Information regarding flights and travel is hard to come by as the industry continues to be in a state of flux, with changes noted day by day, minute by minute.
A Qatar Airways employee told Neos Kosmos that despite the suspension of Qatar Airways flights to Greece emergency flights are still being carried out.
Bearing in mind that all travel from Australia is for emergency purposes only, the suspension concerns mainly Doha to Athens travellers interested in Greece for the purposes of tourism.
Neos Kosmos documented the Odyssey of Andrew Karvelas last week. He held two tickets to Greece, a cancelled one from Emirates and a Qatar Airways ticket for a supposedly ‘suspended’ flight on 9 June, but he still couldn’t fly.
With Qatar Airways phone centres down, and even though the Greek Embassy had confirmed to Neos Kosmos that flights had been suspended, Mr Karvelas went to the airport anyway and was surprised to board a plane which flew him to Athens via Doha.
“My brother left on Tuesday, and reached Greece via Qatar,” Christine Karvelas told Neos Kosmos.
“He was tested upon entry and they stayed at a hotel for one night until the results came through clear. He and my nephew are now required to stay in quarantine for another seven days.”
READ MORE: Getting a flight home, a costly Odyssey for Greek nationals stranded in Australia
Ms Karvelas said that the flight also included another traveller to Greece, which her brother reported had his flight cancelled four times.
“I am glad they left for their sake, but it’s very frustrating at this difficult time for everyone not knowing the truth,” she said.
“I wonder how many other people wanted to fly on the same day, but – like us – knew that Qatar Airways were not flying to Greece until further notice?”
Greek Consul General Dimitris Michalopoulos told Neos Kosmos that even though flights had been cancelled on 3 June, there were people already in Doha who were allowed to travel on the next flight for reasons of compassion. The official news is that Qatar Airways flights are suspended until 15 June and he was unaware of the flight that had taken place on 9 June.
A Qatar Airways official told Neos Kosmos that the next emergency flight to Greece will be on 14 June, and another on 19 June following the suspension.