Universities moot charter flights for foreign students

New Zealand universities are looking at chartering flights to bring over international students who are struggling to get on a plane in time to begin their new year of study, writes Corazon Miller for 1News.

2023 is expected to see international students return for a full year of study for the first time since the COVID pandemic. But there are still challenges to getting to New Zealand as flights are more costly – if there are any available at all.

Universities New Zealand’s Chief Executive Chris Whelan says it’s looking at ways to help those who have been unable to find a way to get here. “For example, we know there are at least a couple thousand students in China who have applied for visas to come here. Most of the flights that they would be wanting to be on are actually full,” he says. “So we are already in conversation around things like; can we charter more seats on airlines?”
Full report on the 1News site