Covid-19 coronavirus Delta outbreak: Air NZ launches Kerikeri-Wellington flights bypassing Auckland's level 4

The last Air New Zealand flight of the day at Bay of Islands Airport, Kerikeri. Photo / Harley Alexander

Air New Zealand is about to start direct flights from Kerikeri to Wellington to help reconnect Northland to the rest of the country while Auckland remains in lockdown.

The daily return flights, which will start on September 13 and initially run for just over a week, are in addition to daily flights already operating between Whangārei and Auckland.

The flights, using the airline's fleet of Bombardier Q300 turboprops, will depart Wellington at 10.30am and Kerikeri at 1.15pm.

Air New Zealand chief customer officer Leanne Geraghty said the service would allow a direct link to Northland from a port other than Auckland.

The flights would be extended if Auckland remained at level 3 or above beyond September 21.

"We want to help keep our northern neighbours connected to the rest of the country. With transit rules through different alert level regions limiting domestic leisure travel, this will go a long way in supporting Northland and its local economy and community."

The airline said there were no immediate plans for direct flights from Whangārei to Wellington because with Whangarei-Auckland already operating it made sense to offer Kerikeri-Wellington and provide a travel option for the Far North.

Pre-lockdown the airline operated 58 flights a week between Kerikeri and Auckland and 50 between Whangārei and Auckland.

Currently, with Auckland at level 4, Northlanders can't drive through the supercity except on essential business or for other compelling reasons - and with proof of destination - and even then they are not allowed to stop. Permitted travel through Auckland does not include going on holiday.

Far North Mayor John Carter said the temporary flights between level 2 regions would help businesses, and hence all Northlanders, as visitors came north to enjoy the region's hospitality.

Daily Whangārei-Auckland flights started on September 8.

Meanwhile, Barrier Air, which replaced Air New Zealand on routes out of Kaitaia in 2015, resumed flights out of the country's northernmost airport when Northland entered alert level 2.

It has one flight today and another on Sunday with plans to return to its pre-lockdown schedule of 14 return flights a week as soon as Auckland drops back to level 2. • Go to covid19.govt.nz/alert-levels-and-updates/regional-advice/northland for more details about travelling out of Northland or what constitutes permitted travel.