Aussie athlete, 19, studying at Yale University reveals how EASY it was for her to fly back home from the US - and gives her tips on how to avoid new arrival caps for the 34,000 still stranded
- Tia Chitty, 19, flew to the United States to start her first year of college in October
- She returned home to Perth three weeks ago while her school is in summer break
- Despite hearing stories of Australians stuck abroad, she said her trip was smooth
- In a YouTube video, she explained the five steps she took to return Down Under
- She said check entry exemptions, book flights, do entry forms and a Covid test
An Aussie athlete studying at America's prestigious Yale University has shared her tips for how to enter Australia during the Covid-19 pandemic - as 34,000 remain stranded overseas due to strict arrival caps which are being halved next week.
Tia Chitty, 19, returned to Perth three weeks ago for summer break after her first year of college in Connecticut.
Although she heard stories of Australians stuck abroad struggling to get home, Ms Chitty said her trip back to Western Australia was 'very smooth'.
In a video posted on Youtube, the track and cross country athlete detailed the processes she took to get back into the country to help others trying to get home.
Ms Chitty made her journey before the arrival caps are halved from July 14 until at least the end of August to help keep out the Delta strain of Covid which is responsible for Sydney's two-week lockdown.
The change was agreed by Prime Minister Scott Morrison at National Cabinet on Friday after demands from Queensland 's Annastacia Palaszczuk, Victoria's Daniel Andrews and Western Australia 's Mark McGowan.
Some 34,000 Australians stranded overseas may now find it more difficult to get home despite an increase to repatriation flights to the Howard Springs quarantine facility near Darwin.
Tia Chitty, 19, (pictured) has detailed the steps needed for her to return home to Perth three weeks ago after spending the past nine months studying in the US
Exemptions apply to Australian citizens, permanent residents, immediate family members and travellers who have been in New Zealand for 14 days prior to departure.
'You need to apply for an exemption and you are automatically exempt if you are one of those four groups,' Ms Chitty explains.
The freshman said booking a flight was a 'pretty straight forward', despite airlines limiting flight routes amid the pandemic.
'I've heard about all of the Australian citizens who are stuck overseas and can't get on a flight home because they keep getting bumped off flights for months,' she said.
'But my grandpa managed to book me a flight really easily. He said there was quite a lot flights available. They are more expensive than usual - some are ridiculous, like $15,000 for a one-way.
'Mine were more expensive than usual, but it wasn't ridiculously expensive.'
Ms Chitty, who flew with Singapore airlines, said travellers should take into consideration that they are required to quarantine at their first port of entry into Australia when booking flights.
She recommended flying directly to your intended destination to prevent issues crossing state borders after serving mandatory 14-day isolation.
The student also advised flyers to be wary of Australia's international arrival caps - which the federal government is narrowing from 6,070 to 3,035 by 14 July - when selecting an airline.
'In Western Australia, they were only allowing in 512 people from all around the world each week,' she said.
'If they hit that cap, then the other flights do not go, and everyone gets bumped off their flights or each flight is only allowed a certain amount of people.
'There are some airlines that are notorious for overbooking their flights and then bumping people off the lowest paying passengers, so [choose one] that doesn't.'
Next, Ms Chitty said travellers need to check the specific entry requirements of the state they will touch down in.
'Each state has a specific form you need to fill out,' she said.
Ms Chitty said travellers should consider booking an airline that does not overbook its planes to prevent being bumped off your flight. Pictured: Passengers arriving at Perth airport
The runner said travellers would need to fill out exemption forms - one to enter Australia and another for their destination state - and complete a Covid test within the 72 hours before their flight
'[It will ask you] what type of person you are, like a returning citizen or immediate family member, and then you need to type out a paragraph on why you are returning.'
Ms Chitty said she expected the form would take five to eight business days to process, but after submission, she was instantaneously granted approval via email.
Then, within 72 hours before your flight, Ms Chitty said you will need to get a Covid test, return a negative result, and fill out an exemption to come into Australia form, which assesses your risk of having the virus.
She recommends printing out both the exemption form and the negative test results because airline staff will request to see them prior to boarding.
'If you do not have these two things, you will not be allowed on the flight,' Ms Critty said.
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'You might be allowed to fill the form out at the airport, but you must have a negative Covid test 72 hours or less before departure or you won't get on the plane.'
Although trying to flying during a pandemic is shrouded by uncertainty, Ms Chitty said the best defence against being knocked back at the border was organisation.
'Up until I left JFK airport, I knew there was a chance I would be bumped off the flight or that it would no go because of restrictions and arrival caps.
'But in terms of my trip it went very smoothly... I knew it was just a chance I had to take.'
The final phase of the plan to open Australia involves no travel restrictions. Pictured: Australians evacuated from South America landing at Brisbane International Airport in April 2020
Ahead of Friday's National Cabinet meeting, Ms Palaszczuk wanted the caps cut in half while Mr Andrews wanted the numbers cut by up to 80 per cent.
'We are at a pressure cooker moment,' Ms Palaszczuk told reporters in Brisbane on Wednesday as the state's quarantine hotels filled up due to domestic border restrictions and international arrivals.
Mr Andrews agreed, saying: 'It won't be easy to lock some people out. But locking some people out is much better than locking everybody down.'
Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews on Wednesday said the caps should not be cut because Australians should be allowed to come home and Chief Medical Officer Professor Kelly said only six in 1,000 international arrivals had Covid-19.
Ms Andrews called the move a 'smokescreen' to distract from the Queensland Government's own failures.
Last week's lockdown of Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Townsville was sparked after the State Government let an infected hospital clerk, 19, work while unvaccinated and put a FIFO worker in quarantine next to high-risk international travellers from whom he caught Covid before spreading the disease in the Northern Territory.
'Clearly what Annastacia Palaszczuk is doing [putting] up a smokescreen to hide the inefficiency and ineffectiveness of quarantine that is administered and managed by the Queensland Government,' Ms Andrews said in a press conference at the Gold Coast on Wednesday.
New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian - whose state has taken half of all returned travellers - said she didn't agree but accepted the decision.
'I am disappointed that every State hasn't done its fair share but I appreciate and have to respect the decision of National Cabinet,' she said.
'I don't support the view that other Premiers have that this means mistakes aren't going to happen and we're not going to have outbreaks. That is still going to occur,' she warned.
Scott Morrison is pictured leaving quarantine after two weeks in his house in Canberra following the G7 summit
The cut to travel caps came as Mr Morrison outlined a four-phase transition towards living with Covid and finally ending the cycle of lockdowns and border closures.
The Prime Minister hailed a 'new deal for Australians' as he explained the stages titled vaccinate, prepare and pilot; post vaccination phase; consolidation phase; and final phase.
The pace of the plan - which will eventually let the country manage Covid like flu - depends on the vaccine rollout, with lockdowns eliminated once a certain percentage of Aussies have been fully jabbed with two doses.
'I have made it very clear today what is on the other side. If we all get vaccinated then this all changes,' Mr Morrison said.
'The pathway we have agreed today gives all Australians encouragement and much needed hope in what has been a very difficult time.'
The plan was announced after 12 million Australians were locked down last week due to several outbreaks across the nation.
The plan came after 12 million Australians were locked down last week due to several outbreaks across the nation. Pictured: A runner during Sydney lockdown on Friday
