Cathay Pacific has suspended all services to Auckland due to new requirements put in place by the Hong Kong SAR government.
From February 20, the airline's Hong Kong-based pilots and cabin crew will be required to undergo 14 days of hotel quarantine plus seven days of medical surveillance when they return to Hong Kong after being on duty.
There is no indication as to how this could affect connections between the two cities in the long-term, but the Cathay Pacific service had become an important piece of New Zealand's export chain during COVID-19.
After the pandemic decimated the world's travel industry in 2020, Cathay Pacific restarted a twice-weekly passenger service between Auckland and Hong Kong on November 27.
Passengers affected by the upcoming suspension of services will be contacted by the airline directly.