Air Tahiti Nui is preparing to take off from Auckland next Wednesday on a special one-off, one-way trip to Tahiti and beyond.
This passenger service will operate as a repatriation flight to Tahiti leaving Auckland on October 13 before continuing on to destinations in the US and Europe.
"While people in most other parts of the world are enjoying the freedom to travel as long as they are vaccinated, New Zealand's border remains closed," the airline's General Manager Pacific Daniel Eggenberger says.
"This combined with a mandatory 14-day quarantine (MIQ) and the complexity of even securing a spot at an MIQ facility means we can only offer a one-way solution at this stage."
Eggenberger says Air Tahiti Nui has received strong expressions of interest for this service from New Zealand-based passengers. The service will also be offered to passengers as a possible alternative to their cancelled flight bookings.
The airline has paused all scheduled passenger services out of New Zealand until March 2022, citing continued uncertainty around New Zealand's ongoing border closures.
Current routings will enable passengers to have a short stopover holiday in the islands of Tahiti, providing they meet the entry conditions of French Polynesia, which includes strict vaccination protocols.
Onward travel to Paris is possible with a 1hr 50 min transit time in Papeete before continuing via Vancouver. Travelling from there on to Los Angeles requires a one-night stopover in Tahiti.
"While we have maintained our Auckland based operation and vital cargo movements, it will be a special moment to welcome passengers back on board for this flight," Eggenberger says.
