For the first time passengers can fly to Australia quarantine free, but it's far from 'back to normal'. Photo / Annie Spratt
For the first time passengers can fly to Australia quarantine free, but it's far from 'back to normal'. Photo / Annie Spratt
With hours to go before the first quarantine-free flights depart New Zealand for Australia, the Australian ministry of home affairs has published their updated guidelines for Kiwis looking to hop the ditch.
For the first time in half a seven months passengers have the opportunity to fly from New Zealand to parts of Australia without a lengthy quarantine process, but only following these rules:
New Zealand citizens can travel to Australia visa free.
They will have to sign a declaration confirming they have not left New Zealand within 14 days or visited a Covid 19 "hot spot". Where these hot spots are will be up to review by the Australian Ministry of Health.
There are currently no hotspots listed in New Zealand. Other nationals can travel to Australia from New Zealand under the same criteria but, at present, they will not be able to book return travel unless they have an exemption. It will be a one way ticket.
All passengers will be required to fill in a Covid-19 Declaration form before check-in, confirming they do not have any symptoms or have not been in contact with any known cases in the last 14 days.
Then it's off.
On arrival to Australia passengers will be the first to try out airports' Covid separation procedures.
The quarantine-free flights will be separated from all other arriving into "red" and "green" zones. Passengers arriving on a quarantine-free flight will be escorted through to "green zone" screening – and out into Australia.
Passengers Transiting New Zealand or arriving on other services will be taken to mandatory quarantine facilities.
Flights may be hard to come by. Australia still has a cap on international arrivals. Sydney is limited to 350 passengers a day which will be reviewed on 24 October.
There will be six quarantine-free flights a week operated by Air New Zealand, with a further two flights bound for Sydney quarantine facilities.
While New Zealanders are able to travel to Northern Territory under the new rules, Air New Zealand says it is not able to book passengers onto onward flights.
"Passengers planning to travel interstate beyond New South Wales will need to ensure they have checked state and territory travel restrictions and have the appropriate exemptions/approvals to travel as these continue to change," advises the airline.
The one way nature of the safe travel zone means that Australians will not be able to book return fares.
"If you are an Australian citizen or a permanent resident you cannot leave Australia due to COVID-19 restrictions," says the Australian department of Home Affairs. Travel to New Zealand will be only for New Zealand citizens or those granted exemption to entry requirements.
Returning passengers will have to spend 14 days and over $3100 in quarantine facilities. With the prospect of self-funded quarantine, Air New Zealand says only 10 per cent of passengers have booked return fares.
