Coronavirus: Merewether teacher Layne Wiseman is stuck in the UK due to passenger cap on flights to Australia

Layne Wiseman has spent the past five weeks couch-surfing with friends in the UK after her teaching contract in London ended and she was "bumped" from five different flights home.

She is among more than 18,000 Australians abroad struggling to get home due to passenger caps on flights to Australia.

"I moved here in December to work as a teacher in a school in Greater London and to travel around Europe," Ms Wiseman said.

"My plan was to stay for my full two years, but unfortunately due to COVID-19, I have had to make the decision to return home.

"As soon as Victoria went into lockdown, flight caps and mandatory paid quarantine were introduced. I knew it was going to be difficult, but I never expected it to be this hard. Right now it is seeming near impossible to get back home."

Her original flight home was booked for July 31. She has since been "bumped" from five different flights with Qatar Airways.

"The last time it was cancelled was August 19. I was at Heathrow Airport with my ticket in hand and was told I wasn't booked on the flight and the ticket I was sent was a 'standby ticket' - yet when I called that morning to double check my flight, no one told me this," she said.

"The ticket assistants apologised for the miscommunication and assured me they could get me on the next available flight... on the 25th of October - three months after my original flight."

Ms Wiseman said her partner had intended to move to London in July, but the pandemic had changed their plans.

"At the same time, my contract at my school ended and my lease was up," she said. "It's scary to be on the other side of the world, away from your partner and family.

"There seems to be no end in sight for COVID-19, and my family is the most important thing to me. I want to be home with them, not to mention running out of money quickly and having no solid employment here. I do, however, have work lined up for when I return to Australia."

Ms Wiseman said almost everyone stuck overseas was in the same position.

"The government need to remove the flight caps and allow for Australians to return home, regardless of their circumstances," she said. "At the moment, the government is allowing airlines to favour business and first class passengers, leaving economy passengers with no options other than to wait three months for another flight.

"Qatar Airways told me that the only way I could be guaranteed a flight home was if I booked a business class ticket. These tickets cost in excess of £4000 [more than $7000].

"I would like to see quarantine hotels at capacity and more hotels being filled... Hotels are struggling and are asking to be a part of the quarantine scheme.

"But quarantine hotels are reportedly not running at full capacity, so it isn't making sense to me that more Australian's aren't allowed home.

"Flight caps are simply not working in favour of citizens and this must be reviewed by Parliament - there are other ways that ensure the safety of Australia without neglecting citizens residing overseas."

Ms Wiseman said she had been sleeping on friends' couches for the past five weeks, but she had since found short-term accommodation.

"I've been lucky enough to find a cheap room in London on a week-to-week basis with a friend of a friend," she said.

"I feel very lucky that I've had so many great friends that have allowed me to stay with them and have helped me out. I would have been lost without them, I can't imagine the situation others are in without this option."

Ms Wiseman said she had a new flight booked with Singapore Airlines for October 5.

"Honestly, I'm just praying this one doesn't get cancelled," she said.

"They seem to be more reliable but I'm trying not to get my hopes up.

"I've already had to borrow money from my parents to get the flight with Singapore, as Qatar takes up to three months to receive a refund. Really, I'm just hoping to be home with my partner and family before Christmas.

"My hopes are that the government reconsiders these outrageous flight caps and listens to the many articles about people like me."

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