Covid 19 coronavirus: Emirates introduces NZ flight restrictions days before India travel ban starts

Emirates will temporarily restrict uplifting any passengers from India who planned to return to New Zealand from tomorrow morning.

Passengers travelling from points in India to Dubai, and connecting to a flight to Auckland, will not be able to travel after today.

Some flights from India can connect to EK448, which operates six times a week from Dubai to Auckland.

The cut-off comes days ahead of New Zealand's temporary suspension on travel from India, which comes into force at 4pm on Sunday, April 11.

An Emirates spokesperson said customers booked on flights with Auckland as the final destination who do not meet the entry requirements would not be able to travel.

"We regret the inconvenience caused, and affected customers should contact their booking agent or Emirates call centre for rebooking options."

"Emirates remains committed to serving our customers in New Zealand and India. We look forward to resuming passenger services when conditions allow, and will continue to work closely with all relevant authorities in this regard."

The restriction will not affect passengers travelling from New Zealand to India, but for return journeys falling within these dates the same restrictions would apply, the spokesperson said.

New Zealand announced today it had suspended travel from India in response to a surge in Covid cases among travellers to this country.

The ban will remain in place until April 28.

The travel halt follows news that 17 of the 23 new Covid cases in managed isolation announced today had arrived from India.

While arrivals from India had triggered the risk assessment, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the Government would be looking at risks posed by other Covid hotspot countries.

"This is not a permanent arrangement but rather a temporary measure," Ardern said.

The temporary hold would also help reduce the risk that travellers themselves faced, she said.

Health teams would use the time until April 28 to try to plan safer ways to accept travellers from India.

But there were no guarantees officials would come up with a better solution.

"We haven't identified anything obvious ... but we have to try and do better," Ardern said.