A new Public Health Direction will make face masks mandatory for domestic commercial air travel in and out of the ACT, and while in the Canberra Airport, from 11.59pm Friday 22 January 2021.
The direction is in line with the commitment jurisdictions have made to implement this policy for all domestic air travel across Australia, as part of the National Cabinet.
This new Direction will mean people 12 years and above, including workers who interact with the public, must wear face masks while inside the Canberra Airport terminal and during domestic commercial flights in and out of Canberra.
Although face masks will not be required outside the terminal, passengers embarking and disembarking a flight on the tarmac must keep them on.
People will be permitted to remove their face mask to ascertain their identity when going through security or when eating and drinking or taking medication both in the airport terminal and during a flight. They will also be able to remove their mask during an emergency and to communicate effectively, for example, with someone who is hearing impaired.
There are exceptions to this Direction, including for infants and children under the age of 12, as well as people with a disability or a particular medical condition that makes wearing a face mask unsuitable.
Under the Direction, face masks must be designed or made to be worn over the mouth and nose, and should fit securely around your face to provide the wearer with protection against infection. A scarf or bandana is not considered an appropriate face mask.
Tips for using face masks:
• Single-use face masks can be worn continuously for up to four hours as long as it doesn’t become moist.
• Masks must not be reused and should be disposed of safely after use.
• Reusable face masks should be washed and dried after use and stored in a clean dry place.
• Use a new single-use or reusable face mask for each new situation, and
• Avoid touching and playing with face masks unnecessarily.
As face masks are just one line of defence again COVID-19, people are reminded that when travelling it is important to continue maintaining physical distancing, practising good hand and respiratory hygiene, staying home if unwell and getting tested with any symptoms of COVID-19.
People are also reminded to check the health advice and requirements of the jurisdiction they are travelling to, as the rules on face mask usage may vary from state to state.
For more information, visit: https://www.covid19.act.gov.au/stay-safe-and-healthy/protect-yourself#Masks
Domestic travel
ACT residents can fly from Canberra Airport to all states and territories at present. Canberra Airport is currently flying to 11 domestic destinations, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast with connecting flights to Cairns, Newcastle, Port Macquarie, Hobart, Sydney, Adelaide, Perth and Melbourne. Each destination, depending on the state it resides in, has different border restrictions. You may be required to gain a permit to enter the state and quarantine for 14 days at your own expense. To understand the requirements for each state, see below. For the latest information, visit the ACT Health COVID website.
COVID-19 Border information
Travelling from ACT to SA:
You need to complete a Cross Border Travel Registration to enter South Australia — at least 3 days before you leave, regardless of where your travel begins. For families, each individual must complete a separate cross-border travel registration form. Visit police.sa.gov.au and ‘select ‘Complete cross border form’.
Anyone who visited Pancake on the Rocks, Beverly Hills, between 10.45am and 12.00pm on Saturday 13 March 2021 should immediately self-quarantine. They should contact SA Health at health.coronavirusenquiries@sa.gov.au and advise they were at the location.
People coming from low community transmission zones can travel freely to South Australia. A low community transmission zone includes the ACT, NSW, the Northern Territory, Queensland, Tasmania, Western Australia and Victoria.
Travelling to ACT from SA:
Travellers from SA are no longer required to complete an online declaration prior to entering the ACT.
The ACT Government is encouraging anyone from a location with known cases or if the traveller is feeling unwell, to rethink their travel. For more information, click here.
Travelling from ACT to NT:
Anyone arriving in the Northern Territory must complete a Border Entry Form. You can do this online no more than 7 days before entering the NT at coronavirus.nt.gov.au.
Once you submit your application online, print it and bring it with you. You must provide your printed form on your arrival to the NT.
If you don’t have a printer, you’ll need to complete a new Border Arrival Form on entry to the NT.
If you are going to travel to the Northern Territory from an identified active coronavirus hotspot you are advised to cancel your plans.
If you are a Territorian planning to travel to an active hotspot you are advised to cancel your plans.
Access is via flights transiting through Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne or Sydney Airport.
All travellers will be required to complete a Border Entry Form with the NT Government, no more than 72 hours before entering the Territory.
Interstate arrivals
Anyone who has arrived, or is yet to arrive, in the Northern Territory must be tested for COVID-19 if they were in any of the Brisbane ‘high risk’ locations or the Sydney locations on or about the relevant times and dates listed. For a list of the Brisbane ‘high risk’ locations, go to covid19.qld.gov.au. Then click on ‘Contact tracing alerts — sites of exposure’. For a list of the Sydney locations, go to nsw.gov.au and click on ‘Current COVID-19 case locations’.
For more information, click here.
If you arrive in the NT — having travelled from or through a declared hotspot in the past 14 days — you must stay in mandatory supervised quarantine at a designated facility at your own expense for 14 days.
However, there are certain circumstances where you’re not considered to have been in a declared COVID-19 hotspot. For example, you’re not considered to have been in a declared hotspot if you were only in the airport — for a stopover — and didn’t leave the airport.
To find the locations of a declared hotspot and the circumstances when you’re not considered to have been in a declared hotspot, visit coronavirus.nt.gov.au and search for ‘COVID-19 Hotspots — Travel restrictions apply’.
Travelling from NT to ACT:
There are no restrictions on people travelling from NT to ACT. The ACT Government is encouraging people to rethink their travel if they are coming from a location with known cases or if the traveller is feeling unwell.
For more information, click here.
Travelling to QLD from ACT:
ACT travellers don’t need a border pass to enter Queensland — unless you’ve been in NSW in the last 14 days.
The following restrictions apply to people who have been in a COVID-19 hotspot in the last 14 days or since the hotspot was declared — whichever is shorter:
Greater Brisbane and the Moreton Bay Regional Council are on alert after a cluster of COVID cases.
For more information, click here.
Travelling to ACT from QLD:
There are currently no restrictions on people travelling from Queensland, including Greater Brisbane, which is no longer considered a hotspot.
For more information, click here.
Travelling to NSW from the ACT:
ACT residents are free to travel to all parts of New South Wales. There are no longer any restrictions.
For a full list of exposure sites, go to covid19.qld.gov.au. Then click on ‘Contact tracing alerts — sites of exposure’.
For more information, click here.
Travelling to ACT from NSW:
ACT currently has no restrictions on NSW.
Travelling to VIC from ACT:
You will need to apply for a permit to enter Victoria from anywhere in Australia. To apply for a permit, click here. The permit system is based on a traffic light system which allows for areas across Australia to be designated as green, orange or red according to their risk.
The permit system is for both travellers to Victoria and residents of Victoria returning home from interstate travel.
For more information, click here.
Travelling from VIC to ACT:
There is currently no restrictions on ACT travellers returning from Victoria.
For more information, click here.
Travelling to TAS from ACT:
Travellers who have only spent time in a low-risk area in the 14 days prior to arrival in Tasmania are not required to quarantine. People entering from these areas must register their travel and contact details via the Tas e-Travel system a maximum of three (3) days before arrival in Tasmania.
The Tasmanian Government has classified all states and territories in Australia low risk.
Link Airways is flying direct to Hobart 4 times a week. To book your flights, click here.
Travelling from TAS to ACT:
There are no restrictions on Tasmanians travelling to ACT.
Link Airways is flying direct from Hobart to Canberra return, 4 times a week.
The ACT Government is encouraging people to rethink their travel if they are coming from a location with known cases or if the traveller is feeling unwell.
For more information, click here.
Travelling from ACT to WA:
Western Australia has a controlled interstate border arrangement.
Under this arrangement, people coming from interstate can now travel into and around WA by air, road or rail — subject to certain conditions.
Residents of ACT are free to travel to WA, without the requirement to quarantine for 14 days.
WA has certain restrictions in place for Queensland and NSW. To learn more, click here.
All travellers will be required to complete a G2G Pass and declare that they have not been to a restricted state or territory in the last 14 days. Travellers will then receive a QR code for entry into WA and may also be required to take a COVID-19 screening upon arrival.
To apply for a G2G pass, click here.
For more information, visit wa.gov.au.
Travelling from WA to ACT:
WA residents are free to travel to the ACT.
The ACT Government is encouraging people to rethink their travel if they are coming from a location with known cases or if the traveller is feeling unwell.
For more information, click here.
Travelling from ACT to New Zealand:
Australian residents are currently unable to travel from Australia to New Zealand, until there is no community transmission and the New Zealand Government deems it safe to travel. The Australian Border Force will also need to permit this exemption.
For more information, click here.
Travelling from New Zealand to ACT:
Under an exemption to the Returned Travellers Public Health Direction, people can travel from New Zealand to the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) without the need to enter mandatory quarantine, provided they do not have any symptoms of COVID-19 and can meet the requirements of the Commonwealth government’s Australian Travel Declaration.
Anyone coming to Australia from New Zealand must have been in the community for the previous 14 days and not in hotel quarantine.
Travellers from New Zealand arriving into another state or territory will be subject to the same conditions of entry in place for travel from that state or territory into the ACT, in the event there are internal travel or border restrictions in place in the ACT.
Travellers do not need to be a New Zealand citizen to travel to Australia quarantine-free if you meet the above criteria, but you will need a valid visa to enter Australia. New Zealand citizens do not need to apply for a visa before coming to Australia. If eligible, they will be granted a Special Category visa (subclass 444) (SCV) on arrival.
Flights from New Zealand to Canberra are via Sydney Airport.
Before travelling to Australia passengers must print and complete COVID-19 Declaration form and present it at airline check-in at the airport. If they do not present a completed form, they may not be able to board your flight. This form will be used to determine if a person can travel and for contact tracing purposes by relevant state and territory governments.
For more information from the Department of Home Affairs, click here.
For information from the ACT Government, click here.
Domestic flight Information
To make changes or get specific information about flight bookings, contact your airline or travel agent directly. For airline contact details, click here.
International Travel Information
The Australian Government announced that Australian citizens are banned from travelling overseas from 25 March 2020 at 1200hrs AEDST. All International from Canberra Airport from 20 March 2020 have been cancelled. For information regarding exemption applications and entry to Australia, click here.
Passengers from New Zealand can travel to Australia, quarantine-free.
At the Airport
Please be advised updated trading hours for all airport retail outlets and Visit Canberra Information booth:
• City Hill Coffee – City Hill is open 1 hour prior to the first flight and closes after the last departure, Monday through to Sunday. Hours may vary depending on the flight schedule.
• news@CBR – Trading Monday – Friday 7:30am – 6pm
• Go! Convenience – Monday – Friday 7:30am – 2pm
Visit Canberra information booth is open:
Monday 4pm-7pm
Thursday 4pm -7pm
Friday 3pm -7pm
Sunday 4pm – 7pm
Transport:
Taxi’s, ride share, rental car providers and public buses remain business as usual during this time. To book your transport; visit our transport page for details.
What you can do to reduce the spread of COVID-19?
We would encourage all passengers to follow the hygiene recommendations from the Department of Health which include. For more information, click here.
Safe Domestic flying protocol
The Australian aviation industry has developed a Domestic Passenger Journey Protocol to provide clear and consistent guidance regarding risk-minimisation principles and processes in domestic airports and on aircraft for domestic passenger travel.
This Protocol will provide guidance for industry members and confidence to the travelling public as domestic air travel increases with the reduction in COVID-19 related restrictions on travel.
To view the protocol, click here.
