Hi flyertalk, I literally hadn't logged into the forum since 2020 but have just booked a return-to-NZ flight. Excited to get back.

I wondered if anyone else was similarly grounded for a long while (in our case nearly 2 years) and then flew long-haul again. If so, do you have any tips? What were the biggest/most relevant changes to experience from pre-covid that were important? Anything I should know / be prepared for that's different than usual which I might miss in the various official notices? Anything you used to do that you forgot to do?

Just wondered. (Will be flying w/ partner & two young kids).

The actual flying experience is very similar. The main thing right now that's different is dealing with the additional testing and paperwork requirements that many countries are still imposing.

I guess one big difference is masking. Do passengers tend to comply with the rules? I guess one has to take a mask off to eat ....

Funnily enough people seem to linger over their meals longer than they did in the past 😉 Other than the requirement to wear a mask, the flying experience is little changed.

Allow more time for check in though and double check the entry requirements for all the countries you are going to (including transits) as on a recent flight from Bangkok to Sydney I saw a few people denied boarding because they didn't have the necessary documentation.

At least Australia is now dropping the testing requirements from mid-April, so crossing the Tasman is becoming an little more normal.
https://www.executivetraveller.com/n...ing-travellers

Oh Mrs TK will be delighted to hear this as she is off to BNE/TSV in May.

re testing requirements, there are currently some conflicting instructions across Air NZ's website and the Ministry of Health info; from the sound of the instructions, it seems like the travel declaration used to include an upload of the proof of pre-departure testing but when I actually went to complete it, the only option was self-testing on arrival. So perhaps the pre-departure testing in NZ will be dropped soon as well (which I suppose makes sense, what with it being redundant to the self-testing on arrival).

What form are you looking at? Nau Mai Ra (required up intil 31st March) or NZ Traveller Declaration / NZ Traveller Pass (for travel after 1st April)?

The NZ traveller declaration site makes it very clear proof of pre-departure test is required -

• You need to provide a negative COVID-19 pre-departure test when you submit your declaration, unless you are exempt.
• You can start your declaration 28 days before your flight.
• You should submit your declaration as soon as you have your pre-departure test result, so there is time to verify and review your documents before your flight.

What I don't understand is how this form is compatible with airport based testing. If somebody decided to get a supervised RAT or PCR at an airport on the day of travel i assume you can start your declaration but won't be able to submit it until you have the proof of the test. One would hope the back end process is fully automated to approve passengers and email them the Traveller Pass immediately once this is all submitted.

The NZ declaration just has a statement that you've been tested. The proof of test result is checked before immigration (and also by airline staff before checking in for the flight).

Thanks for the info here. The source of my confusion is that the link on Air NZ's info page at https://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/trav...mJwevnN65Umqhw with the text "New Zealand Travel Declaration" takes me to Nau Mai Ra. I guess this will change on 1 April...?

The NZ Traveller Pass is what you get emailed after completing Nau Mai Ra.

I wonder if South Australia will drop its requirement for a PCR on arrival for international vaccinated visitors (this is currently in additional to Federal requirements)

Hopefully NZ does the same in April sometime...

Just to confirm this indeed changed after 1 April � Nau Mai Ra is no longer in use. Here's a screenshot:

Went to Aus this week - first international business trip in two years. Checking at Palmy on Monday morning (they had 45 international connecting pax on the flight!) I had to produce:
RAT negative test from within 2 hours
International NZ vaccine passport (I had only downloaded the international one, but it is done in two minutes if you can remember the passwords) - it looks just like the domestic passport
An Australian health declaration that asks for dates of your shots
And because I have a UK passport, proof of visa (we don't get the ETA anymore - one year multi-entry visas take 10 days which I almost found out too late)

Coming back I had to show Air NZ in SYD:
My NZ health declaration which has the RAT test result integrated but only 24 hours before (I took one at MEL airport the night before for $59)
International vaccine passport

On arrival at AKL had to hand over my written declaration and got three RAT test kits for testing on day one and day 6.
Masks on at airports and on flights. Spotty use in lounges
Long queues for economy class passengers as checking times take much longer. I saw plenty people (not on NZ) being refused travel (one person denied travel because his RAT test was 25 hours old).
I hope things change as it is a fairly anxious process, especially being tested at both ends and the potential to either have to delay travel or isolate in a foreign country for seven days.
And the fare was $1,800 return in Y. (the Works).