After over two years of waiting Australia opened up to international visitors from February 2022. The COVID-19 pandemic was not over, but countries had decided they could live with it. There were restrictions, though, with masks required to be worn at all time, except when eating on drinking on the flights.
Travellers were required to take a paid for PCR test and complete Australia's version of the passenger location form. You also needed to be fully vaccinated with proof either via the NHS app or in paper form.
This was along with the need to have a valid tourist visa and valid passport.
All the above paperwork was required to be checked at the Heathrow check-in desk before you were allowed to be given a ticket to travel the whole route to Melbourne, in my case via Singapore.
Before the flight I also had to check the rules for transitting via Changi Airport in Singapore. For that they required me to be fully vaccinated with proof needed to be shown at their gate checkin.
On the flights all the options for food and entertainment were made available via the Singapore Airlines app so there was less items that were being passed around, potentially infected with COVD-19.
All the airlines had set rigorous protocols for extra cleaning to take place along with
the air in the cabins being refreshed and cleaned for regularly by the systems on board. The newer composite aircraft such as Boeing's Dreamliner 787 and Airbus's A350 were well suited to this. Older aircraft such as Boeing's 777 and Airbus's A380 had there systems setup to be as clean and fresh as possible
On the Singapore Airlines flights there was continued announcements, both over the tannoy and the in flight entertainment system, telling you to please put on your mask if not eating.
After checking in a the Changi gate at Singapore for my final flight vaccination proof had to be shown along with passport and ticket.
At Tullamarine airport in Melbourne the e-gates could be used and as your vaccination records were electronically connected to your passport, along with the necessary visa, you swiftly were allowed through to wait for your luggage (still wearing your mask).
Then you were able to meet up with family or taxi to take you to your Melbourne suburb to be with family and friends for the first time in over 2 years!
