Fox Glacier Guiding chief executive Rob Jewell said he was angry to discover a couple from Hong Kong had decided to flout the self-isolation rules and jeopardise others by going on one of his tours.

A Hong Kong couple has been handed into police after flouting the two week self-isolation rules and going on a helicopter tour of the popular Fox Glacier on the West Coast.

Fox Glacier Guiding chief executive Rob Jewell believed the pair arrived in the country on Monday, hired a Maui campervan and then got on one of the company's heli-hike tours of the glacier alongside 10 others on Thursday morning.

At every step of the way they were told about the self-isolation rules and were asked to disclose if they had any flu symptoms or anything else to declare, which they did not, Jewell said.

FOX GLACIER GUIDING/SUPPLIED A Hong Kong couple have been handed into the police after flouting the two week self-isolation rules and going on a helicopter tour of the popular Fox Glacier on the West Coast on Thursday. (File photo).

He said the company did not find out the couple were flouting the rules until it came up in a discussion with a senior guide while on the glacier.

A second chopper, at the cost of the company, was then sent to immediately fly the couple off the glacier where they were met by police for an explanation.

"We found out that yes, these people had been told on their arrival to Christchurch Airport about the self-isolation rules. They had then picked up a Maui campervan and on collecting that van Maui had told them about self-isolating and it was in their documentation.

"These people had agreed to it … yet they decided to basically flout the rules and go, 'bugger you' and carry on with their holiday."

All of the company's services had since been thoroughly cleaned but the incident had left Jewell seething.

"I was bloody angry, how could these people do that? How could they risk not only my team but [also] the other people on the trip? [It's] just completely irresponsible.

"I'm struggling, times are hellishly tough right now, and about to get tougher, and that could've been a massive killer blow to us.

"I hope it sends the message to everyone else that you can't do this."

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced last week that anyone arriving in New Zealand would have to isolate themselves for 14 days. Since then, New Zealand has closed its borders to everyone but citizens and residents in an attempt to stop the spread of coronavirus.

Travellers who flout self-isolation rules will be liable for deportation and face fines. Police are also conducting random self-isolation tests on travellers across the country in a push to enforce the rules.

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