Hundreds of Rarotonga returnees could be stranded due to limited domestic flights

Travellers are concerned they'll return from Rarotonga and be stranded. Photo / File

A man with two children and an essential business in Hastings says the Government has not given travellers enough time to get home from Rarotonga.

When lockdown was announced on Tuesday evening the Government gave travellers a 48-hour window to make their way home.

On Thursday it was extended 24 hours after travellers around the country – especially in popular tourist destinations like Queenstown – were struggling to meet the deadline.

Hastings man Herman Wismeyer has been in Rarotonga since last Friday, and had a flight booked to Auckland, and then on to Napier later today.

While Air New Zealand confirmed they could return travellers from the Cook Islands, there were no more domestic flights available to the regions.

As an essential worker Wismeyer would be able to hire a car and make the drive to Hastings, but he was concerned hundreds would be left at Auckland airport with difficulty getting home.

"There's two flights coming back from Rarotonga on Friday so that's 600 people sitting in the airport, and some of them are just going to be stuck."

"I've spoken to a number of people here, people that need to go to Tāupo or Palmerston North, but they're not allowed to hire a car."

Incoming flights from Rarotonga were scheduled to arrive at Auckland Airport at 3.55pm and 6.25pm.

Chief customer and sales officer Leanne Geraghty said the Cook Islands Government had allowed an extension to continue to bring Kiwis home from Rarotonga.

"We will be operating our existing schedule dependent on demand, flying cargo only to the Island and returning with passengers.

"The New Zealand Government have made an exemption for customers returning from the Cook Islands to allow them to travel on the limited schedule we will have running."

From today Air New Zealand has revised its flight schedule in line with level 4 restrictions, to allow for essential travel only.

There are two daily return services between Auckland and Christchurch and one between Auckland and Wellington.

Extra flights from Queenstown to Auckland had been approved by the Government in a 24-hour extension.

Auckland Airport was also approached for comment.

Wismeyer had essential work in Hastings and two children staying with grandparents that he needed to get back to.

"Our kids are going to wake up on Saturday morning wondering 'where are Mum and Dad?'

"And I'm managing essential water services for Hastings District Council and I need to get back to the project."

He said the initial 48-hour window had not made sense for New Zealanders overseas.

"48 hours is just not enough to get from Aitutaki where we are to get a domestic flight to Rarotonga, an Air New Zealand flight to get to Auckland and then a domestic flight to Napier."