Results for Travel

The repatriation flights from Australia and New Zealand planned to arrive in Tonga this month have been postponed due to COVID-19, confirmed a MEIDECC statement today.

The repatriation flight from Vanuatu that was due to arrive today with around 14 passengers was cancelled due to aircraft technical difficulties, confirmed Chief Medical Public Health Officer, Dr Reynold ‘Ofanoa today.

A float parade and fun fair events were held on Monday, July 5 a public holiday in Tonga. People flocked to the Nuku'alofa waterfront to enjoy the events, after more than a year since mass gatherings, including the annual Heilala Festival were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The repatriation flight to Tonga from Brisbane, scheduled on 30 June, has been deferred due to the current COVID-19 outbreak in Sydney and parts of Queensland, MEIDECC stated today. However, the repatriation flight from New Zealand is still scheduled to arrive tomorrow, Wednesday, with about 240 passengers.

A total of 213 seasonal workers left Tonga last Friday, 9 April, to work in Adelaide, Australia.

Passengers can now travel quarantine-free one way from Niue to New Zealand, announced Air New Zealand today, 15 March, “another great step forward on the journey to safe travel between New Zealand and the Pacific Islands” said CEO Greg Foran..

Australian citizens and permanent residents in Tonga who wish to return to Australia via Auckland can now get a connecting flight to Sydney within 24 hours. No COVID-19 test is required prior to departure, however, passengers must cover the costs of the mandatory 14-days quarantine on arrival in Australia.

Repatriation flights are scheduled to arrive in Tonga on March 3, from New Zealand, Australia and Fiji.

More than 110 passengers are expected to be repatriated to Tonga, coming from Fiji and New Zealand on Thursday, February 4. They include consultants, stranded passengers and seasonal workers.