COVID-19: Trans Tasman – NZ-AUS travel bubble suspended from midnight tonight

With outbreaks of COVID-19 across the east coast of Australia, it is no surprise that New Zealand is suspending the travel bubble, which allows New Zealanders and Australians travel without quarantine between the two countries, from midnight on Friday 23 July.

The suspension will currently last for 8 weeks.

For New Zealanders there will be managed return flights over the next seven days for Kiwi citizens and residents to return home.

Different rules apply for which state of Australia you are returning from. If you are returning from NSW you will need a negative test, and will head into hotel quarantine in New Zealand. If you are returning from Victoria, then you need a negative pre-departure test and can quarantine at home back in NZ. Returnees from other states will still need to quarantine, but wont’ require a negative pre-departure test

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is encouraging Kiwi’s to return home within the next 7 days, otherwise they will need to find a ‘managed isolation spot’ just like any other traveller to New Zealand. Spots are not guaranteed.

2PAXfly Takeout

This is another timely reminder to wear your seatbelt when seated. Holding you close to your seat will protect you from the sort of injuries sustained on this flight, when unsecured passengers flew to the ceiling of the aircraft, and then came crashing down once the ‘drop’ ceased.

The hope will be that this is an anomaly – a ‘freak accident’ in casual parlance. If it is a systemic error either mechanical or electronic, then this is a larger concern for the airlines that fly Boeing Dreamliner 787 aircraft. Let’s hope it isn’t. If it is, it will pile on the woes to Boeing’s existing stack.