01:16

1,000 flights between Australia and New Zealand cancelled

Air New Zealand has cancelled around 1,000 flights between New Zealand and Australia, citing “continued border uncertainty” between the two countries.

The announcement will scuttle the plans of some New Zealanders and Australians who had hoped to be reunited for Christmas.

The airline said around 20,000 customers would be affected. The flights cancelled fall between now and the end of December – while the airline’s flight schedule beyond then remains in place, it’s not clear whether more flights may be cancelled down the line.

“This will be particularly tough news for families and friends who were hoping to catch up over Christmas … But our hands are tied until border restrictions ease, and we receive further clarity from the New Zealand Government,” chief customer and sales officer Leanne Geraghty said in a written statement.

The trans-Tasman bubble, which allowed for quarantine-free travel between the two countries, shut in July in response to a Covid outbreak in Australia. It has remained closed since New Zealand began struggling to contain its own outbreak in August.

Updated




01:04

Post Source Guardian