Covid 19 coronavirus: Anxious Kiwi travellers flight plans up in the air as Melbourne cases grow

Will Kiwis planning to fly to Australia in the coming days be forced to cancel their flights with Covid cases growing in Melbourne? Photo / 123RF

Anxiety is growing among Kiwis planning to travel to Melbourne in the coming days.

It comes after a fifth community case in the city was discovered overnight - man in his 60s. It has prompted a raft of new restrictions to be introduced across Melbourne tonight.

People contacted by the NZ Herald with designs on flying to the Australian city have been rocked by the growing number of cases, but appear to be standing by their plans - for now.

Minoo, who asked for his last name not to be published, and his wife were planning to visit their daughter in Melbourne in about two weeks, but are now frantically trying to get vaccinated as positive Covid case numbers rise.

Minoo, a 61-year-old with hypertension (high blood pressure), was told the earliest he could get vaccinated was June 21. However, he said the recent developments had caused great uncertainty.

"We are worried and not sure what we should be doing."

Chris Hutton, who was set to fly to Melbourne on Sunday to see friends, had the feeling history was repeating itself as his flight across the ditch last year had been cancelled.

"It's a bit of déjà vu," he said.

However, the 33-year-old from Auckland was sticking to his guns - quietly confident this outbreak would be contained.

"I am a wee bit apprehensive but given it's almost three months since an outbreak, I thought I was kind of in the clear.

"I think that I've lived through enough lockdowns in New Zealand to gauge the severity level."

Should the worst happen, Hutton was glad he had people to stay with if the bubble closed while he was in Australia.

Sharn Pune was hoping to celebrate her brother's 31st birthday in Geelong, southwest of Melbourne, with a flight booked for Thursday.

While she felt comfortable travelling with the city's current Covid situation, Pune said it would be a nervous wait.

"It's definitely nerve-wracking, I'm sure everyone else who is planning to travel is feeling the same."

Dethnakhone Souvannalath, who lives in Whangārei, was set to see his 72-year-old partner's daughter in what would be their first trip to Australia in two years.

Souvannalath didn't have many concerns about himself but feared for his older partner if they did make the trip.

"I feel fine to go because I'm still young, but I worry about him going by himself."