Air New Zealand cancelled an Auckland to Brisbane flight on Wednesday evening while passengers were boarding after Queensland changed its border rules.
Photo: 123rf.com
All so-called green flights - quarantine-free flights - into the state from here will stop immediately and all trans-Tasman travellers will need to complete quarantine on arrival.
Queensland's chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young said a cautious approach is needed after a recent increase in Covid community transmissions in Papatoetoe.
Air New Zealand said Thursday's flight NZ113 Auckland to Sydney will also be cancelled.
It says it will provide customers with updates once more information is received from Australian authorities.
Queensland's move to remove New Zealand's 'safe country' status comes just days after Australia resumed its travel bubble with New Zealand after being satisfied with efforts to contain the latest Covid-19 cluster.
"New Zealand is working very hard to contain this community transmission, but they are still in a critical stage of their response so we need to keep watching closely," Dr Young said.
"Anyone who is permitted to travel to Queensland from New Zealand will be required to quarantine on arrival.
"Acting with an abundance of caution has kept Queenslanders safe and that's exactly the path we will continue to take."
Dr Young asked Queenslanders to reconsider any travel they had planned to New Zealand.
Anyone who has arrived into Queensland from New Zealand since 6 February is recommended to come forward, get tested and isolate until they have a negative result if they haven't already been tested.
-ABC / RNZ
