Air New Zealand has announced it will require international travellers to show proof they are doubly vaccinated against Covid-19 in order to fly from next year.

The flag carrier says it is gearing up for the potential re-start of international travel to and from New Zealand by asking passengers aged 18 and over to get both doses of a vaccine by 1 February 2022. Those who are not vaccinated will be required to show proof they are unable to get the jab for medical reasons.

Chief executive Greg Foran said: ¡°We¡¯re getting ready to reconnect with the world and letting our customers know what they need to do to be ready to take off when we can.

¡°Being vaccinated against Covid-19 is the new reality of international travel ¨C 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.

¡°We¡¯ve been hearing from both customers and employees that this measure is important to them. It came through loud and clear in our recent consultation process with employees and we want to do everything we can to protect them. Mandating vaccination on our international flights will give both customers and employees the peace of mind that everyone on board meets the same health requirements as they do.¡±

Air New Zealand is rolling out the IATA Travel Pass, which will allow passengers to prove their vaccination or health status and allows carriers to check their information against flight details.

The airline joins partner Qantas in requiring all international passengers to be vaccinated, while several US carriers such as United Airlines and American Airlines have introduced vaccine mandates for staff. US domestic passengers could soon find themselves the subject of requirements after California senator Dianne Feinstein proposed a bill that would make it mandatory for all air travellers to provide proof of full vaccination, recovery from Covid-19, or a negative test before boarding a plane.