JETSTAR chief Bruce Buchanan wants Australia and New Zealand to adopt a common border and drop travel restrictions across the Tasman.

The move would end customs, immigration and quarantine checks and allow the Qantas offshoot to operate from low-cost secondary airports.

He acknowledged that quarantine and border security issues would have to be resolved.

But the move could mirror airline operations in Europe where carriers, like Irish-owned Ryanair, fly unrestricted between capitals.

Mr Buchanan said return airfares between both countries were likely to fall by $60 under a common border arrangement.