It has been a minute for all of us when it comes to air travel around the globe, but we are excited to share with you what it is like flying overseas at the moment, with a first hand account from the Husk and Honey Team.
Booking your flights:
Booking international flights, do your homework by going on online sites, our favourite is Skyscanner, you can see prices for a whole month, to get the best price if you are flexible with your dates. If you get a copy of the online booking, flight centre can beat the price by 5% within 12 hours of finding the flight.
Pre Departure Requirements:
Best place to get a pre departure covid test, unichem pharmacy for $50, within 24 hours before travel. Other places can charge up to $200 for a test & declaration letter. However, do your research before leaving as a lot of places are loosening their boarder restrictions & dropping the need for a negative test (Vietnam changed their regulations a couple of days after we arrived). Best masks to wear, K95, available from the pharmacy or from some $2 shops. You do have to keep these on for the flight, so these are nice and breathable!
Check in:
Airlines allow online check in, but with most airlines you still need to queue to check in your luggage, apart from Air New Zealand. Auckland airport is busy, due to the lack of staffing so give yourself enough time to check in and go through immigration (3hrs was just enough for us).
Before you board & on the plane:
At the moment the shopping and eateries are very limited at the airport, so don’t expect to shop before boarding apart from a few duty free items.
NZ has limited airlines departing from our port so the planes are full and apart from the compulsory mask wearing nothing has changed. The meals are still hit and miss and sleeping is uncomfortable.
But it’s great to be back on a plane exploring the world!
Upon Return:
Returning to NZ you now don’t need to be vaccinated, but do require a negative covid test - which you need to get before leaving your destination from an accredited hospital or doctor, within 24 hours before departure for the RAT test and 48 hours for the PCR test. Make sure to have a look at the govt website to make sure your declaration ticks all the boxes. Pre departure forms need to be completed online before leaving!
Summary:
The world is open & travelling is a great way to support local (globally). The pandemic has been hard for everyone, visiting Vietnam definitely opened our eyes to the reality that many others have had to face and the need for us to share the love around the globe by supporting local communities in and out of NZ!
Happy travelling everyone 🛩🌍🏝
