Originally Posted by
kiwi grey
The government may need to provide some air-side accommodation for isolation of aircrew. Non-AirNZ crew would go there for their layovers, AirNZ crew would stay there during a rostered period, then transition to land-side MIQ for 14 days at the end of their rostered period.
It would be grossly inconvenient and inefficient, but would significantly increase the perceived safety
The facility might actually be land-side but deemed to be air-side for this purpose, and managed separately as if it were land-side.
A 14 day Isolation for Crew would certainly appease the mob. It would also result in a large number of crew refusing to work... and legally, could Air NZ force them too? Are border staff isolated for 14 days after a shift?
I can't recall if Air NZ have explicitly said as much, but the message has certainly been clear that a 14 day isolation would result in International flying being non-viable. Cost of the Isolation facility is one factor, but the sheer number of Crew required to operate (and who agree to operate) would be absurd. It would require a lot of 787 type ratings purely to get through COVID. A standard 4 day TOD would turn into 18.
This is where the Government is stuck between a rock and a hard place. They actually want Air NZ to keep flying to keep the freight channels open... people can talk about NZ being "self sufficient" all they want, but it doesn't happen overnight. If the MOH make the operation non-viable, will the Government dig deeper into the coffers to cover the additional costs?
Already, we're seeing Media articles (they love to stir the pot) questioning if an employer (not specifically Air NZ) could force employees to be tested... so the same applies, can we be forced to isolate in a Government run facility for 14 days everytime we go to work?
What ever happened to flatting the curve? Things are going to get incredibly messier the longer we keep pursuing elimination.... unless we close the borders entirely (which isn't lega) COVID will always find a way back. For example:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/...with-traveller
Originally Posted by
Ollie Onion
I am not saying Air NZ is not doing a good job, just that the media seems to have turned on aircrew and if there is one thing this Government does is react to public opinion. There will be new orders issued at some point in the next 48 hours with visible 'steps' to allow the government to show just how seriously they are taking this. I am not concerned about air nz crew at all, but I do have my doubts over the non NZ based crew who are staying in hotels with no infection protocols mixing with the public at check in and check out who are operating to a 'trust' model that they won't go out of their room. That is the gaping hole in the air crew procedure.
Sorry Ollie I wasn't implying that you were having a go. I quoted you to discuss your comment about the Government but drifted in order to respond to those with an axe to grind.
We're all waiting for the updated procedures which we know are coming. Every single time there's an article in the paper about Crew something changes so we're all too used to it.
Hope to see some changes for International Crew. It's ironic that MOH are so strict on NZ crew while we're away, yet so lax on other crews laying over... the same way they've dropped the ball with border staff and isolation facility staff.
Truth is though, as I've said above, it's unlikely we'll ever eliminate it "permanently". Maybe 100 days here and there with rolling lockdowns, but given how contagious it is, combined with how mild the symptoms can be for so many people, it's incredibly likely it'll find it's way back eventually. I'd say we'll see a shift towards suppression after the election.... regardless of who's in power, and then we might stop seeing the Media wind ups every time a case crops up here and there. Just my personal opinion of course, I'm not expert on the subject, but I feel we should of stayed in Level 2 after the first wave, and Auckland should be level 2 not 3 now. Even if a Vaccine were available tomorrow, COVID wont be going away overnight.