Mwenenzi

So you have to stay in a self paid hotel in isolation for your 18~65 hours between flights?

CPMaverick

It would be great if you could share your experience with this quarantine layover scenario. I know a few people who may need to do this.

ps107

No, the facility is allocated by the authorities and paid for by Australian taxpayers but I'm allowed to leave to catch the plane.

I still don't have a permit to drive to the airport at my point of origin though

ps107

I will try to post the info when I'm on a computer. It's a bit too much text to manipulate on my phone.

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ps107

I was meaning to get onto this a lot earlier but kept putting it off. Thankfully this was emailed to me last night by Safetravel so I didn't have to do it myself...
This email has important information about requirements for transiting Australia. Please read carefully if this information affects you.

New Zealand Government does not generally provide advice on the immigration requirements of other countries. New Zealanders returning to New Zealand, who need to transit other countries/territories, should be aware that circumstances are changing quickly, and we do not have an exhaustive list of available options. The below information is current at 30 April 2020.

Before taking off

It is imperative that you check with the embassy of the country you are travelling to or transiting through and your airline/travel agent so that you have current information about your transit options. Country specific travel restrictions (including transit restrictions) are also available on the International Air Transport Association (IATA) website.

Transiting Australia on return to New Zealand

Travelers are strongly encouraged to monitor the Australian Home Affairs website for the most up-to-date and accurate information.

Given the strengthened border measures in New Zealand and Australia, travellers transiting Australia en route to New Zealand should allow extra time for check in given the likely requirement for non-Australian passport holders to be individually checked for permission to transit Australia. This permission will likely involve reference back to head office for confirmation and so may take time given high current call volumes.

New Zealanders wishing to transit Australia on their way home to New Zealand are subject to both Australian Federal and State Government requirements:

1. (Federal) The Australian Border Force’s international transit requirements for New Zealanders, which permit New Zealanders to enter Australia for transit purposes for up to 72 hours but require those undertaking transits of more than eight hours to leave the airport; and
   
2. (State) The relevant Australian State Governments’ mandatory quarantine requirements for persons arriving from overseas.
   
   A valid ticket for onward travel to New Zealand must be held, and should be shown on request.
   
   Due to domestic travel restrictions, your outbound connecting flight must be departing from the same airport in Australia as your arrival flight.
   
   Passengers with a transit period of up to 8 hours must remain airside at the airport (i.e. do not attempt to pass through immigration) and maintain social distancing, cough etiquette and hand hygiene.
   
   All transiting passengers remain subject to biosecurity and COVID-19 health screening rules (e.g. if they are presenting with COVID-19 symptoms they will not be allowed on to their connecting flight).
   
   The Australian Border Force advises that for New Zealand citizens who have transits between 8 – 72 hours (where passengers cannot stay airside and need to pass through immigration); the Australian Border Force Commissioner’s exemption to enter the country is not required. New Zealand Permanent Residents transiting Australia will need to secure an Australian Border Force Commissioner’s transit Exemption in advance of travel (see Exemptions section below).
   
   For those passengers with a transit longer than 8 hours, once they have cleared immigration and ‘arrived’ in Australia, they will be subject to the COVID-19 mandatory quarantine requirements of the relevant State Government (New South Wales, Queensland or Victoria) for persons arriving from overseas.
   
   The best option with the least risk to passengers is to arrive and complete their transit within the 8 hour, same-day window wherever possible.
   
   
   Exemptions
   
   New Zealand Permanent Residents transiting Australia will need to secure an Australian Border Force Commissioner’s transit Exemption in advance of travel. This takes up to 12 hours to process and it can be accessed via this web link: https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/transiting-australia. Travellers are encouraged to apply as early as possible prior to departure.
   
   Visa requirements on top of this are not changed by the current COVID-19 travel restrictions. Depending upon their country of citizenship, NZ PRs may require a transit visa. They should consult the Home Affairs website to confirm whether or not they are eligible to transit without a visa.
   
   https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visa...t-without-visa
   
   Travellers seeking to transit Sydney, Melbourne, or Brisbane for a period requiring them to leave the airside area should apply for an exemption from the 14 day quarantine requirements of the respective state-level authorities. Further exemption information can be found on Australia’s Department of Health website.
   
   Travellers need to take responsibility for applying for their own exemptions, and are advised to do this well in advance. Individuals are responsible for making their own case if they feel they have special circumstances.
   

Exemptions may not always be granted. Travellers should therefore anticipate the possibility of being required to undertake 14-days quarantine in Australia (potentially at cost to them) before reaching New Zealand and being required to undertake a further 14-day quarantine period on arrival in New Zealand.

How to apply for mandatory quarantine exemptions:

For passengers transiting Sydney (New South Wales)

• To request an exemption from the NSW Quarantine Exemptions Unit for medical, compassionate or other eligible reasons such as international transits, travellers should complete the online form at:
  
  https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infect...xemptions.aspx
  

• International travellers must apply for this exemption at least 48 hours prior to their travel and cannot travel to Sydney unless this exemption is granted.
  

Travellers may be subject to a further health assessment before they are allowed to leave quarantine and meet their departing international flight.

Transport will be arranged by the relevant government agency for the transiting passengers between the airport and the mandatory quarantine hotel.

For passengers transiting Brisbane (Queensland) and Melbourne (Victoria)

Prior to their travel, and at their earliest convenience, passengers must send an email requesting an exemption from the Queensland Government’s or the Victorian Government’s 14 day mandatory quarantine requirement for persons arriving from overseas by air.

They should attach evidence of their travel itinerary with confirmed flights from departure point to destination (NZ) along with the following:

SURNAME:

FIRST NAME(S):

DATE OF BIRTH:

NATIONALITY:

PASSPORT NUMBER:

FLIGHT ARRIVAL/DEPARTURE DETAILS (dates and flight numbers):

EMAIL ADDRESS:

CIRCUMSTANCE / REASON FOR TRANSIT (e.g. transit to New Zealand):

If all the above information is not available at the time of the exemption request, please include any information available at the time of submission.

This mandatory quarantine exemption request should be emailed to :
Melbourne: [email protected]

Brisbane: [email protected]

Travellers may be subject to a further health assessment before they are allowed to leave quarantine and meet their departing international flight.

Transport will be arranged by the relevant government agency for the transiting passengers between the airport and the mandatory quarantine hotel.

Entering New Zealand

All travellers entering New Zealand from 10 April 2020 are required to complete fourteen days of isolation in a managed facility (hotels). Under current border restrictions only New Zealand Citizens, Permanent Residents and their legal partners can enter New Zealand. This means no one arriving from overseas will be permitted to self-isolate at home.

Every passenger entering New Zealand will continue to be screened for COVID-19 on arrival.

If a passenger is symptomatic on arrival, they will be tested and placed in an approved quarantine facility for 14 days.

All other passengers will be placed in local managed isolation accommodation, which has been approved for isolation for 14 days. They will be transported there directly from the airport.



For further advice for New Zealanders overseas, please see our information on SafeTravel, the New Zealand Government’s dedicated COVID-19 website, Immigration New Zealand and New Zealand Ministry of Health websites.

ps107

I was able to successfully transit in Sydney for two nights. Anecdotally it sounded like NSW was more responsive than Victoria to exemption requests but I lost track of the passengers who chose to transit in Melbourne after we went our separate ways in Doha. I got my NSW exemption letter within 24 hours. Happy to answer any questions as best I can.

SqKiwi

I am doing this next week and was wondering (and I know its a remote chance) whether you were still required to spend 14 days in quarantine n NZ? Or did they count the 2 nights in Aus?

number_6

Rules have not changed yet, it is 14 days quarantine (if you are symptomatic on arrival) or 14 days in managed isolation facility (I think this means a hotel). No credit for days spent in other countries Some chance the rules will change next week, so check closer to your departure date https://www.customs.govt.nz/covid-19...-requirements/

ps107

No, the full 14 days is still required in NZ.

Incidentally, there was a confirmed case on my SYD-AKL flight and I happened to be a "close contact"

I recommend bringing your own metal cutlery and coffee if you're not into wooden forks and knives and instant coffee. If you're partial to a strong drink, check in a bottle as duty free is closed, and you can only get beer and wine in NZ "managed isolation".

bensyd

Gee that's tough luck getting 90% home and then being a close contact. Hope you test negative.

Out of curiosity how full were the flights you took? Also was there normal f&b service etc or it's totally stripped back?

ps107

I'm on day 12 and no symptoms so far. Haven't been tested apart from daily temperature checks.

DOH-SYD was an A350-1000 with 79 passengers. SYD-AKL (on Air NZ) looked about half full. Both seemed to be full service. SYD-AKL food possibly had more of the plastic left on things that the cabin crew normally remove before serving it.

A few lounges and fast food places were open in Doha. In Sydney some of the food places landside were open but only the kebab shop and pharmacy airside. Duty free was closed everywhere.​​​​​