First Sydney f light brings tears
Tears of joy flowed at Christchurch Airport yesterday afternoon as families, forced apart for birthdays and Mother’s Day after the trans-Tasman travel bubble burst, were reunited.
Quarantine-free travel between the Australian state of New South Wales and New Zealand was paused on Thursday after cases of Covid-19 were identified in the community in Sydney.
The restrictions were lifted at 11.59pm on Sunday. The first flight from Sydney touched down in Christchurch at 1.30pm yesterday.
Family and friends flocked to the airport with flowers, balloons and banners to welcome their loved ones.
For United States-based Eden Baker, her trip to New Zealand was fly-by-night – staying just a day before heading back to Australia. She plans to fly home to New York on Sunday.
Baker said she’d made the trip so she and her Melbourne-based mum Jane could have a ‘‘three-generational Mother’s Day’’ with grandmother Helen. She’d spent two weeks in managed isolation in Australia.
‘‘It would’ve been a slightly longer trip [to New Zealand] if it weren’t for the disruption,’’ she said. ‘‘Twenty-four hours is not long, but I figured it’d still be worth it. I haven’t seen grandma for three years.’’
Nadia Rees, who lives in Sydney, said she was zipping up her suitcase on Thursday night when she learned she would not make it home for sister Millie’s birthday party.
‘‘It’s been a pretty rough ride. I’ve been set back a few times. I tried to get back last year in December, tried to get back for my brother’s wedding, and I missed that, and my flight was due to leave on Friday just after they stopped the bubble, so that was pretty devastating for all of us.’’
Rees said she was ‘‘just so happy’’ to finally be in New Zealand. ‘‘It’s my sister’s birthday today, so really glad I got to be here for that.’’
Her mother, Margie Rees, said even though Nadia missed the big party, they would still celebrate as a family. ‘‘It’s been a long time in coming with multiple disappointments along the way, but [we were] trying to keep positive, and we’re very grateful the bubble has reopened.’’
Dad Paul Rees said he had to deal with ‘‘three very emotional females on Thursday night’’.
‘‘I think Nadia was crying over her suitcase. She’d just packed it when she found out the news.’’
Stevie Gerard, a Cantabrian who moved to Sydney two years ago, had been trying to come home for her birthday on Sunday.
But she had a relaxed attitude about it.
‘‘It’s all good, it was out of our hands.
‘‘We had a lot planned, because I was supposed to be here for 10 days, but [I will just be] catching up with family and friends, and hopefully coming back soon.’’
Gerard was greeted at the airport with flowers by her friend Shiloh.
‘‘It’s pretty heartwarming . . . Having friends come and pick me up from the airport is pretty cool.’’
Sydney-based Kevin and Suzanne Jelley were met at the airport by an entourage of family members whom they had not seen for 15 months.
‘‘We were originally going to leave on Friday, then we took the 48-hour pause at its word,’’ Kevin Jelley said.
‘‘[We then] booked for Sunday and then Mr Hipkins in his wisdom announced that it was opening on Sunday, but it was at one minute to midnight.’’
The third flight was the charm for the couple, but Kevin said he wished the two countries would have a little more faith in one another.
‘‘I just hope that the two governments trust each other, more than the New Zealand Government seems to trust Australia at the moment, and trust the systems will work.’’
‘‘Twenty-four hours is not long, but I figured it’d still be worth it. I haven’t seen grandma for three years.’’
Eden Baker