Qantas and Jetstar look forward to testing requirements lifting on Australian tourists. Photo / Josh Withers, Unsplash
Qantas and Jetstar look forward to testing requirements lifting on Australian tourists. Photo / Josh Withers, Unsplash
It was always going to be whānau and friends on the first flights back to New Zealand.
While predictions remain modest for tourist numbers, the fortuitous alignment for the April and Easter school holidays will give airlines a healthy tailwind in demand for routes across the Tasman.
When asked thismorning, the Prime Minister said there would be no backtrack on dates and the opening was here at last.
"I'm asking our Australian friends and family to book their tickets," she said.
There will be many bags packed and ready to go, come midnight on 12 April.
Across the Ditch, Qantas group airlines have announced they will be launching 30 flights a week with, space to add capacity.
Althought his is a small sliver of the 170 operated by Jetstar and Qantas pre-pandemic, the rebuild is on.
CEO for Qantas domestic and international, Andrew David called the April opening date "an important milestone as part of the recovery for both countries."
"Qantas and Jetstar are gearing up to help New Zealand reconnect with Australia after more than two years apart," he said, choosing to overlook the short-lived "travel bubble" last year.
The Easter holidays would be key for this rebuild, with Qantas and Jetstar to ramp up trans-Tasman flights from next month.
The airline expected demand would still be suppressed while testing and extra Covid-safety measures were required for travellers.
"We know that testing requirements can deter some people from travelling," he said. "As the world shifts to truly living with COVID, it's important that we normalise travel between Australian and New Zealand."
Still, there would be many vaccinated travellers ready to jump on the first flight, for whom testing would be no obstacle in the way of seeing family again.
Virgin Australia announced intentions to return to New Zealand this year. Photo / Fin Gabriel, Unsplash
Virgin Australia which recently returned to international flights in December, flying to Fiji from Sydney announced that it had plans to return to New Zealand and Bali this year as its next international air links. This is not scheduled to happen until the end of 2022.
A spokesperson for Virgin said the airline was "grateful for the New Zealand Government's relaxation of international travel restrictions" and that the airline was planning to resume Queenstown services in November, ahead of the summer holidays 22/23.
Air New Zealand was already adding extra flights to its schedule to cope with demand.
"Flights across the Tasman have been particularly popular, especially over the Easter period where we have added over 90 flights to keep up with demand over that period," said CEO Greg Foran.
Air New Zealand has added extra Australia flights in anticipation of immediate demand from friends and family across the Ditch. Photo / Will Waters, Unsplash
Despite the lack of dates until now, the return of international travel has been highly anticipated for Air New Zealand and the plan build back following a pandemic that brought about almost 4000 job losses at the airline.
Air NZ says it has rehired around 700 flight attendants and pilots in the past six months.
All passengers will have to fill in a New Zealand Travel declaration before flying to New Zealand.
International passengers flying with Air New Zealand will need to be fully vaccinated, and show their International Vaccine Certificate before boarding.
