Trans-Tasman barriers must go: airlines

Qantas, Air New Zealand and Virgin have backed calls to slash red tape on the trans-Tasman route.

Airlines have backed a report proposing getting rid of travel constraints between the two nations.

Airline giants have swung in behind calls to slash red tape on the trans-Tasman route by making travel domestic-like.

Qantas Airways, Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia have backed the push to streamline trips “across the ditch” by a simplification of border processing between Australia and New Zealand.

The Tourism & Transport Forum will today release a report it commissioned from consultancy Airbiz Aviation Strategies proposing getting rid of constraints on travel between the two nations.

The report proposes building on trials by Brisbane Airport, Air New Zealand and air transport technology giant SITA to use biometric technology to identify passengers. It also calls for immigration pre-clearance at the point of departure and argues that a “face on the fly” recognition technology could be used to allow flyers to collect their bags from a “domestic-like” reclaim area.

“The use of automated border controls provides the highest possible reliability in identifying passengers as they board,” the report says. “This high level of reliability allows for the mixing of domestic and international passengers in an integrated or common departure lounge.”

The report also argues for the use of enhanced screening technologies of baggage.

A Qantas spokesman welcomed the report, saying “for the first time, there are real options identified to simplify the border between Australia and New Zealand”.

“Streamlining travel across the Tasman will reduce costs for airlines and stimulate tourism growth,” the spokesman said.

“It’s something the Qantas Group supports and we believe will bolster the already strong ties between the two countries.”

A Virgin Australia spokeswoman said the carrier “is committed to working closely with government bodies, airport operators and other stakeholders to make the trans-Tasman journey as seamless and convenient as possible”.

“Close co-operation is required to ensure that any initiatives are commercially feasible and that we maintain high standards of safety, biosecurity and privacy,” the Virgin spokeswoman said.

Air New Zealand said it would “happily collaborate with other organisations in this space, noting its involvement in the trial of biometric identification technology in Brisbane.

“We believe there are opportunities to better streamline the experience of frequent trans-Tasman travellers,” a spokeswoman said. “Bottlenecks at airports could be eased with some focused work on the flow of trans-Tasman passengers who have been identified as low-risk. It’s pleasing to see some work in this space is already underway, for example the Trusted Traveller program with NZ Customs.”

Earlier this year, Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce said that streamlining the border would be “a win-win for both consumers and the government”.

“If you think about it, this is one of the few pieces of unfinished business for economic integration between Australia and New Zealand,” Mr Joyce told the trans-Tasman Business Circle in Wellington.

The report comes after Auckland was this month struck with a jet fuel crisis after a leak in the pipeline carrying fuel to the airport. The situation had led to fuel rationing and delays and cancellation of dozens of flights. The pipeline has since been repaired.