'With that in mind, some travellers are now choosing not to travel.' Passengers faced abrupt changes to Brisbane travel plans. Photo / Supplied
'With that in mind, some travellers are now choosing not to travel.' Passengers faced abrupt changes to Brisbane travel plans. Photo / Supplied
Incredible footage has captured the moment passengers on a flight to Brisbane were told about the city's three-day lockdown — leading to a scramble for the exit doors.
The Jetstar flight was on the tarmac at Sydney Airport yesterday when the pilot announced, via loudspeaker, the breaking news of a lockdown north of the state border.
Many passengers are seen scrambling to retrieve on-board luggage from overhead lockers so they could alight from the plane prior to takeoff from Sydney.
Around one third of passengers chose to get off the plane after being informed about the impending lockdown.
Passengers flee plane as pilot announced Brisbane's lockdown. Photo / Channel 7 News
"Information we're just getting now, just in the last 10 minutes about the lockdown situation in Brisbane, that they've just announced that Brisbane city and the surrounding areas are going into a three-day lockdown,' the pilot can be heard in the footage — obtained by 7 NEWS.
"With that in mind, some travellers are now choosing not to travel.
"It's up to you, you can offload the aircraft and you'll have to talk the ground staff about possibly re-booking you onto another flight, and refunds available."
The airline is reviewing its scheduled flights to and from Brisbane following Monday's lockdown announcement. News.com.au has contacted Jetstar for comment.
The lockdown kicked in at 5pm yesterday for Greater Brisbane, just hours after Queensland officials announced four new COVID-19 cases had been confirmed.
This morning NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has urged people in her state not to go to Queensland until the situation changes.
"I wouldn't be going to anywhere in Queensland on holiday," she told 2GB. "If it was me I would postpone it.
"The last thing you need on your holiday is to be locked in a hotel room for days on end."
NSW has said it will not close its border with Queensland despite the three-day lockdown.
"New South Wales is in a cautious position, we are not shutting down our border," premier Berejiklian said on Monday.
"In relation to Easter, we recommend people who are considering going to Greater Brisbane, change your plans, and consider changing your plans if you're going anywhere in Queensland."
NSW says those arriving in the state from the Brisbane City and Moreton Bay council areas on or after March 27 must complete a self-declaration form.
Meanwhile, Virgin Australia flights to and from Brisbane will operate as normal on Monday.
It advises all passengers not travelling within the next 72 hours to call back at a later stage as its hotline is inundated with calls from concerned customers.
Qantas also announced on its website that the airline is currently dealing with a high volume of calls.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she wouldn't be travelling to Queensland. Photo / Getty images
Which borders are shut to Queensland?
States and territories have changed border conditions in light of the Brisbane lockdown.
It is not clear at this stage how long the border restrictions will last, and whether they will extend beyond Brisbane's three-day lockdown period and into the Easter weekend.
Victoria will shut the border on Greater Brisbane at 6pm on Monday night, when the council areas of Brisbane, Ipswich, Logan City, Moreton Bay Region and Redlands City are designated.
This means non-Victorian residents from Brisbane can't enter Victoria without an exemption. Victorians in Brisbane will have to apply to come home and then quarantine for 14 days.
Australian states moved quickly to enforce travel restrictions at air and land borders with Queensland. Photo / getty Images
Western Australia is reintroducing its hard border with Queensland, which will move from a "low risk" to "medium risk" state. This means only exempt travellers can enter WA from Queensland.
Those arriving in WA from Queensland since March 27 have to self-quarantine for 14 days and be tested for Covid-19.
Tasmania has also shut its border with Brisbane. Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein said on Monday anyone travelling to the state from Brisbane, Logan, Moreton Bay, Ipswich or the Redlands will not be able to enter without quarantining for up to two weeks.
South Australia said it would will close its border to Greater Brisbane from 4pm on Monday, and that includes Moreton Bay, Ipswich, Redlands and Logan.
From that time, only South Australian residents, essential workers or people relocating will be able to enter SA from Queensland, and they will have to self-isolate for 14 days. They'll also have to be tested on days one, five and 13.
Anyone who has arrived from that Greater Brisbane hotspot area since March 20 must get tested immediately and self-isolate until they get a negative result.
"We are not happy to do this, in fact, we know that this is going to be a huge inconvenience to people, especially in the lead-up to this Easter period," South Australian Premier Steven Marshall said.
"We know there is a flight which is due into South Australia at 4.45pm and that is why we have pulled this press conference together as quickly as possible to give that advance notice to people who might be on that flight coming into South Australia."
Australian Capital Territory now considers Greater Brisbane a hot spot area and is urging people against travelling there at this time.
Mandatory quarantine applies to all people entering Canberra since March 15.
People should get tested and isolate until they receive a negative result if they have been in the City of Brisbane and Moreton Bay council areas from March 11 to 14.
Northern Territory's chief health officer said on Monday travellers from the Queensland council areas of Brisbane, Moreton Bay, Ipswitch, Logan, Redlands and Gladstone since March 25, or from Byron Shire Council in NSW since March 27, must self-quarantine and get a COVID-19 test in the next 72 hours. They must remain in self-quarantine until a negative test is returned.
