarantine program with international flights into Melbourne resuming.

Christina Karvelas falls in the last batch of repatriating Australians whose flight is diverted from Melbourne. Source: Christina Karvela/Supplied

Highlights

• International flights into Victoria resume from 7 December
• In the meantime, repatriated Melburnians need to spend 14 days interstate before reaching home
• Two Melburnian Greeks reveal the personal and monetary cost involved in their return trip

But until then repatriating Australians, amongst them some from Greece, arriving before 7 December have to undergo quarantine interstate.

Two returned Melburnians have spoken to SBS Greek about their experience, flagging extra expenses and obstacles encountered.

Yiannis Rakas’ initial flight was booked for 5 October.

"Eventually, I was told [it was rescheduled] for the 28^th, then that was cancelled, they got back to me with a 24 December date, but due to my family’s health reasons, I had to return as soon as possible,” he explains.

Source: Yiannis Rakas/Supplied

Following an application to the Australian embassy, Mr Rakas got his flight approved, but is yet to reach his final destination in Melbourne.

Quarantining at a Sydney hotel, he says, is not an unpleasant experience itself, given also that the cost of his stay is being covered.

But, the pricey add-on for his trip has already being paid for.

“The airline told me they don’t do [direct] flights from Greece, but transiting through France or London, which means I had to book a new ticket that cost me a lot of money. I flew from Athens to Paris, spent a night there and came to Sydney with the only flight that was available.

“The return trip cost me around 2,500 euros,” Mr Rakas says.   

Fellow Melburnian Christina Karvelas recounts facing similar obstacles following her sudden departure from Australia to visit her dying father in Greece.

Getting an exemption for that trip was itself an ‘Odyssey’ but she found herself also trying for three months now to return back Down Under.

Source: Christina Karvela/Supplied

Ms Karvelas will have to complete her quarantine before being allowed to see her family at home, but this last bit of wait has come with a series of extra costs.

“I was told my return ticket was valid for travelling to Australia but not Melbourne, so I have to book a new one from Perth.

“Asking whether I can reserve my seat from now, I was told that I have to wait for the conclusion of the 14 days [of quarantine] to get the green light and that after that I probably need to book another a 2-3 days’ stay at another hotel, till I secure a ticket for Melbourne,” she explains.

“My hotel quarantine expenses come to $180/night. There is an application for help to cover the cost, I submitted it yesterday [Tuesday] and waiting for their reply.”  

Press play on the main photo to listen to the podcast with the two interviews.