Australia international borders open: First quarantine-free flights arrive

Qantas staff welcome people arriving at Sydney International Airport on Monday morning.Credit: Jessica Hromas

Passengers on international flights into Sydney airport were allowed to walk straight out of the arrivals gate and into the arms of their families and friends for the first time in nearly 20 months on Monday morning.

The travellers on board a Qantas flight from Los Angeles were among the first to experience eased travel restrictions that enable fully vaccinated passengers arriving in NSW from overseas to skip hotel quarantine.

Simon Yule, who lives in Sacramento, California, and hasn’t been home to Australia in three years, embraced his father with a happy “hey, dad” at the arrivals gate shortly after 6am.

“I hadn’t seen [Dad] in such a long time,” Mr Yule said. “It’s fantastic to be home. It’s been too long.

“It has been pretty crazy the last two years. There’s been a lot of letdowns. The flight was awesome, it was quite an experience to be on.”

The changes to overseas travel rules have cleared the path for thousands of Australians to return home or visit family and friends, many for the first time since international borders shut in March 2020.

Emma Arzoumanian was among passengers given posies of Australian native flowers and gum leaves as they arrived at Sydney International Airport on Monday morning.Credit: Kate Geraghty

Qantas workers held signs that read “QF12 crew, we love you” and “Back in the air” to greet the plane’s crew, while airport staff handed arriving travellers Tim Tam biscuits, and posies of native flowers and gum leaves.

Mr Yule said being able to walk out of the airport terminal with his father without a delay was “awesome” and he probably would not have returned home if he had to spend two weeks in hotel quarantine.

Alan Yule left his home in Grenfell in Central West NSW at 12.15am to pick up his son.

Emma Arzoumanian and her husband Brandon were among the first overseas travellers arriving in NSW who will not need to spend two weeks in quarantine due to COVID-19.Credit: Kate Geraghty

“Wow, this is different, isn’t it?” Mr Yule said of the crowd of family members and media gathered at the arrival gate. “It’s absolutely different. It’s all a bit too much to take in. But it is a special day.“

He said the pair was driving back to Grenfell immediately.

“I’m happy to get to spend a bit more time with [my son]. I’ve been missing him, so I’m just going to savour it.

Qantas customer service manager Paul Wason (centre) waves as the crew from QF12 from Los Angeles arrives at Sydney International airport.Credit: Kate Geraghty

“I’ll get him used to driving on the lefthand side of the road again on the way home, I think.“

Passenger Emma Arzoumanian, who has been in the United States for the past two months for family reasons, said she had been willing to quarantine with her husband and son, but was relieved it was no longer necessary.

“I’m feeling excited to be back,” she said. “I’m straight off the plane and back to work. I get to see my best friend who’s waiting for me outside. Coming into Sydney was just so emotional, the whole plane was clapping.”

Among the happy reunions, there was sadness as well. Rozlyn Collier, who lives with her family in Canada, flew back to Australia to spend time with her relatives and to attend the funeral of her father, who died last week.

“It’s really bittersweet to come home. It’s two years to the day since I saw my dad,” she said.

Ms Collier has lived overseas for the past 19 years and said soaring over the coast and Sydney Harbour at sunrise was “amazing”.

“It was fantastic to see the Australian shoreline again,” she said. “This will always be home.”

Qantas flight attendant Josh Alexander said the trip “felt like normal” after months of working on international repatriation flights.

“The passengers were so happy, they just loved hearing Aussie accents,” he said.

Sixteen international flights were scheduled to arrive at Sydney Airport on Monday, while 14 overseas flights were due to depart. The new travel rules also mean fully vaccinated Australian citizens and permanent residents can travel overseas without an exemption.

Apart from passengers who arrived under the trans-Tasman bubble scheme with New Zealand, all passengers entering Australia from overseas have been required to enter quarantine since March 29 last year - or 582 days.