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A grandfather going to visit his newborn grandson was among the passengers booked on the first flight out of Queenstown under Alert Level 2.
Scheduled flights have been grounded at Queenstown Airport since the end of March, while the last repatriation flight departed at the beginning of April.
Dave Henderson said he had “strict instructions” from family to book a flight out as soon as Alert Level 2 was announced.
Jo McKenzie-McLean / Stuff
Queenstown grandfather Dave Henderson took the first flight out of the tourist town on Thursday to visit his newborn grandson in Dannevirke.
“I’m really looking forward to it. It’s the first grandson from this daughter and it’s great. I have been waiting for level 2. As soon as level 2 came, we were booking.”
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He had spent lockdown alone as his wife, who he married 37 years ago, flew to Dannevirke to be with their daughter who gave birth while in Alert Level 4.
“She left me on my own, so I went to Riverton and was down there totally on my own in lockdown and had a great peaceful lockdown … So I’m not only seeing my grandson, my daughter and my other grandchildren, I I’m actually going to see my wife. “
Jo McKenzie-McLean / Stuff
Henderson spent the lockdown on his own in Riverton.
I have paid $ 400 for flights to Wellington, which I thought was “reasonable” in today’s environment.
Christchurch traveler Tracy Hay arrived in Queenstown on the first available flight to visit her daughter and grandson.
“I haven’t seen them in so long, and she is moving house, so I’ve come to help. I had a flight booked before Covid and I had to rebook.
“It’s brilliant to be here. It was eerily quiet at the airport in Christchurch and the air crew were all smiling. I think everyone is so relieved to be back at work.”
Auckland friends Anthony Mortimer and Phil Bramwell did not hesitate to book flights to Queenstown when Alert Level 2 was announced.
“I spend a lot of time on plans and it was really weird to get back on for the first time,” Mortimer said.
“I hope everything goes really well for everyone in Queenstown and it works out OK because goodness knows we need this economy back up and running now, it’s been too long.”
Jo McKenzie-McLean / Stuff
Christchurch traveler Tracy Hay arrived in Queenstown on the first available flight to visit her daughter and grandson.
The friends, who would fly out on Monday, planned to play golf, go buggying and hunting, and “just enjoy themselves”.
Bramwell said Aucklanders were keen to support Queenstown.
“There will be plane loads of them, following us very quickly I’d say. They will come back in their droves.
“[Queenstown] is the tourist capital of New Zealand so it’s important to get it back up and running. “
On an average day in May last year, Queenstown Airport had about 40 flights arriving and departing, carrying 3000 to 4000 passengers. On Thursday there were four flights carrying about 60 people.
For the next two days there would be two arrivals and two departments in Queenstown a day, and the first jet would land on Saturday. The aircraft could carry 160 to 170 passengers, but only 100 were expected due to physical distancing requirements.
