Families are reunited as travellers arrive in Wellington on the first flight from Sydney. AFP
QUEENSTOWN: Families reunited in emotional scenes on Monday as Australia and New Zealand launched a quarantine-free travel bubble that opened the border almost 400 days after its pandemic-enforced closure.
There were group hugs and enthusiastic welcomes at airport terminals on both sides of the Tasman Sea as the long-awaited bubble sparked joy and relief.
Lorraine Wratt, a New Zealander stranded by the pandemic while visiting family in Australia, said that travelling again was “wonderful”.
“We came to Australia on Dec 11 to spend Christmas with our children. planning to go back in February, it’s been a bit of a nightmare,” she said.
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Hugs, tears as Australia-NZ travel bubble commences
AFP, QUEENSTOWN, New Zealand
Families reunited in emotional scenes yesterday, as Australia and New Zealand launched a quarantine-free travel bubble that opened the border almost 400 days after its COVID-19 pandemic-enforced closure.
There were group hugs and enthusiastic welcomes at airport terminals on both sides of the Tasman Sea as the long-awaited bubble sparked joy and relief.
Lorraine Wratt, a New Zealander stranded by the pandemic while visiting family in Australia, said that traveling again was “wonderful.”
An elderly man waits for his family to arrive from New Zealand at Sydney International Airport yesterday.