Excited passengers on Monday set off on the first flights to take advantage of a quarantine-free travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand, allowing families to finally reunite.
For the first time in almost 400 days of travel bans passengers are able to fly across the Tasman Sea without undergoing mandatory Covid-19 quarantine when they arrive.
The bubble’s opening received saturation coverage from media in both countries, with live television reporting from airports providing regular updates on the progress of flights.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, hailed the success of both countries in containing the virus as a key factor in allowing the travel corridor.
Air New Zealand executive Craig Suckling said the atmosphere at Sydney airport before departure was electric and the check-in area was a hive of activity with customers eager to get at the boarding gate,.
Australia has been New Zealand’s largest source of international tourists before the pandemic, accounting for about 1.5 million arrivals or 40 percent of total visitors in 2019.
Australia is also home to hundreds of thousands of expatriate New Zealanders and before coronavirus many regularly shuttled back and forth across the Tasman on three-hour flights.
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