Originally Posted by
rienhart87
Thank you for your feedback. I appreciate your comment.
I would like to clarify that I was eligible to transit as I posses multiple entry visitor visa. I did not even need a visa to transit in Auckland as I was eligible to transit by using NZ ETA (which I also have). I and my friends were checking the news regularly. Like I have written earlier, we bought the ticket with NZ reservation office in French Polynesia (the lady asked for our nationalities, our passport numbers, etc. So she could have, at the very least, warn us against transiting in Auckland but instead she said "yeah you guys are good to go"), we checked with Auckland Airport, we checked with Immigration NZ. all pointing to the fact that we were still allowed to transit in Auckland.
Yes but NZ change the border rules so at check in you were not eligible to land or transit. NZ Citizens and Permanent residents could land and Aussies could transit. (and some vice versa where the person resided in the other country).
All the dates are a bit of a blur, March 19 (when you booked) (NZ) pretty the rules were just 14 days isolation and transit ok. Over the weekend the rules tighten.
Originally Posted by
rienhart87
With all due respect, I was a "no-show" not because I wanted to, but because I was forced to be a no-show. If my friends and I missed the sudden update from NZ govt, I can understand that. Then we would have not even tried to transit in Auckland and we would have bought ticket with other airlines to get us out of French Polynesia. But if the majority of other passengers were also unaware of the no transit policy? I don't think you can call that as our fault.
Given how dynamic the situation was with border at that point, think pax should have been paying attention. The NZ govt at that point had been saying get home as soon as possible as routes were closing, for over a week, may be two weeks?
Originally Posted by
rienhart87
I believe it has to be both ways. Like you said, pax need to be aware (I believe I was) but airlines must also help. They can't just drop the bomb like that. My point is Air New Zealand can't just get away with my money and other passengers' money like that. I paid for a safe passage, Air New Zealand only delivered half of it, then the other half should be refunded to me or at least be returned in flight credit.
AirNZ isn't privy to NZ Govt decisions about the border. The border changes were dropped on AirNZ as well and they have to comply with them immediately, there wasn't much grace period in the changes. If AirNZ ignores the border rules and they fly people they get $10k fine per pax.
You at the time of check in were not eligible to use NZ as a transit point, so AirNZ could not fly you. The NZ Govt makes the border rules not AirNZ. The T&Cs say it is up to the pax to ensure they are eligible to transit and land.