Sydney airport a hive of activity as Australia reopens border

A woman, left, is embraced by a friend after arriving on a flight from Los Angeles at Sydney Airport (Rick Rycroft/AP)

Sydney’s international airport came alive with tears, embraces and laughter on Monday as Australia’s border opened for the first time in 20 months, with some arriving travellers tearing away mandatory masks to see the faces of long-missed loved ones.

Australia is betting that vaccination rates are now high enough to mitigate the danger of allowing international visitors again after maintaining some of the lengthiest and strictest border controls anywhere during the coronavirus pandemic.