Travel Question: Will my Royal Brunei flight be blocked from landing in Australia?

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Melbourne is being urged to revoke the airline’s rights after the Asian nation introduced tough new laws (Getty/iStock)

Q I have booked flights with Royal Brunei Airlines to travel from Heathrow to Melbourne in December. I have just found out about the sharia laws that the Sultan of Brunei is imposing, and the backlash around the world it is creating. I have heard that Australia might not let flights land there so I am extremely worried. Do you think it will happen? And can I get my money back?

Name withheld

A On 3 April 2019, the Sultanate of Brunei introduced a sharia criminal code which specifies death by stoning for certain crimes including sodomy, adultery and blasphemy. This applies on Brunei-registered aircraft even at overseas airports such as Heathrow and Melbourne. The Australian federal government is being urged by LGBT+ organisations and thousands of individuals to revoke Royal Brunei Airlines’ right to land in Australia.