Quarantine free travel began today between New Zealand and Australia, with emotional scenes at airports as families reunited after months apart.

Executive general manager for aviation at Brisbane Airport Corporation Jim Parashos said they had 13 flights in and out.

“Exciting and very emotional, Scott,” he told Scott Emerson.

“It was certainly an emotional place today.”

He said there will be 39 flights per week in the coming weeks, with about 2000 people coming through the international terminal today.

“By the middle of the year that will ramp up to at least double that, with both new destinations coming online and increased frequencies,” he said.

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Margy Osmond, CEO of the Tourism & Transport Forum Australia, said it was a great sign.

“I was talking this morning to one of the CEO’s to one of the major airports, who shall remain nameless, who was timing the hugs.

“When I spoke to him this morning, the longest one he had seen non stop was 3.5 minutes.”

She said if this works, it will open up other destinations.

She predicted a Singapore bubble next, and then possibly Japan.

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Image: iStock