Emotional scenes at airport as New Zealand-Australia travel bubble opens

Elation marked the opening day of a long-anticipated travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand. The start of quarantine-free travel was a relief for families who have been separated by the coronavirus pandemic as well as for struggling tourist operators. It marked the first, tentative steps towards what both countries hope will become a gradual reopening to the rest of the world.

Sparkling wines for adult passengers

To mark the occasion, Wellington International Airport painted an enormous welcome sign near its main runway and Air New Zealand ordered some 24,000 bottles of sparkling wine, offering a complimentary glass to adult passengers. Air New Zealand's Chief Operating Officer Carrie Hurihanganui said the carrier had previously been running just two or three flights a day between the two countries but that jumped to 30 flights on Monday carrying 5,200 passengers. She said the day marked a turning point and people were excited. "You can feel it at the airport and see it on people's faces," she said.

Leaders of both the countries welcomed the bubble

 
The leaders of both countries welcomed the bubble, saying it was a world-leading arrangement because it aimed to both open borders and keep the virus from spreading.

"Today's milestone is a win-win for Australians and New Zealanders, boosting our economies while keeping our people safe," Australian Prime Scott Morrison said.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said her country was welcoming new arrivals.

"The bubble marks a significant step in both countries' reconnection with the world and it's one we should all take a moment to be very proud of," she said.

Start of the bubble

Australia had previously allowed New Zealanders to arrive without going into quarantine but New Zealand had taken a more cautious approach, requiring travelers from Australia complete a quarantine.
The start of the bubble comes ahead of the New Zealand ski season and is welcome news for many tourist towns, including the ski resort of Queenstown.

Reunited

The two countries are now allowing people to travel in the bubble so that they can meet their families as many were separated due to the coronavirus pandemic outbreak. This has happened for the first time in 400 days that people have been allowed to fly over the Tasman Sea without undergoing mandatory quarantine.

Back to normalcy?

Australia and New Zealand have been relatively successful in containing the COVID spread. The travel bubble has made many feel that they have returned to normalcy.

What are 'Travel Bubbles'?

Transport Bubbles are temporary arrangements between two countries aimed at restarting commercial passenger services when regular international flights are suspended as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The bilateral corridor allows for international flights between both countries, without a need to register with the government for flying permissions.