Air NZ to serve drinks and snacks while face masks remain mandatory

Air NZ has announced it will be resuming its food and beverage services on all domestic flights from Thursday. These services have not been available under Covid-19 alert level 2 to minimise contact between passengers and cabin crew. “Lots of our customers told us they have been missing our usual inflight service snacks, so we have brought back our food and beverage offering to give people this option,” an Air NZ spokeswoman said. Koru Hour services – where wine or beer and cheese and crackers are offered on evening jet flights – would not return until all of New Zealand was at alert level 1. The return of the traditional tea, coffee, and cookie or corn chips comes after Air NZ said face coverings would remain mandatory on all flights until the whole country is at alert level 1. Auckland is set to stay at alert level 2 for two more weeks, with alert levels to be reviewed again on October 5. Air NZ’s current rules state anyone refusing to wear an appropriate face covering will not be allowed to board the aircraft. But the airline said customers would be allowed to temporarily remove their masks to eat or drink during the flight. “Customers will be required to keep their mask or face covering on while they are not eating or drinking,” the Air New Zealand spokeswoman added.<br/>