Pack your bags for what probably feels like the 42nd time, because Victorians can now travel on two-way quarantine-free trans-Tasman flights once more.
There’s good news for Victorians today, as New Zealand has resumed the quarantine-free trans-Tasman bubble for travellers from VIC.
The New Zealand Government advised that the pause on quarantine-free travel from Melbourne to New Zealand will be lifted at 23:59pm 22 June 2021, meaning from today, travellers will no longer be required to have a pre-departure test.
Customers are now permitted to travel on quarantine-free flights provided they have been in Australia or New Zealand for at least 14 days and have not visited a COVID-19 exposure site.
Unfortunately, however, for travellers from NSW, New Zealand has implemented a 72-hour trans-Tasman ban.
All travellers are being asked to follow the health advice in the relevant state regarding isolation and testing.
Domestic travel for Victorians
Victorians are also being welcomed back to other states in time for the southern state’s school holiday period.
Tasmania and the Northern Territory have already reopened their borders to Greater Melbourne, with South Australia and Queensland reopening their borders to Victoria from Friday.
Virgin Australia says it welcomes the decision to reopen borders and is expanding frequencies and resuming several interstate routes.
Additional frequencies between Melbourne-Cairns, Melbourne-Sunshine Coast and Melbourne-Gold Coast will be
ramped up over the coming days to assist customers with last-minute school holiday travel.
As well as the increase in frequencies, the airline will be reintroducing these routes, just in time for the school holidays:
- Melbourne-Darwin – adding more than 1,200 seats per week from 25 June
- Melbourne-Hamilton Island – adding more than 500 seats per week from 26 June
- Melbourne-Ballina Byron – adding more than 800 seats per week from 25 June
“We’re making it easier for Victorians to take a last-minute holiday and over the coming days will be updating our schedule to enable travellers to book and explore the incredible holiday experiences on offer across Australia,” a Virgin Australia spokesperson said.