Wellington Airport welcomes travel bubble news

Wellington Airport is very pleased by today’s news a trans-Tasman travel bubble will commence shortly.

“We are delighted by this news and eager to welcome travellers in both directions. Along with the rest of the tourism industry we will be working hard to keep visitors and New Zealanders safe, and offer a world-class experience to our guests,” says CEO Steve Sanderson.

“We will be working with airlines as schedules develop. At this stage it is confirmed there will be direct return flights from Wellington to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Flights will operate on similar times to those customers were used to pre-Covid, with early morning and afternoon departures; and afternoon and midnight arrivals,” says CEO Steve Sanderson.

“We believe there is significant pent-up demand for travel to and from Australia. Families and friends who have been separated are eager to see each other; and there is increasing demand from Australia for safe international holiday options.

“New Zealand is able to offer a premium, safe tourism experience unlike anything else in the world currently. Wellington Airport will be working with Tourism New Zealand, WellingtonNZ, airlines and local tourism operators to promote Wellington as a destination, with activity stepping up over the next few months as the trans-Tasman bubble is embedded.

“Australian travellers through Wellington Airport can largely expect business as usual, with some additional precautions. We do not have any MIQ or longer-haul flights coming through the terminal, so passengers can have peace of mind that Wellington Airport is an entirely “green” zone.

“As an extra layer of precaution we have worked to implement all Ministry of Health guidance to ensure everything possible is done to maintain a safe and hygienic environment for travellers. This includes increased cleaning, regular Covid-19 testing of all border-facing staff, thermal camera temperature checking of all arrivals, and signage to remind visitors of Covid requirements including use of the Covid tracer app.”

Wellington Airport will release more information shortly on special welcome events and activities for Wellington’s first arriving and departing trans-Tasman flights.