The arrival of LATAM’s service from Santiago just before 5 am this morning (Feb 15) saw scheduled flights get back up and running at Auckland Airport after high winds had forced the suspension of airline ground operations overnight.
“After not much flying on Monday due to Cyclone Gabrielle, many airlines restarted flights yesterday. Unfortunately, late in the day airline ground handlers made the call to suspend airfield operations from a health and safety perspective, until the wind eased. We know this was unwelcome news for people trying to get back to travelling again after a couple of days of weather-related disruption but the safety of those who work on the airfield must come first,” said Scott Tasker, Chief Customer Officer.
“We will be supporting airlines and airline ground handlers as they work to clear the backlog of travellers at Auckland Airport, but it may take a couple of days for schedules to get back to normal. Certainly, our arrivals and departures boards are showing a number of cancellations and delays, particularly flights to and from those regional destinations that have been seriously impacted by flooding.
“This will mean a busy few days for the teams operating in both the international and domestic terminals. To help airline staff work through the backlog of travellers, we ask only those that have a confirmed flight come to the airport. And while it looks like the worst of the weather is behind us, it is still possible there will be short-notice flight delays or airline cancellations, so please keep a close eye on updates from your airline or travel agent.”
Several hundred people with flights scheduled to depart today were supported by Auckland Airport volunteers last night with blankets, snacks and water provided to those that stayed overnight in the international terminal. Around 55 people were transported to the Civil Defence Centre at Trusts Arena by Auckland Airport’s Park & Ride bus and vans.
“We had basic supplies on hand to help those who made the call to stay at the airport last night. For those that couldn’t find accommodation and may be waiting several days until their rescheduled flight departs, the Civil Defence Centre was able to provide them with a place to sleep and something to eat.”
Given ground handlers’ decision to suspend operations, bags were unable to be safely unloaded from aircraft last night and some passengers may not have their checked luggage. Airlines are working with their ground handlers over the next couple of days to make sure these bags are returned to people. Customers should contact the airline directly to discuss options to have their bags returned.
Terminal operations, including retail, dining, car parking and transport, are all up and running as normal.
