The first people to enter New Caledonia without having to go into quarantine are expected on a flight from Wallis and Futuna today.
Aircalin is scheduled to fly an Airbus from Noumea for a return flight to pick up travellers bound for France and people needing medical care in New Caledonia.
AirCalin Airbus at Noumea aiport Photo: RNZ Walter Zweifel
Wallis and Futuna stopped incoming passenger traffic in March for fear of the global Covid-19 outbreak and remained the only French-run territory without a case.
New Caledonia also closed its borders and only allows access to residents on repatriation flights who on arrival then need to stay isolated for three weeks.
Despite objections by mainly Kanak politicians, France has been rotating security personnel who stay in barracks.
New Caledonia recorded 20 cases - the last one a week ago among a batch of police officers flown in from France last month.