iscover
Quarantine-free travel between Australia and New Zealand could “commence as early as September”, according to a travel industry group comprising of experts from both countries. The Trans-Tasman Safe Border Group is made up of representatives from 11 government agencies, six airports, two airlines, as well as a host of aviation, biosecurity and medical experts. This
Despite the ongoing state feud about the appropriate time to open borders back up, sentiment among the industry is positive, with Qantas raring to go as soon as they’re given the green light and bidding for Virgin to be finalised by this Friday.
The airline's flights, which take effect from 8 June, are designed for business travellers to leave regional areas and fly to Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch.
Air New Zealand has yet to tap into its $900m (NZD) of government loans, documents submitted to the country's stock exchange reveal.
Air New Zealand is extending the time frame for its significantly reduced network, with minimal international operations to continue through to 31 August 2020. In response to government travel restrictions and low demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the airline previously announced a limited international network through to 30 June, to keep air links open
Greg Foran also stated that he expects it will take two years for the airline to return to even 70 per cent of its former size.
