WELLINGTON, New Zealand: The beginning of quarantine-free travel from Monday of a long-anticipated travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand brings relief and joy for families who’ve been separated by the coronavirus pandemic as well as to struggling tourist operators. It marked the first, tentative steps towards what each nation hopes will become a gradual reopening to the rest of the world.
The idea of a bubble between Australia and New Zealand had been talked about for months but confronted setbacks because of several small virus outbreaks in each nation, which were eventually stamped out.
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 stated the carrier had previously been running just two or three flights a day between the 2 nations but that jumped to 30 flights on Monday carrying 5,200 passengers.
She stated the day marked a turning point and other people were excited.
“You can feel it at the airport and see it on people’s faces,” she stated.
The leaders of each nation 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 whereas keeping our individuals safe,” Australian Prime Scott Morrison stated.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern stated her nation was welcoming new arrivals.
“The bubble marks a major step in each nations’ reconnection with the world and it’s one we should all take a moment to be very proud of,” she stated.
Travelers who lined up at Sydney and Melbourne airports early Monday stated they were excited or relieved to finally fly to New Zealand after more than a yr. Some were visiting family and friends, whereas others were attending funerals.
Each nation has managed to keep out the virus by putting up barriers to the outside world, including strict quarantine requirements for travelers returning from other nations where the virus is rampant.
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 to complete a quarantine.
The beginning of the bubble comes ahead of the New Zealand ski season and is welcome news for many tourist cities, including the ski resort of Queenstown.
