Thursday, 18 August 2022
Meet the JournalistsPremiumAucklandWellingtonCanterbury/South Island
CrimePoliticsHealthEducationEnvironment and ClimateNZ Herald FocusData journalismKāhu, Māori ContentPropertyWeather
Small BusinessOpinionPersonal FinanceEconomyBusiness TravelCapital Markets
Politics
Premium SportRugbyCricketRacingNetballBoxingLeagueFootballSuper RugbyAthleticsBasketballMotorsportTennisCyclingGolfAmerican SportsHockeyUFC
NZH Local FocusThe Northern AdvocateThe Northland AgeThe AucklanderWaikato HeraldBay of Plenty TimesHawke's Bay TodayRotorua Daily PostWhanganui ChronicleStratford PressManawatu GuardianKapiti NewsHorowhenua ChronicleTe Awamutu Courier
Covid-19
Te Rito
Te Rito
OneRoof PropertyCommercial Property
Open JusticeVideoPodcastsTechnologyWorldOpinion
SpyTVMoviesBooksMusicCultureSideswipeCompetitions
Fashion & BeautyFood & DrinkRoyalsRelationshipsWellbeingPets & AnimalsVivaCanvasEat WellCompetitionsRestaurants & Menus
New Zealand TravelAustralia TravelInternational Travel
Our Green FutureRuralOneRoof Property
Career AdviceCorporate News
Driven MotoringPhotos
SudokuCodecrackerCrosswordsWordsearchDaily quizzes
Classifieds
KaitaiaWhangareiDargavilleAucklandThamesTaurangaHamiltonWhakataneRotoruaTokoroaTe KuitiTaumarunuiTaupoGisborneNew PlymouthNapierHastingsDannevirkeWhanganuiPalmerston NorthLevinParaparaumuMastertonWellingtonMotuekaNelsonBlenheimWestportReeftonKaikouraGreymouthHokitikaChristchurchAshburtonTimaruWanakaOamaruQueenstownDunedinGoreInvercargill
NZ HeraldThe Northern AdvocateThe Northland AgeThe AucklanderWaikato HeraldBay Of Plenty TimesRotorua Daily PostHawke's Bay TodayWhanganui ChronicleThe Stratford PressManawatu GuardianKapiti NewsHorowhenua ChronicleTe Awamutu CourierVivaEat WellOneRoofDriven MotoringThe CountryPhoto SalesNZ Herald InsightsWatchMeGrabOneiHeart RadioRestaurant Hub

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.
Business

Pre-departure Covid-19 tests for incoming passengers set to go next week

15 Jun, 2022 05:40 AM4 minutes to read
Director-general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield says there is an 'encouraging' decrease in cases. Video / Mark Mitchell

Director-general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield says there is an 'encouraging' decrease in cases. Video / Mark Mitchell

Grant Bradley
By
Grant Bradley

Deputy Editor - Business

VIEW PROFILE

Covid-19 test requirements for travellers heading for New Zealand look set to be scrapped from early next week.

Facing increased pressure to do away with the costly and disruptive tests, it is understood the Government is poised to announce they will go.

An announcement could be made as early as tomorrow that would require law changes and mean the tests could no longer be required by the start of next week.

A spokesman for new Covid-19 Response Minister Ayesha Verrall said the future of the tests had been discussed at Cabinet on Monday.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

Scrapping the requirement would bring New Zealand into line with a growing number of countries that have done away with them. The United States has just dropped them, joining much of Europe, Australia, many Pacific Island countries and growing numbers of Asian nations in no longer requiring tests.

The travel and tourism industries have been pushing hard to allow vaccinated travellers - including returning Kiwis - to be able to avoid the tests which must be supervised and are costly and disruptive. They could stand people overseas until they test negative.

Covid-19 tests before entering the US were ditched earlier this week.  Photo / AP
Covid-19 tests before entering the US were ditched earlier this week. Photo / AP

Air New Zealand chief executive Greg Foran yesterday told the Herald he hoped the tests would be gone in time for the July school holidays. The tests added friction to travelling and costs.

He recently had to pay US$100 ($160) for a supervised rapid antigen test in New York.

In Brisbane they have cost travellers $72 and in London $100 and some have complained of increased difficulty finding the places to get tests.

House of Travel commercial director Brent Thomas hopes there will be changes to difficult and time-consuming forms. The firm had also heard of people have missing flights waiting for Covid test results at airports.

Related articles

New Zealand

Editorial: Spotlight on our Covid rules for visitors

13 Jun 05:00 PM
Business

Less bad: Air NZ expects to trim losses on strong travel bounce back

09 Jun 09:19 PM
Business

Sky-high airfares: How Govt could help ease travellers' pain

12 Jun 04:00 AM
Travel

US ends Covid testing requirements for inbound travellers

12 Jun 08:45 PM

''This change will reduce the cost of travel – especially significant for a family travelling, as it means that customers will not incur additional cost as they will be able to travel back rather than wait for the required number of days after testing positive.''

Act Party leader David Seymour said today Verrall's expected announcement that pre-departure testing will be gone next week is the kind of common-sense practicality the role needs.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

"Pre-departure testing has long passed its use-by date. ACT called for it to go a month ago but just like with MIQ, scanning, and the whole Traffic Light System, the Government is a bit slow to catch on.''

He said Verrall is off to a good start by dumping rules that don't make sense.

Earlier this week National's Covid-19 Response spokesman Chris Bishop said New Zealand should follow the lead of the US and drop all pre-departure testing requirements for incoming passengers.

"Australia did away with pre-departure testing weeks ago, and now the United States is following suit. The world is moving on, but New Zealand insists that anyone coming here must present a negative test before getting on a plane."

Read More

  • From Auckland to Texas: American Airlines, Air NZ and ...
  • Covid-19: The big airline rebuild - which carriers ...
  • Singapore Airlines: What now with NZ border rules easing? ...
  • Hawaiian Airlines returns to New Zealand: What's powering ...

He said the former Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins had admitted the value of the pre-departure testing is now low and a month ago said that its "days were numbered".

"Pre-departure tests made sense when we were pursuing elimination. But they make zero sense when we already have thousands of cases a day at home,'' said Bishop.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

"New Zealand businesses and tourism operators are crying out for support, and this is a simple, logical way to remove a barrier to coming here that is past its use-by date.''

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Business

Premium
Business

Stress on the flight deck: The pilots who suffered most during pandemic

18 Aug 05:00 AM
BusinessUpdated

Another property investor pleads guilty to fraud charges

18 Aug 03:56 AM
New Zealand

Climate Change: Insurer eyes risk-pricing for coastal erosion

18 Aug 03:34 AM
Premium
Business

NZ game studio clocks $45m profit - but is tempted by Aussie tax breaks

18 Aug 12:00 AM
Premium
Business

Turbulence ahead: Auckland Airport cites 'year of two halves', trims loss

18 Aug 03:00 AM

Most Popular

Premium
Stress on the flight deck: The pilots who suffered most during pandemic
Business

Stress on the flight deck: The pilots who suffered most during pandemic

18 Aug 05:00 AM
Premium
Turbulence ahead: Auckland Airport cites 'year of two halves', trims loss
Business

Turbulence ahead: Auckland Airport cites 'year of two halves', trims loss

18 Aug 03:00 AM
Naked motel owner found with woman, bong, syringes, meth pipe in police sting
New Zealand|Crime

Naked motel owner found with woman, bong, syringes, meth pipe in police sting

18 Aug 03:00 AM

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.
About NZMEHelp & SupportContact UsSubscribe to NZ HeraldHouse Rules
Manage Your Print SubscriptionNZ Herald E-EditionAdvertise with NZMEBook Your AdPrivacy Policy
Terms of UseCompetition Terms & ConditionsSubscriptions Terms & Conditions
© Copyright 2022 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP