New Zealand Travel Bubble Announcement

[Mattg]

NSW closed to NZ for 48 hours

Hopefully this pause is indeed just for 48 hours and quarantine-free travel can resume soon...

 

[jakeseven7]

Something tells me that Australia will get added to that bubble rather quickly.

The NZ prime minister has said that it's up to the Cook Islands to allow those who've been in Australia in the last 14 days in. Give it a week or two and I suspect Australia will be added to that list leaving the Australian government with no choice but to add the Cook Islands to the safe travel list.

Let's face it they've had no confirmed cases throughout the pandemic and we've even recently had someone travel RAR-AKL-PER. For the Cook Islands, it's a big boost (huge market) and Jetstar who used to fly to Raro has even said they won't be returning until Australia is added to the bubble.

I wonder if QF will fly there...

 

[henrus]

I wonder if QF will fly there...

Well JQ previously flew from AKL with plenty of reward seats available and with the addition of a QF code on the JQ service, cash fares were reasonable for a AU-AKL-RAR return ticket.

JQ has already said they'll resume when CK adds AU (and vv) to the bubble, as a result, I doubt QF will bother however if they do there is always the potential for an A330/787 service from Australia.

 

[burmans]

If its limited to 48 hours, I suspect lots of people will be trying to rebook for Sunday/Monday instead

Can't see it only lasting 48 hours when they have not yet found the missing link, i.e. this person is likely still in the community and infecting others. NSW itself is 72 hours and can't see them opening up if NSW is still being cautious. And could be somewhat longer if that missing link not found fast!.

I was due to fly tomorrow for 9 days, just got the text from QF saying they had cancelled my flight and rebooked on a flight beyond 48 hours, but no evidence from looking at the booking itself of new flight so haven't a clue as to what they have moved me to.

Flight looked less than half full when I checked in today so those looking to book may be ok, in my case will probably defer for a month or two.

 

[Beano]

*would* be packed…

Yup. "would" if there is doubt about it going ahead. Hope not. Monday morning is not a pleasant option, and I would miss my first meeting.

 

[Beano]

Can't see it only lasting 48 hours when they have not yet found the missing link, i.e. this person is likely still in the community and infecting others. NSW itself is 72 hours and can't see them opening up if NSW is still being cautious. And could be somewhat longer if that missing link not found fast!.

I was due to fly tomorrow for 9 days, just got the text from QF saying they had cancelled my flight and rebooked on a flight beyond 48 hours, but no evidence from looking at the booking itself of new flight so haven't a clue as to what they have moved me to.

Flight looked less than half full when I checked in today so those looking to book may be ok, in my case will probably defer for a month or two.

checked my seat selection 3 days out and half the plane looks empty, but that's normal at the best of times.

 

[Lynda2475]

NSW itself is 72 hours

A few minor restrictions, no lockdown, no cancelled events.

It is entirely possible they will find the missing link in the next 48hours, given they know it is most likely a worker and that's a known pool of people over the 4 day window.

If they dont find the link, but testing numbers are good and no further cases also likely to reopen.

 

[Beano]

A few minor restrictions, no lockdown, no cancelled events.

It is entirely possible they will find the missing link in the next 48hours, given they know it is most likely a worker and that's a known pool of people over the 4 day window.

If they dont find the link, but testing numbers are good and no further cases also likely to reopen.

I like your optimism. Thank you.

 

[burmans]

A few minor restrictions, no lockdown, no cancelled events.

It is entirely possible they will find the missing link in the next 48hours, given they know it is most likely a worker and that's a known pool of people over the 4 day window.

If they dont find the link, but testing numbers are good and no further cases also likely to reopen.

Yep, interesting you used the word possible rather than probable. If they don’t find the link quickly the chances that testing numbers will be good would seem somewhat fanciful given our knowledge of this virus developed over the last year. Wishful thinking has never been an effective management strategy in my experience.
And in the meantime this ‘missing link’ has been out and about for days and clearly infectious.

 

[Lynda2475]

Why are good testing numbers fanciful? Did you forget NSW holds the record for the most number of people tested on a single day at 68,900 last December. People come out in big numbers when there is a reason.

NSW doesnt rely on wishful thinking, they rely on testing, contract tracing and proportionate restrictions. Genomic sequencing was done in less than a day, half the time it has taken in other recent outbreaks. Compliance will be good because the ask isnt over kill.

 

[Lynda2475]

And in the meantime this ‘missing link’ has been out and about for days and clearly infectious

Yes but the WA cases were out in community for a similar period of time. As was the missing link in the recent Brisbane lanscaper case until they were found. Neither ended in mass infections and they were variants of concern.

So far the close contacts of the couple have all tested negative. The missing link who infected the BBQ guy however may have been out and about much less than the BBQ guy, we dont know.

Time will tell, no point in panicking unless its proved to be a problem.

 

[henrus]

We've all seen the framework (the thing below in terrible quality):



Interestingly the WA outbreak did see the orange level pause however things just returned back to normal despite all this the orange framework does have the ability for flights to resume but with things like pre or post travel testing, perhaps NSW might be the first example of this happening?

 

[burmans]

Yes but the WA cases were out for a similar period of time. Aswws the missing link in the recent Brisbane lanscaper case until they were found. Neither ended in mass infections and they were variants of concern.

So far the close contacts of the couple have all tested negative. The missing link who infected the BBQ guy however may have been out and about much less than the BBQ guy.

Time will tell, no point in panicking unless its proved to be a problem.

I’m not panicking, but we’ll know in two or three days who’s right here! However I’m not a betting man but if I could bet against the NZ pause only lasting two days I would be doing so.

PS by fanciful I wasn’t meaning they won’t get testing rates up, more that that testing wouldn’t find anything.

 

[justinbrett]

NSW closed to NZ for 48 hours

Pretty sure that’s NZ closed to NSW for 48 hours

 

[Mrsfefe]

Can't see it only lasting 48 hours when they have not yet found the missing link, i.e. this person is likely still in the community and infecting others. NSW itself is 72 hours and can't see them opening up if NSW is still being cautious. And could be somewhat longer if that missing link not found fast!.

I was due to fly tomorrow for 9 days, just got the text from QF saying they had cancelled my flight and rebooked on a flight beyond 48 hours, but no evidence from looking at the booking itself of new flight so haven't a clue as to what they have moved me to.

Flight looked less than half full when I checked in today so those looking to book may be ok, in my case will probably defer for a month or two.

Curious to know burmans, how this situation is playing out for you with Qantas. Do you have to accept the rebooked flight? Do you have the option for a credit or refund, if it no longer suits to loose several days of your trip? Is it something you can manage online, or will it mean a call to the call centre to resolve. It seems likely this situation will arise again, so curious to know the options. It seems best to only book accomodation and car hire with last minute cancel options.

 

[burmans]

Curious to know burmans, how this situation is playing out for you with Qantas. Do you have to accept the rebooked flight? Do you have the option for a credit or refund, if it no longer suits to loose several days of your trip? Is it something you can manage online, or will it mean a call to the call centre to resolve. It seems likely this situation will arise again, so curious to know the options. It seems best to only book accomodation and car hire with last minute cancel options.

I have the option to accept/cancel or get a credit. Haven’t investigated further if any downside to each option, rebook is for Sunday and we will do that it if we only lose 2 days but probably not if longer as I strongly suspect will happen.

 

[Mattg]

It's not really clear to me from the media coverage and NZ government website, but when they say "flights from NSW are paused for 48 hours", do they mean that you also cannot travel from NSW to NZ via MEL/BNE? What about people who are currently in another state, but have been in NSW during the past 14 days?

Unless I’m missing something, which is quite possible, I don’t see any specific rule preventing people travelling from Sydney to NZ via another state unless they’ve been to one of the high-risk premises (such as a BBQ store last Saturday) and/or have been identified as a close contact by NSW Health?

I’m currently in regional NSW, nowhere near Sydney, and could easily fly CBR-MEL-AKL but unsure if this is allowed (I'm not trying to travel to NZ in the next few days anyway, but just wondering how the rules are applied).

Interesting that they’ve paused flights from the entire state of NSW, rather than Sydney. If this only affects flights from NSW (rather than travellers from NSW) then this makes sense as SYD is the only NSW airport with flights to NZ. But if there was a case found in Brisbane, I wonder if flights from CNS would also be suspended?

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

It's not really clear to me from the media coverage and NZ government website, but when they say "flights from NSW are paused for 48 hours", do they mean that you also cannot travel from NSW to NZ via MEL/BNE? What about people who are currently in another state, but have been in NSW during the past 14 days?

Unless I’m missing something, which is quite possible, I don’t see any specific rule preventing people travelling from Sydney to NZ via another state unless they’ve been to one of the high-risk premises (such as a BBQ store last Saturday) and/or have been identified as a close contact by NSW Health?

I’m currently in regional NSW, nowhere near Sydney, and could easily fly CBR-MEL-AKL but unsure if this is allowed (I'm not trying to travel to NZ in the next few days anyway, but just wondering how the rules are applied).

Interesting that they’ve paused flights from the entire state of NSW, rather than Sydney. If this only affects flights from NSW (rather than travellers from NSW) then this makes sense as SYD is the only NSW airport with flights to NZ. But if there was a case found in Brisbane, I wonder if flights from CNS would also be suspended?

I haven't checked the latest pause but assume it will be the same as the previous WA pause. Not allowed to travel to NZ if have been in WA. Ie cant reroute through another state.

 

[PineappleSkip]

That's my interpretation of this also. To come from NSW you an exemption, and need to book into MIQ if you have one. And I understand that MIQ places rank with hens teeth on the scarcity scale. The banning of NSW is in line with WA's blunt object concept of a hotspot, rather than common sense.

cheers skip

 

[Lynda2475]

Assuming things reopen my boss is now flying on Monday.