Traffic light system scrapped: What it means for travel

The scrapping of the traffic light system means travel will largely return to its pre-pandemic normal from 11.59pm Monday night. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced on Monday afternoon that the Cabinet had decided to retire the system rather than tweak the settings or move the country to green. Here is how travel will be affected. Masks will no longer be required anywhere other than in healthcare settings and aged care facilities. Air New Zealand announced on Monday evening it was scrapping the requirement for passengers to wear masks, but they may still be required on some outbound international flights. That was dependent on which country the plane was flying to. It also said passengers were allowed to wear a mask if they wished to, and the same message was being sent to Air New Zealand crew. You will no longer have to wear a mask on domestic flights, public transport, Cook Strait ferries, KiwiRail services and in taxis and ride-share services. You can also go maskless at airports and transport terminals. However, masks are still “encouraged” in confined settings such as public transport and when visiting people particularly vulnerable to Covid-19. Ardern called upon Kiwis to “respect those who choose to keep wearing masks as a form of protection”.<br/>