With Qantas and Air New Zealand recently introducing 'no jab, no fly' policies, Kiwi and Aussie travellers will have to get ready for a different way of travel once the borders open.
As New zealand and australia prepare to spread out their borders, new rules around vaccination and international flights are going to be created by the countries’ major airlines.
On 9 November, Air Nz announced they will now require all domestic passengers to become either fully vaccinated or provide a negative Covid-19 test before flying.
After an 18-month ban, Australia began opening its borders right from the start of November 2022, Pm Scott Morrison announced noisy . October. The international border will reopen for Australian states which have reached 80 percent vaccination, starting with Nsw.
One-way quarantine-free travel from Nz to Australia resumed on 1 November, requiring all travellers to be vaccinated.
New Zealand, currently dealing with the Delta outbreak, is yet to create to begin dating ? for that reopening in the border. Noisy . August, the us government announced a staged border reopening beginning in early 2022, which will group travellers into low, medium and risk.
What would be the latest rules around domestic flights for brand spanking new Zealand and Australian airlines?
On 9 November, Air Nz announced they'll now require domestic passengers to become fully vaccinated or provide a negative Covid test to fly. The newest requirement will be in place from 14 December, and also the airline happens to be concentrating on a verification procedure that helps make the Air Nz app suitable for the government’s My Vaccine Pass.
Qantas has yet to mandate vaccinations for domestic passengers.
“We have a great deal of logistical along with other issues to solve on domestic and now we need to figure many of the logistical issues for this and we have not made any decisions by yet,” said Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce.
What about international travel?
On 3 October, Air Nz announced they'll be introducing a ‘no jab, no fly’ insurance policy for international travellers. All passengers and staff travelling within their international network will probably be essential to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
“Mandating vaccination on our international flights can give both customers and employees the reassurance that everyone onboard meets exactly the same health requirements because they do,” said Air New Zealand’s CEO Greg Foran inside a statement.
Qantas Group, including Jetstar, has also announced a ‘no jab, no fly’ policy, requiring all passengers and staff flying overseas to become vaccinated against Covid-19.
Virgin Australia has yet to introduce a vaccination dependence on passengers, but will require all staff being vaccinated by 15 November 2022.
When will it enter into effect?
Air New Zealand’s international vaccination policy will come into effect from February 2022, and also the domestic policy planned for 14 December.
Qantas’ vaccination policy can come into effect from 14 November 2022.
How will this be managed?
Both Air Nz and Qantas have said they'll be while using International Air Transport Associations (IATA) Travel Pass app for handling the vaccination policy. The IATA Travel Pass is a mobile app that allows individuals to store and manage their verified certifications for COVID-19 tests or vaccines.
To protect passenger data privacy, the Travel Pass app has no central database, meaning passengers have discretion about whether or not they share their data or otherwise, and may delete the data anytime while using knowledge it won’t be stored.
Other airlines that are trialling the IATA Travel Pass app include Qatar Airways, Emirates, British Airways, Air France and Singapore Airlines.
The app will probably be connected to Nz and Australia’s official vaccine certificates, which are being presented both in countries in the coming weeks.
Who does it affect?
Air New Zealand’s vaccination policy pertains to passengers aged 18 and over, who're arriving or departing Nz on their own airline. Individuals who desire to travel internationally with the airline who haven’t been vaccinated will have to provide evidence of medical exemptions due to not vaccinated.
Qantas are finalising information regarding the minimum age for vaccinated traveller. At this stage, the airline says “Australian citizens and permanent residents who can't be vaccinated – for example if they're under 12 or have a condition – is going to be treated as vaccinated for that purpose of their travel.”
