Open Canberra to Wellington air route, urges airport CEO

Canberra-Wellington could be the first overseas route reopened to Aussie travellers, if Canberra Airport’s CEO has his way.

Air New Zealand planes at Wellington Airport. Picture: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

Canberra-Wellington could be the first overseas route reopened to Australian travellers, if Canberra Airport’s CEO has his way.

Stephen Byron has written to the federal government outlining his proposal for daily flights between “two of the most COVID-safe jurisdictions in the world” - the Australian and New Zealand national capitals.

“Canberra has been free from new COVID-19 cases for 23 days and Wellington has been free

of new COVID-19 cases more than for 30 days,” Mr Byron wrote, in a letter shared with The Australian.

“There is no community transmission in either city and very limited community transmission in either New Zealand or Australia. Subject to full and formal review and approval by the national health authorities, now is the right time to take this first step.”

He suggested passengers on those flights should be exempt from 14-day quarantine requirements and be allowed to travel freely in New Zealand and Australia, other than to areas where border restrictions remained in place.

“Both Wellington and Canberra Airports are ready for the commencement of these services now,” said Mr Byron.

“However, the most critical aspect of the commencement of trans-Tasman flights is the

announcement so that a timetable and start date may be set. Without this, the process will be

delayed, and the restart of economic activity and our tourism economies delayed with it.”

After a period of two to six weeks, providing all was going well, flights between other major cities could recommence, he wrote.

“This would see the full trans-Tasman bubble commence any time between mid-July and mid-August as appropriate,” Mr Byron said.

He told The Australian he was moved to make the proposal to the government as it became increasingly apparent that tourism businesses could not survive for much longer with “zero cashflow”.

“When they go broke the jobs for our young do not come back,” he said.

“I see it at the airport; I see it everywhere.”

New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has told local media she expected a draft blueprint for the trans-Tasman bubble to be ready within a week.

Tourism groups have been pushing for flights to resume on July 1, to take advantage of school holidays, fearing many businesses will not last until the next term break in September.