Hugs, kisses and many tears greet airport arrivals
It was a day of hugs, smiles and tears as months of separation came to an end for thousands of New Zealanders who were reunited with family as the long-awaited transTasman bubble opened.
The wheels of the first passenger flight hit the tarmac in Auckland from Sydney just before 12.30pm, while Wellington’s first passenger flight touched down from Sydney around 1.30pm, and Christchurch’s first flight from Sydney landed a little before 3pm. Fifty-nine flights from Australia landed in New Zealand yesterday, with around 400 flights scheduled to land by the end of the week.
Every passenger aboard those flights had their own story, but the constant thread was relief and joy. The first people who walked through the arrivals gate in Auckland were in tears as they hugged family.
Miriana Rawiri embraced her son and grandson for the first time in two years. ‘‘I have never felt better,’’ she said.
As the first flight landed in Wellington, Nga¯ti Po¯neke performed a haka po¯ whiri. A twoway video screen meant those waiting in the terminal could see passengers in the arrival lounge. People waved, took selfies, and babies were held up to the camera.
No-one from Suada Hoxha’s family had met her daughter, until her sister, Isidora, landed in Wellington from Sydney.
‘‘Now, I can use her as a babysitter,’’ Suada said. ‘‘I’ve never held a baby before,’’ her sister said.
Applause broke out at Christchurch Airport as the first flight from Sydney touched down.
The first thing Jodene Lowe wanted to do when her cousin Lynda Lonergan arrived from Hobart via Sydney was drink champagne.
Lowe had travelled from Ashburton to Christchurch and was waiting to see the cousin she thought of as a sister for the first time in a year. ‘‘It’s going to be emotional. Airports always make me cry.’’
Even after 400 days of isolationimposed travel, one thing hasn’t changed: sometimes the airline loses your bags. Jordan Hills hadn’t seen his daughters and wife for 13 months, and was delayed a while longer as he filled out paperwork for the missing luggage.
He strolled through the arrivals gate around 2.30pm and was immediately tackled by daughters
Brooklyne, 10, and Aroha, 5.
‘‘It’s unreal, bro,’’ he said, one daughter clutched in each arm. ‘‘The main thing is I’m finally here.’’
Marleen Green held her grandchild for the first time at Auckland Airport. At a loss for words, she came up with one to describe the moment. ‘‘Overwhelming,’’ she said.
Airlines and airports on both sides of the ditch celebrated the occasion with gusto, with Air New Zealand serving up 24,000 bottles of bubbly, and Wellington Airport painting ‘‘welcome wha¯nau’’ in enormous letters at the end of the runway.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern thanked border workers as she celebrated the opening of the bubble at Wellington Airport. She
had a box of tissues at hand as she watched scenes of families reuniting.
Australian High Commissioner Patricia Forsythe said it called to mind the ‘‘where the bloody hell are ya’’ ad campaign. ‘‘We are here,’’ she said.
Air New Zealand short haul inflight service manager Craig Suckling said the feeling at Sydney
Airport before the flights departed was electric.
‘‘For over 400 days, New Zealanders have needed to isolate on return to Aotearoa. Now, both Kiwis and Aussies can enter freely, so this is an incredibly emotional day. Our flights into New Zealand from Australia are at 97 per cent capacity today – you can picture what the airports look like!’’
Two leaders hail ‘win-win’
New Zealand and Australia’s success in managing Covid-19 has made quarantine-free trans-Tasman travel possible, the the countries’ leaders says.
But there was a warning that the risks of quarantine-free travel would be under constant review amid the global pandemic.
Travellers would need to be prepared for possible disruption to travel arrangements at short notice, and to follow specific protocols before, during and after their travel, the joint statement from New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her Australian counterpart, Scott Morrison, said.
The statement hailed the agreement as a world-leading arrangement that opens up travel while aiming to keep Covid-19 out of the community.
Both countries have robust processes in place to ensure travel can be undertaken safely, making quarantine-free travel possible.
‘‘Today’s milestone is a win-win for Australians and New Zealanders, boosting our economies while keeping our people safe and just in time for Anzac Day,’’ Morrison said.
Ardern said: ‘‘It is truly exciting to start quarantine-free travel with Australia. Be it returning family, friends or holiday makers, New Zealand says welcome and enjoy yourself.
‘‘The bubble marks a significant step in both countries’ reconnection with the world and it’s one we should all take a moment to be very proud of,’’ she said.