As coronavirus restrictions tighten, returning Australians risk losing their flights if they don’t upgrade to business class – ABC News

Australians returning from overseas on economy fares say airlines are cancelling their seats unless they upgrade to business class as international arrivals are reduced from today.
Key points:

• The number of international arrivals into Australia has been reduced
• Returning Australians say they cannot get home
• Economy passengers are losing seats in favour of business passengers

The National Cabinet decided on Friday that weekly arrivals into Australia would be cut from about 6,500 people to about 4,000 to ease pressure on hotel quarantine.
The further restrictions have caused panic among returning Australians like Jim Collins and his family, who have been trying to get home to Tasmania from the UK since March.
“We’ve repeatedly tried to get flights And every time we’ve been able to do that, the flights have been cancelled,” he said.
Mr Collins told 7.30 his family were rebooked to fly to Sydney last week but their seats were cancelled because they held economy tickets.
Cathy Collins with her four children.(Supplied: Jim Collins)
“We were told that the flight had been cancelled,” he said.
“But the flight actually went ahead.
“As best as I know, all economy passengers were cleared off the flight to make room, with a 50-person limit

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