Air New Zealand has announced it will operate seven additional routes when the country’s coronavirus restrictions are lowered over the coming days.

Avalon Airport is set to introduce ‘touchless’ check-in and bag drop kiosks to reduce the risk of transmitting coronavirus.

Qantas has been allowing passengers to occupy the middle seat in recent international repatriation flights, despite a commitment against it for domestic travel.

Interstate domestic flights will return in July, and possibly earlier, under a three-stage plan to lift coronavirus restrictions in Australia.