Trans-Tasman bubble: New Zealand flights full to the brim as families reunite
Planes take off at near capacity on day one of the trans-Tasman bubble, marking Aussies’ first chance for quarantine-free overseas travel in 400 days.
Airlines have taken off with near capacity cabins on day one of the trans-Tasman bubble, marking Australians’ first opportunity for quarantine-free overseas travel in more than a year.
Air New Zealand expected to carry more than 5000 people between Australia and New Zealand on Monday, while Qantas and Jetstar had 29 flights operating.
The first flights from Sydney to Auckland were reported to be close to full capacity, including a packed business cabin on the Qantas service.
Qantas Group chief executive Alan Joyce said the two-way bubble was a significant milestone for both countries.
“Quarantine-free travel has been almost 400 days in the making,” noted Mr Joyce.
“Reopening these flights across the Tasman is a very important milestone in the recovery from the pandemic for Australia and New Zealand but also aviation and tourism.”
More than 600 Qantas and Jetstar employees had returned to work to operate the additional flights with around 200 scheduled each week.
Mr Joyce said New Zealand was Australia’s second biggest source of international visitors before the pandemic (after China), now it was “about to go straight to number one”.
“We’ve seen strong demand since the bubble was announced, with tens of thousands of bookings made in the first few days,” Mr Joyce said.
“We’ve also added more flights to Queenstown to meet expected demand during the peak ski season.”
Air New Zealand reported 97 per cent passenger loads for its first flights of the bubble, kicking off with a morning service from Sydney to Wellington.
“It was quite the emotional rollercoaster here in Sydney,” said Air New Zealand short haul in-flight service manager Craig Suckling.
“The check-in area was a hive of activity and at the boarding gate, customers were eager to get on. Put it this way, we certainly weren’t calling customers for a final boarding call!”
Australian airports were also getting in on the celebratory feel of the day, with Gold Coast Airport staging an indigenous welcome to country ceremony as well as the haka for arrivals from New Zealand.
Queensland Airports chief executive Mills said the Gold Coast airport team and tourism operators were extremely excited about the resumption of trans-Tasman travel, with 16 services scheduled in the first week alone.
“We have been waiting more than 12 months for the restart of international travel and today it begins with one of the Gold Coast’s most important overseas markets and Australia’s closest neighbour,” he said.
“Given the impact of this separation on so many people, we are expecting to see lots of emotional reunions at Gold Coast Airport over the next few weeks.”
Brisbane Airport was expecting 40 weekly services to and from New Zealand, which represented just over a third of pre-COVID capacity between the city and New Zealand.
CEO Gert-Jan de Graaff said while the bubble was important it was not enough on its own.
“We have some way to go to safeguard the livelihoods of businesses in Brisbane and across Queensland who rely on tourism.
“To protect the ‘bubble’ and to make real the possibility of opening to more international markets, we need to get Australia’s vaccination rollout back on track and firing on all cylinders. We need all levels of government and the industry to work together to make this happen. “
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