Travellers are still flocking to Sydney from Melbourne, despite Gladys Berejiklian urging them to stay home.
Dozens of people landed at Sydney Airport on a flight from Melbourne on Wednesday morning.
It comes after NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian told travellers from Victoria’s new coronavirus hot spots not to travel to NSW and has told businesses to turn them away if they do.
Passengers told Daily Mail Australia that just one in ten people were wearing face masks on the flight, despite scientists insisting it helps stop the spread of coronavirus in enclosed spaces.
Their arrival comes amid an outbreak of COVID-19 cases in outer-suburban Melbourne, with an additional 20 cases confirmed on Wednesday.
An 80-year-old man also died on Tuesday night from COVID-19 in Victoria.
A woman in a puffer jacket and face mask carries her book as she makes her way through Sydney Airport on Wednesday after flying from Melbourne
A man in a black face mask and leather jacket makes his way to baggage claim after flying to Sydney
Passengers carry backpacks through the terminal after the early morning flight from Melbourne to Sydney
Jade, who arrived mid-morning from Melbourne, said her Qantas flight had been half full with all middle seats empty.
‘I’m in Sydney for two days for work,’ she told Daily Mail Australia.
‘I don’t live in any of the virus hot spots, and I don’t have symptoms so I think it’s fine.’
Nick Kash, 19, flew from Melbourne where he studies at university, to Sydney for his grandfather’s funeral.
‘The middle seats were empty, which was great. It made me feel a bit more comfortable.
‘The staff were handing out masks too. I recently flew from Brisbane to Victoria which was even better, it was a big international jet, so had loads of space.’
One man, who was travelling to Sydney for work, said it felt like any normal flight.
‘It was the same as always, just a lot less people. I had to come for work, so didn’t have much of a choice.’
Another traveller, who gave his name only as Ben, said he went for a COVID-19 test on Monday to ensure he was safe to travel.
‘It’s a Melbourne thing,’ he said. ‘It was for other people, I wanted to make sure I wasn’t infectious before I flew. It’s scary what’s happening there, you have to be careful. Other passengers weren’t wearing masks.’
Another passenger, who travelled to Melbourne for her best friend’s funeral, said she would have preferred to avoid flying.
A man in a grey jacket lands at Sydney Airport from Melbourne on Wednesday morning
A man wearing a face mask is seen on the escalator at Sydney Airport on Wednesday morning
Two men ride the escalator at Sydney airport after arriving on the Virgin Australia flight from Melbourne
‘I was in Victoria for a funeral, she was my best friend so I had to go. I was worried on the flight, so I’m happy to be home.’
Victoria has seen a significant number of community transmissions over the past two weeks.
The six hotspots which have been identified are in the local government areas of Hume, Casey, Brimbank, Moreland, Cardinia and Darebin.
The spike saw NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian take a hardline on travellers arriving from Victoria, telling NSW tourism vendors to turn them away.
‘I would definitely encourage organisations to consider who to allow on their premises and where they’re coming from,’ Ms Berejiklian said.
‘I call on all organisations not to interact with citizens from Melbourne at this stage.
A group of people walk through the almost empty terminal at Sydney airport carrying backpacks
‘Have activity elsewhere and I note a number of organisations have already taken on that advice.
‘And as for resorts and other locations in NSW, they are at liberty to accept or reject any traveller.’
NSW recorded just one COVID-19 case – in a returned traveller in hotel quarantine – in the 24 hours to 8pm on Monday from more than 8000 tests.
Some 3150 COVID-19 cases have been reported in NSW to date, with none in intensive care.
While thousands of Victorians hit the streets to protest as part of the Black Lives Matter movement, the state government has pointed the finger at families for Victoria’s recent spike in infections.
Over the weekend, 44 new cases of COVID-19 were diagnosed in the state, after Australia enjoyed weeks of single digit transmissions.
On Saturday, Victoria scrapped plans to ease COVID-19 restrictions after another double-digit rise in new cases.
‘It is unacceptable that families anywhere in our state can, just because they want this to be over, pretend that it is,’ Premier Daniel Andrews said.
‘It is pretty clear that behind closed doors…they are not practising social distancing.’
Mr Andrews forcefully warned sick people against leaving their homes, saying just one person pretending everything is okay could infect many others.
‘We simply can’t pretend that the virus is gone, that the virus is somehow not in our state,’ he said.
‘It doesn’t matter how many people are doing the wrong thing – everybody, everybody will pay the price if we get to a point where restrictions either localised or across the state need to be re-introduced.