New Zealanders in Wuhan are waiting to get on board an Air NZ flight to be brought home from the coronavirus epicentre. 

Forty crew members have volunteered to head into the centre of the coronavirus outbreak.

E Tu aviation union head, Savage, says cabin and ground crew are preparing for the journey today. 

Savage told Heather Du Plessis-Allan he understands the flight will arrive in Hong Kong on Monday but the operating crew will arrive the day before to rest ahead of the journey. 

Savage says the union spoke with Ministry of Health officials and Air New Zealand's medical advisers on Friday and was told crew will not need to wear hazmat suits. 

"At this stage the advise is as long as crew are careful about wearing surgical masks and gloves and have good processes around contact with passengers then that should be sufficient."

Anyone who is exhibiting symptoms of the novel coronavius will not be allowed on the flight in the first instance, Savage said. 

However, passengers who develop symptoms can be quarantined on the plane.

"There will be a Ministry of Health team on hand to deal with those quarantined passengers," Savage told Heather Du Plessis-Allan.