Air NZ hints MIQ for trans-Tasman flights will be dropped from Feb 28

Air New Zealand is picking that managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) will be dropped from February 28 for travellers returning from Australia. When searching the airline’s website for available flights from Australia to New Zealand, a red message beside each flight currently notes that managed isolation is required, unless passengers are transiting. However, this note has been removed from all trans-Tasman flights from February 28. Flights from Melbourne and Sydney to Auckland on February 28 are currently available for $409, while a flight from Brisbane to Auckland is available on March 1 for $404. But Air New Zealand insists this is not a new development, saying that it has had flights on sale from this date for “some time”. “On 21 December last year, the New Zealand Government announced a delay to the date New Zealanders in Australia could travel back to New Zealand without entering an MIQ facility until the end of February,” said Air New Zealand Chief Customer and Sales Officer Leanne Geraghty. ”The Government said at the time it was pushing out the start of non-MIQ travel until the end of February to help increase New Zealand’s overall protection and slow Omicron’s eventual spread. Based on that Air New Zealand amended its schedule and has had flights on sale from this date for some time.”<br/>