Qantas flight attendant fined for helping COVID-infected man cross Queensland border from NSW

A Qantas flight attendant has been fined more than $4,000 for violating Queensland’s health orders by driving a NSW man across the state’s border.

The flight attendant allegedly transported a 26-year-old man from Ballina to Brisbane on 14 July, and both have since tested positive for COVID-19, according to Queensland Police.

The man allegedly flew from Sydney to Ballina to meet the flight attendant and make the journey to Brisbane, despite the Queensland government closing its border with NSW last week.

On the way to Brisbane, the man, who is believed to have given COVID-19 to the flight attendant, also visited three shops in Chermside, using false information to check-in on 15 July.

After entering into hotel quarantine in Brisbane, police alleged he repeatedly opened his door and verbally abused hotel staff while not wearing a mask, despite knowing he had tested positive for the Delta strain of COVID-19.

Travel Weekly understands the flight attendant provided Queensland’s health department with information suggesting she had been infectious from 11 July, and may have been contagious while working across several flights on 11 and 13 July.

On 23 July, Queensland’s chief health officer Dr Jeanette Young said authorities had identified 267 passengers who may have been in close contact with the woman across six regional flights that would now need to get tested for COVID-19 and go into quarantine.

It now believed the flight attendant was not infectious until at least 14 July.

The NSW man was issued with three infringement notices for breaching health orders, including failing to comply with Queensland’s border restrictions, providing untrue information and failing to comply with the directions of an emergency officer.

His fines added up to $9,648, while the flight attendant was issued a fine of $4,135 for being party to his crimes.

Qantas declined to comment when contacted by Travel Weekly.

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