The passengers still had to go through Customs.
Almost two hours after originally arriving, Paterson told the Herald he was still waiting for his family to come through the arrival gate to greet him.
Given the expense of parking, Paterson said he would be contacting the airport to see if he could get a refund on the extra money he had spent at the airport this morning.
He said while it was frustrating for his family, it was even worse for visitors who were arriving in New Zealand for the first time.
"This is meant to be gateway to the country, and this is their first experience," he said.
"This airport is a shambles."
Asked to comment on the delays on the tarmac, Auckland Airport said it works closely with airlines and ground staff to ensure a trouble-free travel experience for passengers.
"The experience this morning was the result of the airline making a number of decisions that caused a 77-minute delay to passengers disembarking," a spokesperson for the airport said.
In a statement, American Airlines apologised for the delay of flight AA83 and for any inconvenience customers experienced upon arrival.
"The crew operating the flight were unfortunately delayed getting the aircraft to the gate due to the late departure of another aircraft."
Busiest time of the year
Earlier this month Auckland Airport bosses revealed the 10 days over the Christmas-New Year holiday period they believe the international terminal will be at its most congested.
Saturday, December 22, and Sunday, January 6, top the list, with more than 43,000 travellers expected through the international terminal on each of the two peak travel days.
On eight other days — December 20, 21, 23 and 26, and January 3, 4, 5, and 13 more than 40,000 travellers are expected through the same terminal.
On a regular day 34,000 to 35,000 people pass through the international terminal, among a sharp rise in passenger numbers that three years ago prompted the airport to kick off a 30-year development plan to cater for soaring growth.
