NZ Blocked to non-residents/NZ citizens, AU until Apr 13, others May 2 2022

[AviationNZ]

7 / 10 day home iso is definitely there for the start, but they have said it'll reduce in line with what's happening locally, so fingers crossed by the time the Omicron wave comes and goes in a few months, it will be a thing of the past!
They're going to start releasing the hotels back to normal use, so this time around it's going to be very hard to reintroduce MIQ should circumstances change (which they will).

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

Stuff

i.stuff.co.nz

Just saw this on the news. Feb 27th for Kiwis in Australia. I will believe it when I see it. Not sure what the requirements would be like. 10 days of home isolation would make it pretty hard unless you are returning home to family.

Midnight Feb 28 for NZers.
July for Australians.
Subject to change.
Will be reviewed Feb 20.
No point in making bookings yet IMO.

 

[N860CR]

I don’t really understand what places like NZ are waiting for. They’ve got a high vaccination rate. What will be better in 6-9 months time?

 

[jakeseven7]

Yawn another attempt by NZ to placate and stall at the same time..... I honestly was a JA fan until this mess now everytime she starts talking about borders, visitors, etc it just descends into a monotone like mosquito whine in my ears - same old rhetoric, no decisions. What a mess.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Midnight Feb 28 for NZers.
July for Australians.
Subject to change.
Will be reviewed Feb 20.
No point in making bookings yet IMO.

Sigh.

I don’t really understand what places like NZ are waiting for. They’ve got a high vaccination rate. What will be better in 6-9 months time?

Er....everything! Sunshine, lollipops, rainbows everywhere...

 

[jakeseven7]

I don’t really understand what places like NZ are waiting for. They’ve got a high vaccination rate. What will be better in 6-9 months time?

Nothing. Peoples mental health continues to deteriorate, tourism and anything that relies on the movement of people in pain for <insert infinity> time....

 

[Mwenenzi]

Yawn another attempt by NZ to placate and stall at the same time..... I honestly was a JA fan until this mess now everytime she starts talking about borders, visitors, etc it just descends into a monotone like mosquito whine in my ears - same old rhetoric, no decisions. What a mess.

In NZ the CV19 response in 75% politics and 25% health [have spent ~equal time in AU & NZ during the pandemic]. Announcements are a stage managed PR showtime. Since late 2021 Cindy only shows if "good news". H3 rolled out to fight CV19-PR fires. (some of those have been started by Chipper).
The late vaccination start, late booster, head in sand approach to RAT and late/slow orders of RATS is starting to bite NZ hard. The advantage gain in 2020 has been 100% wasted. But some in NZ know the world, including AU, is opening and restrictions being elimanted.

NZ Govt
When New Zealand's borders open
How to self-isolate

The ongoing requirement to self isolate (until Oct?) wll not fly. For example someone from AU going for a weeks ski holiday in the NZ winter (July) will need to self isolate for 7-10 days before they hit the slopes. Does the NZ govt really believe anyone will do that? The hotels and airlines will not.

Step 4 — July 2022

The following fully vaccinated people can enter New Zealand and self-isolate upon arrival:

• All travellers from Australia.
• Visitors from countries who do not need a visa (visa waiver visitors)
• Travellers arriving under the Accredited Employer Work Visa categories.

Sad times for NZ and the tourist industry. (Going, gooing gooone??)

 

[henrus]

Yeh no way I'm traveling to NZ in July if they require a 10 or 7 day home isolation. Can't imagine many tourists doing the same thing.

 

[AviationNZ]

I made a call back in late November, pre-Omicron arriving on the scene globally in any meaningful way, that JA would pull forward the plan they had at that time (NZ Border locked to non-residents/NZ citizens until April 30 2022).

I may sound like a cracked record, but I'm going to repeat the same thing again now. 7/10 day isolation won't exist by July, and I even think that July date will come forward a month or two (yes, I know, JA said it probably would come forward), and same for the October date too.

As mentioned by @Mwenenzi , it's mostly politics, and with a drop in the polls and an election next year, you wait for the "look at how well we've done", "we're so highly boosted", "we've managed the Omicron wave better than anyone" commentary over the coming months!

 

[drron]

Some Kiwis overseas really want to get back. A bit embarrassing.

Rejected by New Zealand, pregnant TV reporter Charlotte Bellis turns to Taliban

Charlotte Bellis says it is "brutally ironic" that she had once questioned the Taliban about their treatment of women but is now asking the same questions of her own government.

www.abc.net.au

 

[Princess Fiona]

I plan on self-isolating at Coronet Peak.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Some Kiwis overseas really want to get back. A bit embarrassing.

Rejected by New Zealand, pregnant TV reporter Charlotte Bellis turns to Taliban

Charlotte Bellis says it is "brutally ironic" that she had once questioned the Taliban about their treatment of women but is now asking the same questions of her own government.

www.abc.net.au

Have no sympathy to the NZ government. But this is just attention seeking IMO

 

[burmans]

10 days of home isolation would make it pretty hard unless you are returning home to family.

I would be returning to family (and retired) but 10 days is too much for me, 7 I would at least consider but it's only when they get down to 3/4 days I'd definitely do it.

Post automatically merged: Feb 3, 2022

Have no sympathy to the NZ government. But this is just attention seeking IMO

Of course she's seeking attention, but then again I think most in her position would do the same if they had the opportunity, she is just lucky that her role offers her one.

 

[burmans]

I don’t really understand what places like NZ are waiting for. They’ve got a high vaccination rate. What will be better in 6-9 months time?

My suspicion is that despite everything they will have had a wave (Omicron or otherwise), its just a matter of time.

 

[NamarrgonFlyer]

Will QF increase flights to Sydney after today's news?

 

[henrus]

Will QF increase flights to Sydney after today's news?

I can't see a rush of tourism to Australia... after all those from NZ travelling to AU still need to complete 10 days of home isolation upon return. I'm surprised Qantas has even been running 2 pax flights per week over this period.

 

[burmans]

I can't see a rush of tourism to Australia... after all those from NZ travelling to AU still need to complete 10 days of home isolation upon return. I'm surprised Qantas has even been running 2 pax flights per week over this period.

At least home isolation can be accessed by (almost) everyone unlike MIQ so I expect some increase but I’d agree most won’t be rushing.

 

[Beasley]

This woman completely ruined our family skiing holiday in NZ last year with a "last minute" bubble cancellation.

We had been considering returning this year to utilise the Air NZ flight credits however there is no way I will take the risk now ..... we use the flights to travel elsewhere. I'm afraid we wont consider holidaying in NZ until she is no longer PM. Other destinations will get our hoiday budget until she is gone.

 

[henrus]

At least home isolation can be accessed by (almost) everyone unlike MIQ so I expect some increase but I’d agree most won’t be rushing.

One question I haven't seen answered yet is how people are expect to behave once in home isolation.

For example in the early days of the Queensland home isolation you had to fly directly into the airport (no transits once in the state), travel via private transport to your home, home location could only be up to a 2 hour drive from the airport.

Australia has shown this doesn't work, the reasoning behind NSW opening up is the amount of money/effort spend on policing home quarantine just wasn't worth it. A part of me wonders if they no longer have access to Australian news over there, NZ are going to find their covid cases will climb very quickly after opening to home quarantine and I really hope this causes a rethink of the current strategy.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

One question I haven't seen answered yet is how people are expect to behave once in home isolation.

For example in the early days of the Queensland home isolation you had to fly directly into the airport (no transits once in the state), travel via private transport to your home, home location could only be up to a 2 hour drive from the airport.

Australia has shown this doesn't work, the reasoning behind NSW opening up is the amount of money/effort spend on policing home quarantine just wasn't worth it. A part of me wonders if they no longer have access to Australian news over there, NZ are going to find their covid cases will climb very quickly after opening to home quarantine and I really hope this causes a rethink of the current strategy.

Well perhaps Qld might be a good 'measuring stick' - similar population total, going from covid-zero to covid-open