Cool: Qantas 787 Flies 10,000+ Miles To Saint Lucia

As an Australian: No, not cool.
Politicians (Scomo and eventually Palachook), cricketers and anyone with wealth seem to be able to fly in and out of the country as they wish.
Meanwhile I've had to say goodbye to dying loved ones overseas via FaceTime.

Yes, the cricket teams have to go through the full quarantine process in Australia like everyone else. The only difference is that there are privately funded dedicated facilities for them so they don't take away from the "quota" for other returning residents.

"I’m curious to see if the team has to go through the standard two week hotel quarantine upon returning to Australia."

Ben the answer to that is 100% yes. Scott Morrison (our PM) who has been fully vaccinated even had to do 2 weeks quarantine after coming back from G7 (admittedly he didn't have to do it in a hotel but the cricket players will)

I'd expect the plane to stay in Saint Lucia unless there is maintenance it can have performed nearby. There is the crew aspect, but given Qantas has almost no int'l flights at the moment, I can't imagine the plane is needed and they may have found a crew willing to spend a month outside of Australia.

Isn't ScoMO in isolation followign his visit to Europe?

If the crew is based in SYD, than a couple of weeks in the Caribbean is like winning the lottery.

"Will a Qantas 787 then come and pick up the players in a few weeks, and if so, how will that flight be routed, since I can’t imagine that could be flown nonstop with a significant number of people and bags onboard?"

A refueling stop at Tahiti would be the most logical option.

Aircraft is repositioning UVF-LAX on Wednesday and then LAX-BNE

I live in St. Lucia and I am an Australian through my parents. If it wasn't for Covid I would jump at the chance to fly to Australia direct, spend a couple months there and jump back on the same plane coming back to collect the players!! Oh well, one can only dream.....

I'm St. Lucian, great article! I wish the team the best, hope the crew stays to enjoy paradise and leave after the games.

Big question, who’s paying for this ? Cricket Australia better have deep pockets

Whaddaya know? From CA's web site, it appears that Qantas is the naming rights sponsor of the tour, so I guess that answers the question. That said, CA does have deepish pockets. You may recall Ben reported on the La Compagnie charter for the Australian Men's tour to England last year. (Not as deep as the BCCI, which paid all sorts of money for quarantine accommodation and flight expenses for players returning home from the cancelled IPL last month. An Air Seychelles charter from the Maldives to Sydney for the Australians involved.)

Well as a Melbourne gal who has been involved in tourism in St Lucia since 1972 so sorry I will miss the return flight
Any chance of this becoming a regular route?

I'd say nil, unless Qantas includes St Lucia in a stop or its round the world tours. Lets enjoy while it lasts and have a great game.

The Aussies will be also quarantined there in st Lucia before the first t20 game & the. Will have to do a full 2 week quarantine when they return. It’ll be interesting because they have to go to Dubai for the t20 cricket World Cup beginning October so will they go home and quarantine just to get back on the plane to Dubai or will they head somewhere like England to practice & stay together as a team remains to be seen

Dec, do you have an idea of what time departure is planned? I live in St Lucia & would love to go see that.

Hi Edgar have you booked your flight home yet?

Dream

Just out of interest I have just checked Flight Radar 24 and I put in the aircraft registration and the only record for that aircraft is Brisbane to Lax on the 6th of July

It looks like that particular aircraft is still in Lax