An Australian woman has been granted permission to rush home from New York and leave hotel quarantine early to visit her dying father in hospital - while another was forced to say goodbye to her dad over Skype.
Anna Coffey, 32, flew to Sydney from New York last week after her 80-year-old father John suffered a stroke and went into palliative care in a Melbourne hospital.
She was allowed to leave her hotel quarantine early after three negative tests and after securing a charter flight.
'I got two hours to visit, it was very strict,' she said. 'But it was absolutely worth it, a thousand times over,' she told the Telegraph.
The decision is in stark contrast to the choice made for Gillan Hannah, who also flew home from the US to see her dying father, only to have her appeal for an early release rejected despite being double vaccinated - instead watching him die over Skype.
Charity Angel Flight donated a charter plane to help Ms Coffey fly back to Melbourne to see her father in St Vincent's Hospital - which proved the difference for the 32-year-old and other rejected appeals - including that of Ms Hannah's.
State governments have only approved situations on compassionate grounds if the person has sourced a charter flight as they are unable to sit on a plane with other Australians.
Anna Coffey, 32, flew to Sydney from New York last week after her 80-year-old father John suffered a stroke and went into palliative care in a Melbourne hospital
But Angel Flight Australia, a charity involved in co-ordinating non-emergency medical flights, offered to pay for her flights to Melbourne - reuniting Ms Coffey with her dying dad
Ms Coffey flew home after her 80-year-old father suffered a stroke and doctors said he didn't have long to live.
She was initially hoping to drive from Sydney to Melbourne but NSW Health told her the 'travel time' by car to Melbourne was too far - as she would need to stop to refuel and eat - and she would instead be forced to shell out $7,500 for a private plane.
'The difference in your situation is that the travel time by road from Sydney to Melbourne is approximately nine hours plus stops and you would need to travel through both NSW and Victoria,' an email from NSW Health said.
Ms Coffey (pictured) had feared she would not make it to Melbourne in time if she was forced to complete the required 14 days in Sydney quarantine
But Angel Flight Australia, a charity involved in co-ordinating non-emergency medical flights, came to her rescue in a plan confirmed on Tuesday night.
She was released from hotel quarantine at about midday on Wednesday and landed at Essendon Airport in suburban Melbourne later that afternoon.
Ms Coffey had feared she would not make it to Melbourne in time to be reunited with John if she was forced to complete the required 14 days in Sydney quarantine.
Angel Flight Australia orchestrates about 50 compassionate flights a year, many often reuniting parents with sick children.
Although it is the other way around in this case, Chief executive Marjorie Pagani immediately recognised she fit the criteria to be offered a compassionate flight.
'This young lady has already spent a fortune getting home to Australia and then to be asked to find another $7000 to $8000 is a lot,' she said.
'I'm so glad we could help out and get it done so quickly.'
Anna Coffey, 32, (left) flew to Sydney from New York last week after her 80-year-old father John (right) suffered a stroke and went into palliative care in a Melbourne hospital.
The woman was escorted from her room to a car
