Air New Zealand Will Require Vaccination for International Travelers

Starting next year when New Zealand’s borders open, guests on the country’s flag carrier will have to show proof of vaccination in order to fly.

Air New Zealand on Sunday announced that it would require all passengers on its international flights to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 starting on Feb. 1, 2022. With the news, the carrier becomes one of the first major international carriers to announce the requirement, joining Australia’s largest airline Qantas.

The requirement is for all adult passengers 18-years and older. Anyone unable to present proof will have to show that vaccinated was not a viable option for them for medical reasons.

In a statement announcing the new “no jab, no fly” policy, CEO Greg Foran said that “being vaccinated against COVID-19 is the new reality of international travel.”

“Many of the destinations Kiwis want to visit are already closed to unvaccinated visitors. The quicker we get vaccinated, the sooner we can fly Kiwis to places like New York, Vancouver, and Narita,” he said.

Air New Zealand is planning on using the IATA Travel pass to check health information against flight details.