Australia-New Zealand travel bubble brings relief

STORY: New Zealand Australia Flight PM - Australia-New Zealand travel bubble brings relief

LENGTH: 03:26

FIRST RUN: 0455

RESTRICTIONS: Part No Access New Zealand/ Part No Access Australia

TYPE: English/Natsound

SOURCE: TVNZ/AUSTRALIA POOL/ASSOCIATED PRESS

STORY NUMBER: 4321515

DATELINE: 19 April 2021 - Auckland/Sydney/Wellington

SHOTLIST:

RESTRICTION SUMMARY: PART NO ACCESS NEW ZEALAND; PART NO ACCESS AUSTRALIA

TVNZ – NO ACCESS NEW ZEALAND

Auckland – 19 April 2021

1. Band playing at the international arrivals gate

2. Various of arriving passengers being greeted, hugging each other

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Vox pop, passenger, no name available:

"Oh, it's amazing, I have no words, I'm just so grateful that I could come back, I'm like shaking right now."

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Vox pop, relative of passenger, no name available:

"Mixed emotions, it's sad circumstances that she's here for the loss of big brother, but we're happy that we get this opportunity to spend time with family now definitely. It's unfortunate for other families due to COVID and everything, but we're so lucky to have family now that can attend special things like this, with the loss of family."

5. Travelers walking inside terminal

AUSTRALIA POOL – NO ACCESS AUSTRALIA

Sydney – 19 April 2021

++AUDIO QUALITY AS INCOMING++

6. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison walking in to news conference

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Scott Morrison, Australian Prime Minister:

"Today is another major milestone. The Tasman is open. It's been six months since Australia first opened up to New Zealand and in time for Anzac Day. We've seen the Tasman open up and we welcome that, and the Prime Minister of New Zealand and I issued a statement earlier today in that spirit of trans-Tasman cooperation, and we look forward to the operational side of that arrangement continuing to be successful. It's a win-win for Australia and New Zealand and I think this is going to be very important for the tourism and travel industry on both sides of the Tasman, as well the very practical issues of families being able to reconnect. There are so many connections between ourselves and our Kiwi cousins, and so, that is a welcome next development."

TVNZ – NO ACCESS NEW ZEALAND

Wellington – 19 April 2021

8. Various of people waiting at arrivals terminal, sign reading (English) "Welcome Home"

9. Various of travelers walking out then being greeted, hugging each other

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Vox pop, relative of passenger, no name available:

"It's being a very long time, so much life has happened since then that it's so nice to see each other."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Wellington – 19 April 2021

11. Indigenous Maori performers welcoming passengers

12. Traveler walking amid cheers

13. Pan across Indigenous Maori performers to people waiting at arrivals terminal

STORYLINE:

Elation marked the opening Monday of a long-anticipated travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand.

The start of quarantine-free travel was a relief for families who have been separated by the coronavirus pandemic as well as to struggling tourist operators.

It marked the first tentative steps toward what both countries hope will become a gradual reopening to the rest of the world.

The idea of a travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand had been talked about for months but faced setbacks because of several small virus outbreaks in both countries, which were eventually stamped out.

To mark the occasion, Wellington International Airport painted an enormous welcome sign near its main runway and Air New Zealand ordered some 24,000 bottles of sparkling wine, offering a complimentary glass to adult passengers.

Indigenous Maori performers welcomed arriving passengers who tearfully embraced loved ones.

Air New Zealand officials said the carrier had previously been running just two or three flights a day between the two countries but that jumped to 30 flights on Monday carrying 5,200 passengers.

The leaders of both countries welcomed the bubble, saying it was a world-leading arrangement because it aimed to both open borders and keep the virus from spreading.

Both countries have managed to keep out the virus by putting up barriers to the outside world, including strict quarantine requirements for travelers returning from other countries where the virus is rampant.

Australia had previously allowed New Zealanders to arrive without going into quarantine but New Zealand had taken a more cautious approach, requiring travelers from Australia complete a quarantine.

The start of the bubble comes ahead of the New Zealand ski season and is welcome news for many tourist towns, including the ski resort of Queenstown.

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