Flowers, cheers and tears as Australia's border reopens
Australia's international border reopened on Monday almost 600 days after a pandemic closure began, sparking emotional scenes at the Sydney airport as loved ones reunited.
Shortly after dawn, bleary-eyed passengers began to trickle into the arrivals terminal at Kingsford Smith International and were quickly wrapped up in the tearful embraces of flower-clutching relatives.
Almost all travel to the island continent halted, prompting critics to dub the country a "hermit state".
Arriving in Sydney was "beautiful, beautiful", one passenger told reporters at the airport.
"I just can't wait to touch my mother's hand when I see her. I can't wait to hold her," a woman said. "It's going to be very emotional."
Families were split across continents, and tens of thousands of nationals were stranded overseas.
Those conditions have now been dropped for the country's two largest cities- Sydney and Melbourne- which will now allow vaccinated Australians to come and go without quarantine of any kind.
"I haven't seen my family for four years, we've been trying to get in for a year and a half," another passenger said.
Abhi Bajaj, 35, said it was "too overwhelming" that he could now travel to the United States to celebrate Christmas with family after two years apart.
Australian airline Qantas had grounded much of its fleet for more than 18 months, with CEO Alan Joyce calling the resumption of regular international flights "a long time coming".
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said it was a "big day for Australia", posting on Facebook that the country was now "ready for take-off!"
More than one million foreign residents remain stuck in Australia unable to see friends or relatives overseas, with the relaxed travel rules applying mainly to citizens.
(Source: AFP)
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