Etihad to stop flights to Queensland as Frydenberg says international border closed until late 2021

  • Date: 07-Oct-2020
  • Source: The Guardian
  • Sector:Transport
  • Country:UAE
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Etihad to stop flights to Queensland as Frydenberg says international border closed until late 2021

Etihad Airways will stop all flights to Brisbane because the route is commercially unviable, as Australia continues to limit the number of passengers airlines can bring into the country.Despite the recent increase in the cap on arrivals from 4,000 to 5,500 passengers per week, Etihad's decision to pull out of its Abu Dhabi to Brisbane route for commercial reasons follows Malaysia Airlines' decision in September to halt flights to Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide in light of the introduction of the arrival caps.On Wednesday, treasurer Josh Frydenberg appeared to suggest Australia's tough border restrictions will continue to affect international airlines' operations, as he said the federal budget he handed down on Tuesday relied on assumptions that Australia's international borders will be closed until “late next year”.“International travel, including by tourists and