Covid 19 coronavirus: Flights from NZ to Australia could resume by July, Flight Centre CEO says

Flight Centre founder and CEO Graham Turner believes holiday-goers from New Zealand could fly to Australia by July or August. Photo / Getty Images

A travel expert has countered Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's claims a transtasman bubble would be more than "weeks away", saying we're likely to be able to travel overseas from July.

Flight Centre founder and CEO Graham Turner believes holiday-goers from New Zealand could fly to Australia by July or August, and that Australians could set their sights on Vietnam and Taiwan.

Turner admitted he didn't have a "grand plan", but quashed International Air Transport Association CEO Alexandre de Juniac's claim international travel would be halted until 2023.

"I think there's no doubt that we will be back flying internationally probably July, August to places like New Zealand and I think it will come back bilaterally, you know, for example, Vietnam or maybe Taiwan," Turner said.

"I would be very surprised if we're not back flying fairly normally within about nine to 12 months to most countries."

Flight Centre founder and CEO Graham Turner believes holiday-goers from New Zealand could fly to Australia by July or August. Photo / Getty Images

While Turner recognised the seriousness of Covid-19, he stressed the economic ramifications if travellers don't get back in the air.

"Although the health risks are high with the coronavirus, and it will continue, we're not going to get rid of the coronavirus globally, I think the economic risks are also so serious,' he said.

"We do need to get back to some level of normality as quickly as possible."

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says any transtasman travel agreement will not happen quickly and is more than "weeks" away.

Turner's comments come as Prime Minister Ardern warned any transtasman travel agreement would be more than "weeks away".

Ardern said she could not put a timeframe on when travel to Australia might resume - but warned "it won't be weeks" - but would be longer.

She said she did not want travel to and from Australia to endanger the very low rates of the virus in New Zealand.