New Zealand: It will cost you twice as much to enter the country from 1 December

New Zealand charges a Border Processing Levy or Border Clearance Levy to enter their country. The levy is there to help fund New Zealand’s biosecurity regime. Mostly, you won’t be aware of the fee, as it’s usually incorporated into the airfare.

The fee will more than double from 1 December 2021. For airline arrivals the cost used to be NZ$20 – but will go up to NZ$43. If you arrive by sea – then you will get past the border for NZ$36.

The reason the government is giving for the hike is the added complications provided by COVID-19, which is probably fair enough.

No one likes an added fee, but there you go.

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.

Can’t see this stopping anyone from entering the land of the long white cloud, but just thought you ought to know.