Beano

It looks like the new estimated date of the opening of Auckland domestic travel is now 3rd of November 2021.
All the domestic tickets to or from Auckland pre this date appears to have been cancelled and credited.
​​​​​​

KiaOra

I had the same impression when I found out about that this morning as one direct flight was cancelled by Air Nz and now requires a transit in Wellington.
Another explanation might be that Air NZ does the rescheduling in 2 weeks intervals?

nzkarit

I would tend agree that they are working in two weeks out. Have seen that with some non AKL related flights getting some schedule changes 2 weeks outs.

Beano

Although a couple of my flights were in November and non-refundable Airnz have credited to future travel.
PS I did notice the status points have dropped to 5 sp if there are no international flights I may have to do 169 sectors now to requalify!

cavemanzk

3 November could align with “Domestic Vax Passports” going live. For example I’m expecting that you will have to be fully Vaxed to leave AKL.

Hopefully no one comes up with introducing MIQ for travel outside of Auckland? And thus rate anything happen.

In the next couple of weeks we are going to hit an major road block for domestic travel.

The vaccination rate in AKL is now out of alignment with the rest of the country and we are largely playing the living with Covid game up here.

It would be say simpler to open to NSW, than it is to the rest of NZ.

Will be an interesting next few weeks.

Outbound24

Looks like the South Island is opening up to Aussie from this Tuesday
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-...DLBM6KJZH4OQU/

Rebound

South Island isn't opening up, simply allowing outbound travel to Australia, not back again.

cavemanzk

Ironic that NSW/VIC aren't allowing people from AKL, surely they have just as much risk as going to say an Woolworths or Coles in VIC/NSW.

Rebound

They have a system of High-Risk / Low Risk ports - not really ironic.

Xiaotung

This is probably calculated. Imagine if NSW/VIC opened to AKL residents, people would just leave, rent a home in NSW/VIC to live freely and work remotely as they do now, which would further undermine the current lockdown.

NZbutterfly

Need the Aussie international border to be fully open to NZ for that to happen. Scomo saying previously when they do open its just for Aussie citizens etc but that doesn't make much sense. I'm sure the airlines want to bring as many people in as possible and more people on the flight would offset costs surely. If they're all vaccinated with negative tests I don't see what the harm is in letting those people in with or without a testing regime. The unvaccinated citizens can sit together at the back of the plane. Taiwan did that for those travelling for emergencies that didn't have a test predeparture. Will see what November brings with Aussies international border. Fingers crossed they fully open to NZ, then it's up to the individual first ministers and watching another 8 different border rules. Hoping NSW VIC ACT have the same rules at least.

As long as they're vaccinated it doesn't undermine the current Auckland lockdown. I used to have an issue if people were fleeing so they didn't have to play by the rules, but if they're playing by the rules (eg check LOI, get tested when asked or if symptoms AND stick to their own bubble), then I don't actually have an issue if they leave the area. No different from other people returning home from hotspot regions. But now, if people have done what they've been asked to do like get vaccinated, wear masks and distance when required then they're playing by the same rules everyone else is. Keeping Auckland in lockdown because the country has crap ICU capacity is the real issue now. So much for being prepared

Anyway the sooner they get on with letting vaccinated people with negative tests travel the better.

Xiaotung

I just think it would create a really bad image for those who are stuck in Auckland seeing all those people fleeing the country. There is already a compliance issue and there are talks about going back to Level 4 this morning. I just can't imagine what kind of emotional and psychological toll it would take on people.

NZbutterfly

But public health isn't about image. It's about science and mass numbers. Hence you get individual stories that are lost in the blanket rules. Compliance issues are because people are people and not everyone gives a toss about level 3 or 4 rules. Some people have other priorities and the details of covid rules aren't their priority. So if you go back to level 4 you only restrict the people that care about level 4. Which isn't rule breakers. Lockdowns alone take a toll on people.

I've been lucky to some degree but, I'm figuring we all know that on top of general rules there are industry rules..... and for me the ones that appeared to be playing out in NZ were somewhat screwy. So leaving and flying back to Australia during lockdown was the only option and was the advice I was given. I miss home. I've barely been there since Mar 2020.


On a side note: I had all of PE to myself on that NZ flight to Perth but I was offered business upon boarding. I think most people were on the A side of business and ... for a day flight, I prefer a window seat and I'm fine with dozing in PE. I asked why I was offered business and apparently during covid the FA's have some discretion. (Makes sense of that pic of lots of people on the Singapore - Auckland flight on Air NZ.) I did feel slightly guilty as I figured it was easier from a service point of view to sit in business but... I like my windows I'm grateful I've been able to use all of my upgrades during the brief TT bubble window. And it was nice chatting to FA's during the flight and listening to their views which I've done on other flights too. May have been respectfully told off during one flight for um..."loitering" ie hanging out with the FA I took pictures of some things but decided not to post here or on social media as I didn't want to get anyone into trouble but... it was a fun flight.

I can't wait until we're through all this transitional crap!! I miss so many things

sbiddle

Yes the emotional toll here on people is real, but you have to accept we've been through nothing compared to most other countries. We haven't had to treat any environment outside our homes as being a Covid risk for 18 months like many have. The emotional toll on people here is made far worse by the fact that for 16 months people here all thought we beat Covid and won, and that many are still not accepting the fact that 2022 is going to be a very difficult year for NZ.

I know a number of people overseas who were basically mental wrecks months ago. Good law abiding people and simply didn't care about rules any longer because they were just over dealing with it. All we saw from NZers was continual mocking of those people because most of us had no comprehension of what it was like to be in that situation.

The comment I saw on Aussie TV a few nights ago summed it up best - when talking about the end of VIC rules tomorrow night one person just commented it meant the things most people were already now doing were simply not legal again.

cavemanzk

So based on the anncoucement today, "Auckland Island" is planned to stay in place until the entire country meets the 90% Double Jabbed, so maybe better luck in 2022 for Domestic Travel?
https://covid19.govt.nz/alert-levels...19-protection/