Two flights carrying hundreds of Australians repatriated from India have arrived home while the federal government has tipped an additional $50 million into ensuring flights from London and Los Angeles continue.
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The special Qantas flights had left New Delhi on Thursday for Sydney and Melbourne.
The Sydney-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner arrived about 10.45am on Friday while the other flight landed in Melbourne around 11.20am.
A third planeload of Australians will arrive in Sydney from New Delhi on Sunday.
In total, about 500 Australians are being brought home after being stranded in India following the onset of the coronavirus crisis and all are expected to be quarantined in hotels for two weeks.
"People had assumed (we had) finished, but we're still welcoming Australians back from overseas in NSW," Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Friday.
"As more people leave quarantine, we are accepting more planeloads of people coming in."
About 3500 people are being quarantined in Sydney hotels, down from a total of 13,000 when border controls first came into effect.
The federal government, meanwhile, said it would commit $50 million to ensure Qantas and Virgin Australia maintain flight connections to Australia from London and Los Angeles.
"These airports are strategic hubs to help meet the remaining demand for Australians wanting get home from these destinations and surrounding regions," Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said in a statement on Friday.
The London flights would increase from one to two services per week while the flights from Los Angeles would continue to be twice weekly.
Government-supported scheduled flights from Hong Kong and Auckland will be halted, with other airlines still servicing those routes.
Australian Associated Press
