Update - All Booked
 

Just a quick update, the MIQ spots opened up for November (2021) early this morning UK time, and I managed to book in a day that aligned with Avios reward availability in business on Qatar (in terms of the arrival date).

As soon as I had the MIQ voucher I called up the BA number in Japan, as UK was yet to open, and I know it’s a common place to call for Avios award bookings. I spoke to a helpful gentleman who was able to book us into a multi carrier reward booking, with an extra flight to Sydney for shortly after quarantine (undecided if we will take or move this yet). We had pretty much exactly the right number of Avios in our household account for 2 adults + 1 infant (topped it up recently during the Avios bonus sale)

I then went back into MIQ to add the flight details for the voucher to secure the booking.

Many thanks to those above who advised on the multi carrier booking, and suggested it safer to book on a single booking reference from London to Auckland.

I hope this thread helps others who might be looking to do a similar trip!

Well done on getting all this to line up! I hope your trip goes well.

Thanks very much! The MIQ booking was much tougher than the Avios redemption in the end!

Good outcome. Hope it all goes well for you

off topic
Now (08:20 NZ time) Nov 2021 MIQ is fully booked. 18hrs ago Nov was not showing to me. Are in NZ, but have read availability depends on where you are looking from (geo based)

To fly to AU under the AU-NZ TT bubble you need to be in NZ for 14 days after existing MIQ (so 28 days after arriving in NZ). And the usual AU visa/passport requirements

• https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ocea...nz-border.html
• https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ocea...c-islands.html

Thanks Mwenenzi ! I didn’t know that re. 14 days after quarantine.

In all likelihood we’ll try and move those flights to Sydney sometime later. The only thing is our daughter turns 2 in December, do you know if it’s possible to pay an additional amount of Avios closer to the time to upgrade her to an adult (or child) fare? Or should we consider that leg a write off?

In terms of the MIQ, it all went in apparently 30-45 minutes, however they are now releasing in batches, so what was released today, was only part of the total MIQ availability for November. Also some likely booked multiple slots until they work out their flights, so I’d expect more availability soon.

Questions about the TT bubble better asked in the dedicated TT thread and/or NZ AU CV19 threads
Cannot see the 14 days after NZ MIQ requirement, but is was there before. May be buried deeper in the text. Or has changed. link
https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/coming-australia
https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/n...fe-travel-zone
https://www.health.gov.au/news/healt...nal-travellers

With MIQ slots before was common to see availability after 48hrs when slots auto cancelled. But NZ govt has restricted availability a lot more since the full TT bubble was announced

It’s now getting close to my planned trip to NZ in November (one way from LHR to AKL, booked with Avios on QR J, as part of a multi partner award booking), and I just want to make sure I am prepared in case my wife or I test positive for Covid in the 72 hours before the flight. We are both double vaxxed, and will be keeping contact with others to a minimum in the 2 weeks leading up to the trip, but there is always a chance.

I asked this first on the QR forums, but was rightly advised this would be to do with BA. I am wanting to know what BA’s policy is on making changes to partner award ticket bookings, if a passenger tests positive for Covid in the days leading up to the award flight?

I know they would allow date changes where award availability exists - would they however, under these circumstances, allow date changes where award availability doesn’t exist, but seats are available?

If they won’t, I take it we should refund the itinerary and rebook a cash fare (not ideal at the last minute!). Alternatively, is there any insurers that would cover this, so we could book back into business flights soon after, without incurring a major additional cost?

NZ MIQ says they can move the MIQ date after arranging new flights with the airline.

Thanks for any advice on the matter!

off BA avios topic
Presumably you can enter NZ. A NZ Passport in your party? NZ (and AU) are not open to general travel
With MIQ you can change the flight number/airline if its on the same day. If the airline changes the flight, they work with MIQ to re accommodate. If you change date for any reason, would be far less confident MIQ would change. Earlier in the year I had a MIQ slot, and requested a date change, but was denied.
Now MIQ slots are a magnitude harder to get. 25,000~30,000 logged on/registered Tuesday to get 3000 slots. Link--->https://allocation.miq.govt.nz/portal/

Currently AKL is in a level 3 lockdown and the rest of NZ level 2. People cannot leave AKL, even if after exiting MIQ and hoping to go to another part of NZ. But is a changing situation. AKL level 3 may/may not change at 23:59 Tuesday 05 October. Late November is an opaque crystal ball

The NZ to AU TT bubble is closed(suspended). So currently, from NZ, AU is only open to AU citizens & permanent residents and limited others by permission (e,g sports people). 14 days days (state) quarantine required in arrival in AU. Will be weeks-months (never?) before the NZ to AU TT bubble is open. Could be state by state.

Edit
Just read your post 1 here

A report from MIQ would be good :)

Thanks, I’m aware of how much harder the MIQ situation has become, but fortunately we have a confirmed booking and there is strong anecdotal evidence they (MIQ) do help find new dates if one was to test Covid positive. Also from their official site:
So I am not too concerned about this, although it will be a challenge, just really the airline ticket right now.