Lisa Wilkinson was forced to issue an apology after taking a jab at in-flight crews in a segment about recent quarantine blunders.
The Sunday Project host was grilling infectious disease expert, Robert Booy, about NSW’s most recent coronavirus case, a hotel worker who is believed to have caught the virus from a US flight crew.
Lisa described the cabin crew workers as a “high risk group” and claimed the enjoy “significant exemptions” – a claim Mr Booy disputed.
“Well, they’re probably not high risk because we’ve not had an example before and so if we start to get more and more problems with flight crews, well and good,” the University of Sydney professor said.
“I know flight crew and I know what they do – they sleep. They usually spend a day or two and they’re off again. They don’t mix and dance and go out to parties. They’re not actually a high risk.
But Lisa quickly responded: “You obviously know different flight crews to me.”
Co-host Joel Creasy agreed, saying “yeah same”, as the three enjoyed an on-air laugh.
But the tone quickly changed, with Lisa issuing an apology to “all the flight crews out there”.
As the segment came to a close, Wilkinson clarified what she meant.
“I feel like I should follow up there,” she said. “I know so many great flight crews, none of them are Qantas that would do the wrong thing. It’s just some of those other overseas flight carriers that might not be doing the right thing.”
Her comments come after NSW Police admitted fault, saying that they “incorrectly allowed the two travellers to proceed to Melbourne”.
“Police have conducted a review after two German Nationals flew to Melbourne after arriving in Sydney on an International flight in contravention of Public Health (COVID-19 Air Transportation Quarantine) Order 2020,” the statement read.
“The pair – a 53-year-old woman and a 15-year-old boy – arrived into Sydney International Airport about 9.45 am yesterday (Saturday 5 December 2020) on a flight from Tokyo, Japan, and were screened by NSW Health.
“After being cleared, all travellers were directed to board a bus to hotel quarantine before the pair advised police that they were booked on a flight to Melbourne.
“Police made inquiries as to travel and exemptions, which subsequently allowed the pair to travel to Melbourne on a domestic flight under standard protocols for exempt travellers.
“On arrival in Melbourne, Victoria Health advised NSW Health that the pair were not in possession of an approved exemption and had been escorted to hotel quarantine, where they remain.
“The NSW Police Force has since conducted a review into the circumstances of the incident and identified police had incorrectly allowed the two travellers to proceed to Melbourne.
“Police practices and systems at the airport have also been reviewed and strengthened as a result of this incident.”
This article originally appeared on Over60.