Covid-19: PM defends MIQ booking system as Kiwis try to get home for Christmas

Monday, 9 November 2020

Grant Robertson announces changes coming to the small business loan scheme as Jacinda Ardern reveals progress with the Cook Island travel bubble during Monday's post cabinet press conference.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says she sympathises with people who can't get back into New Zealand because of a squeeze on the managed isolation and quarantine system but this is the reality of a booking system.

One week into the Managed Isolation Allocation System (MIAS) becoming compulsory, Ardern addressed the recent news some Kiwis would not be able to get back into New Zealand until 2021, in a post Cabinet press conference on Monday.

She said she had seen the stories of people not being able to get a voucher before Christmas and sympathised with them.

The country's managed isolation hotels are nearly completely booked until Christmas, though late cancellations could see more released daily.

”With Covid raging it is obviously completely understandable that Kiwis want to come home for Christmas … but we can't simply turn on more places,” Ardern said.

* No vacancy: Air New Zealand extends booking freeze as MIQ reaches capacity

* Bad news for returning Kiwis - rush on MIQ bookings means you won't get out until 2021

“As it is, New Zealand already has more spaces in managed isolation per-capita than in places like Australia, for example.

Head of managed isolation and quarantine Air Commodore Darryn Webb.

“If you are someone with a voucher but won't be using it, please make sure you cancel it as soon as possible.

“And I encourage others to keep checking for the release of rooms.”

Hours later, head of managed isolation and quarantine Darryn Webb said a “limited number” of additional vouchers were already becoming available again, because of changes to travellers’ plans.

The vouchers were becoming available when people reserved but did not confirm the booking within 48 hours.

Jacinda Ardern said Kiwis stuck abroad should be continually checking the system for availability.

On a single day in December, there were more than 300 vouchers returned to the system for that very reason, Webb said.

“As people’s plans change, they find their vouchers are no longer required, so we are starting to see a limited number of vouchers becoming available again.

“We want Kiwis to be able to get home for the holiday period so if there are people with vouchers they won’t be using we ask them to please go on to the MIAS website and cancel their booking as soon as possible so that someone else can get home.”

About 100 rooms a day would be made available again from December 13-23, Webb said.

The vouchers would be re-released daily into the MIAS system on a “first in, first served” basis.

It was for that reason Ardern said Kiwis stuck abroad should be continually checking the system for availability.

“Our borders remain our first line of defence during this pandemic and it is important that we manage these facilities and the return of New Zealanders safely,” she said.

Since October 5, 36,537 passengers have secured an allocation to a managed isolation facility through the MIAS system.

One voucher can cover up to 12 people travelling as either a couple, family or travel party who wish to isolate together.