Australia to restart flights to New Zealand

Canberra Airport opened a register for travellers interested in flying from the Australian capital to New Zealand on July 1 in a proposed resumption of international travel.

The proposal to restart flights connecting both capitals was under discussion between the two governments and Qantas and Air New Zealand, Canberra Airport Managing Director Stephen Byron said Thursday.

Beneath the proposal, the flights between Canberra and Wellington wouldn't normally require quarantine of passengers. Canberra Airport opened its register of interest for the first flight on July 1 and 140 names were added within the first hour.

“There’s quite strong demand for these flights which supports the commercial proposition, but it also underlines the social need for starting these flights as soon as medical authorities deem it safe to take action,” Byron told The Associated Press.

“We do feel that the time is right now for the government to set a date and for the parties to interact to provide the service on that date,” Byron added.

Return flights would leave Wellington and Canberra on the first morning that flights were allowed, he said.

“We must be safe, there’ no doubt, but the number of infections on both sides is quite low. It is crucial that this is merely a trial ... and we’ve chosen both most COVID-safe cities on the globe, almost,” Bryon said.

New Zealand is on the verge of eradicating the virus after it notched a 13th straight day without reported new infections. Only a single person in the country of 5 million people may still have the virus, and that person isn't hospitalized. However, it remains likely that the country will import new cases once it reopens its borders, and officials say their aim remains to stamp out new infections because they arise.