Wellington/Sydney: New Zealand will allow quarantine-free visits by Australians from April 19, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Tuesday, creating a “travel bubble” for the neighbouring nations that have closed borders to the rest of the world to eradicate COVID-19.
Though most Australian states have allowed quarantine-free visits from New Zealanders for months, New Zealand has continued mandatory quarantine from its neighbour, citing concern about small COVID-19 outbreaks there.
The virus has effectively been eradicated in both countries, with minor outbreaks a result of leakage from quarantined returned travellers. Australia has recorded about 29,400 virus cases and 909 deaths since the pandemic began, while New Zealand has had just over 2,100 confirmed cases and 26 deaths.
The two countries’ airlines said they plan to ramp up flights once the arrangement comes into effect.
Though most Australian states have allowed quarantine-free visits from New Zealanders for months, New Zealand has continued mandatory quarantine from its neighbour, citing concern about small COVID-19 outbreaks there.
The virus has effectively been eradicated in both countries, with minor outbreaks a result of leakage from quarantined returned travellers.
“The Trans-Tasman travel bubble represents a start of a new chapter in our COVID response and recovery, one that people have worked so hard at,” Ardern told reporters in the New Zealand capital, Wellington.
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Air New Zealand Ltd and Qantas Airways Ltd said on Tuesday they would ramp up flights between Australia and New Zealand to at least 70% of pre-pandemic levels once a two-way quarantine-free travel bubble opens on April 19.
The restart of a more regular schedule on the popular routes will help the airlines reduce their cash burn at a time when they are almost wholly reliant on their domestic markets for revenue.
Before the pandemic, Australia was New Zealand’s largest tourism market and demand for travel between the two countries represented around 20% of Air New Zealand’s revenue, the carrier said in a statement.
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Air New Zealand to fly 70% of pre-COVID capacity to Australia as travel bubble opens reuters.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from reuters.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.