Thousands of stranded Australians to be brought home on repatriation flights

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says thousands more Australians stranded overseas during the coronavirus pandemic will return home as early as next week.

Mr Morrison said plans are in the final stages to bring those stranded overseas back home on repatriation flights through the Howard Springs quarantine facility near Darwin.

"There have been extensive preparations undertaken on that matter and we're in the final stages of concluding those arrangements," he told reporters from Cairns today.

Mr Morrison said today the Federal Government had been working for months to help Australians trapped overseas return home.

"Particularly those in vulnerable situations… it's probably ticked over by now, but about a quarter of those who have been identified as vulnerable," he said.

Almost 30,000 stranded Australians have informed the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) of their wish to return home, the Australian Financial Review reports.

Mr Morrison said he's disappointed that when "extra slots" to allow more flights into Australia opened, Cairns didn't help with opening up hotels for quarantine and the Queensland premier said no.

"There's capacity here but the Queensland government decided not to do that," he said.

"That would have I think given a lot of support to the hoteliers."

DFAT has been contacted for comment.