UA New Zealand Flights - Managed Isolation
 

A good friend of mine is moving home to New Zealand after 15 years in the U.S. He is very concerned about the UA flights he has booked actually going. NZ has special quarantine requirements which make you pre-book your quarantine space in a govt controlled hotel - referred to as managed isolation. The issue is that the scheduled united flights are not loaded into the NZ system, and therefore the managed isolation cannot be booked. He has sold his house and needs to go in April. The best other option is on NZ, but no availability until July on Biz Class.

He and his family are booked on UA in early April, and need to get this sorted ASAP.

If this needs to be sorted ASAP, maybe the best other option is coach on NZ? Book refundable coach ANZ tickets (or award tickets) as a back-up to UA, then get the hotels. If UA eventually appears on NZ carrier list, then swap arriving flight.

Sounds like this is a NZ government problem, not a UA one.

UA will be pulling down their NZ flights in the next few days, highly recommend he book NZ.

Is this a NZ issue or UA issue?

Seems this would be better in the NZ forum?

If UA pulls the flights, are they obligated to get them there via another route? ie. Air New Zealand or others?

A refund is the obligation, a re-routing is UA's option. .

April flight cancellations should be loaded at the end of February or early March. At that time, assuming SFO-AKL on UA metal is cancelled, OP's friend can ask UA to rebook them on NZ, though that may not be possible due to availability or other reasons. Not sure whether they are booked on an award/upgrade or a revenue fare; the latter should be easier for UA to rebook on NZ, but is NZ revenue J really sold out through July?

The 3 of them are on award saver in biz. From what he has said, he cannot located biz space until july on NZ and it's also $10k+ per ticket. Final destination is CHC so advising him to to look for options through SYD or MEL. Complicated situation as his house is already sold and they are moving a dog, etc. He is moving from PIT, so that limits options but I have advised him to start searching out of hub cities and just one-way it to whatever city he can find availability from. A normal trip wouldn't be an issue but he is moving his life back home so a bit more complicated. Trying to get back in time to have his son in school by the start of the school period.

Are the UA Australia flights already flying right now? any chance those get pulled down too? I think he's weary on booking another UA flight.

If UA cancels the flight, award tickets will be nearly impossible to move to NZ -- as NZ would have to open business award space, something it rarely does and something that is not likely to happen in these circumstances.

Very limited as Australia has very restrictive entry requirements

Your friend might consider seeking the help of a professional travel agent, trying to DIY may not work well.

I just did some checking and there is availability on NZ LAX - AKL, but can't book through to CHC. Worst case is that they quarantine in AKL. Still spotty availability but that's likely why he was seeing zero to CHC.

Thanks all, I am thinking he is just going to pay for biz on NZ out of LAX.

Seems to be the same problem as this family from Canda on UA
Link---> Family fear the will be unable to return to New Zealand after booking 'worthless' flights on United Airlines' suspended service.
That is UA selling flights they will not operate. [If the Canadian family could have transited USA is another question]

They need to contact MIQ urgently to hold the slots. Flights, class of travel and cost are secondary. After logging into MIQ there is email address they can use about revised flights
https://www.miq.govt.nz/
https://allocation.miq.govt.nz/portal/
And from the MIQ linked threads
The MIQ slots are fully allocated until end of May
Are they NZ citizens? Could make a difference on how the NZ government handles this problem.

UA are still flying to SYD. Air NZ flys SYD-AKL every day (~3:15hr flight time), If the timing works out they should be able to transit Australasia air side. But that needs checking. Push UA to change tickets to USA-SYD-AKL. I suspect separate tickets USA-SYD & SYD-AKL would not work, as AU/ UA will see the first flight to Australia as the destination.

FT threads
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ocea...-15-march.html
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ocea...er-15-mar.html

edit
The only international flights into NZ are to AKL and 2 SQ flights a week SIN-CHC.
You must do the MIQ at the port of arrival. Forget about trying for CHC on the same ticket, Just get to NZ. Purchase AKL-CHC separability Will not be able to have as part o the USA-NZ ticket.
The NZ government does move people around to do the MIQ by bus and domestic charter flight; not the passengers problem. You find out where you will doing the MIQ after you process NZ immigration, biosecurity & customs.

If there is award space on LAX-AKL, would it be possible to book that and then a separate revenue AKL-CHC ticket, or do NZ government regulations prohibit that?

I believe NZ quarantine is imposed (like Australia) at arrival port. No travel onward until quarantine completed.

I would not focus on difficult routings or on class of service. As many people who have been stuck overseas for months have found, people who once said that they would not be caught dead in steerage, would now be thrilled with any confirmed seat.

Agreed that if you are not familiar with the rules, you should have a competent TA -- someone who handles this stuff -- do this for you and pay their fees.

In the meantime, if anything opens up, I would grab it and get home. Nobody can say that travel will be possible at all in April.

Thanks. They all 3 have dual citizenship. I know he has been in contact with the NZ govt to get this sorted. He had his MIQ sorted and then it vanished so hopefully he can retain the April arrival even though MIQ appears booked through Mary and just fly to AKL and quarantine there.