30 April 2019
Who does this notice affect?
Aircraft operators, airline representatives and stakeholders who are currently engaged in, or intend to engage in, a double catering agreement with the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (the department) to retain goods (including unconsumed inflight provisions) on-board an international aircraft whilst in port.
What has changed?
From 1 June 2019 the department will no longer enter into double catering agreements with aircraft operators.
From 1 June 2019, aircraft operators who wish to retain goods on-board an aircraft whilst in port will no longer need to request permission from the department to do so under a double catering agreement, provided certain requirements are met. These requirements are:
- Any goods (excluding passenger baggage and cargo) retained on-board an aircraft must be secured, contained, isolated or otherwise protected from pillaging and interference.
- Any goods (excluding passenger baggage and cargo) that are removed from an aircraft must be done so:
- by a biosecurity industry participant operating under a Class 10.2 approved arrangement for the collection of biosecurity waste; OR
- under the supervision of a biosecurity officer and subject to fee-for-service charges.
It is the aircraft operator’s responsibility to ensure that these requirements are met. If an aircraft operator is found to be non-compliant with these requirements, a biosecurity officer may issue a direction to the aircraft operator.
Any existing agreements and their associated conditions will be voided from 1 June 2019.
Further information
Double catering agreements were introduced under the Quarantine Act 1908 to manage the biosecurity risk of goods that are not considered cargo or traveller’s baggage and are retained on-board an aircraft. The Biosecurity Act 2015 provides for numerous controls that manage the risk of goods brought into Australian territory, including in-flight provisions that remain on landed aircraft, and make redundant previous agreements established under the Quarantine Act 1908.
For further enquiries, please contact the department at Arrivals.