All passengers on Air New Zealand domestic flights will need to be fully vaccinated or have a negative Covid-19 test from mid-December.
File image. Photo: camfoto/123RF
Everyone will be asked to show proof of their vaccination status or test result before they check in to their flight, the airline said.
Air New Zealand chief executive Greg Foran said with the Delta variant measures that once kept people safe were no longer enough and an extra layer of protection was needed.
The airline was working with the company building My Vaccine Pass for the government to ensure the Air New Zealand app would be compatible with the vaccination passports once they launched.
"That will create a verification process that will allow people to get a boarding pass and get on the plane," he said.
"We're doing this in a very digital, seamless fashion so that it becomes very easy for customers" - Air New Zealand chief executive Greg Foran
The new requirement should be in place by 14 December and will apply to all passengers aged 12 and older.
It will be in place for an initial period until the end of March next year.
All tests and vaccines approved by the government would be accepted.
Travellers were encouraged to download the Air New Zealand app so they could easily connect it to their vaccination status in their vaccine pass.
Foran didn't think the technology or the added pre-flight step would be difficult for people to adopt.
"Over 80 percent of our customers now use the Air New Zealand app to travel ... it's by far and away the most prevalent method by which people board our planes now.
"Simply all they have to do is push one button and they're good to go, it's just the verification status that they've been vaccinated."
The change was being made after "overwhelming" feedback from customers and employees, who wanted more protection during travel, Foran said.
Travellers who can not provide proof before their flight can put their fare into credit or get a refund, if they have purchased a fare that allows that.