COVID-19: New Zealand / Australia travel bubble suspended

Although initially saying that the bubble would stay in place, Paul Kelly, Australia’s Chief Medical Officer called a late night meeting on Sunday with the chief health officers of three states: NSW, Queensland and Victoria.

The decision was made to classify all flights out of New Zealand as eminating from a Red Zone, and consequently subjecting all arrivals in the next 72 hours to 14 days of quarantine.

This is expected to be a temporary measure, with the one way bubble being re-instated on Wednesday, if the Auckland lockdown is lifted.

Yesterday, Auckland was locked down for 3 days due to a small cluster being discovered when a traveller tested positive post-quarantine, with two community contacts of that traveller also testing positive.

2PAXfly Takeout

The aviation industry has a difficult road ahead when it comes to sustainability. It’s going to require a relative revolution in technology, with ‘electric planes’ or hydrogen planes, or some form of jet engine that doesn’t require a carbon based fuel. And that is going to require the development of an alternative to jet engines probably.

It’s a big ask. It will take time to develop.

This move to home grown and manufactured SAF is a first step – maybe even a baby step in a very long road of innovation. In the long run, US$200 million won’t even touch the sides.

Lets hope this outbreak is quickly controlled, and Kiwi’s can return to their overwhelmingly normal lives